I lived in Alabama for 6 years before moving to DC...even though geographically it might be considered the "south," I can tell you that it's not "the real south."

DCNewbies...check out washingtonian.com for great day trip advice from our area. I was going to mention Skyline Drive but see "virginia" already gave a great itinerary for that area.

If you must limit yourself to rail travel, take Metro's red line to Woodley Park, and go to the Zoo. It is in Rock Creek Park and has views of fine fall color at the end of October. Then walk south on Connecticut Avenue and take in the views of the autumn foliage from the Calvert Street Bridge, too.
This advice is not meant in a facetious way; I try to make a trip to the Zoo or walk along Mass Ave Embassy Row each October/early November.

kayd has given excellent advice. That area has beautiful foliage and local weathercasters will give you updates on the six o'clock news! You might want to extend this venture by taking a taxi cab ride through Rock Creek Park.

Here is the geography thing explained. Northeast (Boston) is where I live. So anything south of me is "The south", anything touching the Pacific Ocean is "west", so (regarding Ohio), everything between me and California is "The Midwest". Rules are modified to accomodate each individual's point of reference.

So since OP identifies with previous home of Texas, where s/he is now is in fact the "northeast". That is also why my brother, since being transplanted to southern FL, refers to Jacksonville as "up north".

So we can all be right!

When I was a kid I lived in the Midwest. Now I live in one of the Great Lakes States - and I haven't moved!
We had nuns that came from Rhode Island. They had one school "Way out West in Wisconsin."
I guess it all depends on your point of view.

Skyline Drive. Very winding and fun. Deer will come up to your car. I also recommend Highland County, sometimes called the Switzerland of Virginia. Lovely bucolic glory in Highland.

DCnew:

In SW PA (not too far away from D.C. 180 miles) are the Laurel Highlands. The leaves turn in Ohiopyle State Park (60 miles from Pittsburgh) about Oct 9th or mid-Oct (possibly a little South of here) but still in PA. There are the mountains of MD in Hagerstown, Frostburg and Cumberland too that might be changing in mid-October. Its very easy to find fall colors if you leave the big cities.

Harper's Ferry West Virginia or Shepardstown, WV - both full of history and quaint little towns with gorgeous fall color. I'm not sure if the train goes directly to Shepardstown but definitely goes to Harper's Ferry.

Here's an idea if you want to take a train...

The DC-Chicago Capitol Limited train has some lovely views of the Allegheny River. Maybe you could get off somewhere like Cumberland, MD in Western Maryland or Harper's Ferry, WV on this train? (There's a MARC commuter train that goes out that way too.) I don't know how the logistics would work exactly, but I do remember seeing the train stops in the heart of Cumberland.

From DC, there are the regular Northeast Corridor trains, but this opens Baltimore, Philadelphia, NYC and a few others within 4 hours distance... fun places to visit all but the ride won't showcase fall colours so much as you'll be passing through either sprawl, urban rowhouses or Chesapeake Bay estuaries (although festivals, outdoor concerts, might be good fun), so not as treed.

Maybe Fredericksburg, VA or Charlottesville, VA on the Richmond-bound or New Orleans-bound train could be an adventure? I don't know having never done it. The latter has UVA and I remember some lovely fall foliage (and attractive campus).

Enjoy whatever you decide. DAN

As JFK once remarked, Washington DC is a city of northern charm and southern efficiency.

I have to agree with some of you. I lived in D.C. two times in the 1980s and its just a bunch of transplants mostly in VA and MD suburbs.

I think of the South as Fredericksburg, VA and below. I work with someone who is from Weirton, WV and she thinks of herself as a Southerner. I'm from SW PA and Weirton is 22 miles from me west. I just don't get it - guess everyone makes up their own identities.