Hiking

Huntley Meadows Park. On this 1,500-acre refuge in Alexandria, you can spot more than 200 bird species—from ospreys to owls, egrets to ibis. Much of the park is wetlands, a favorite of aquatic species. A boardwalk circles through a marsh, enabling you to spot beaver lodges, and 4 miles of trails wend through the park, making it likely you'll see deer, muskrats, and river otters as well. The park has an observation tower for good wildlife spotting and a small visitor's center and gift shop. 3701 Lockheed Blvd., Alexandria, Virginia, 22306. 703/768–2525; www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows-park.

Mount Vernon Trail. Across the Potomac in Virginia is the 18-mile paved Mount Vernon Trail. The 3.5-mile northern section begins near the pedestrian causeway leading to Theodore Roosevelt Island and goes past Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and on to Old Town Alexandria. South of the airport, the trail runs down to the Washington Marina. The 9-mile southern section leads to Mount Vernon. Washington, District of Columbia. www.nps.gov/gwmp.