I wouldn't recommend side trips to any place deserving of its own weeklong vacation (ie NYC), but there are lots of nice days trips out of DC. If you like Civil War history, Gettysburg can be done in a day, as can Fredricksburg and Harper's Ferry. Annapolis is lovely, the Inner Harbor and Fell's Point in Baltimore is fun, and the Shenandoah Valley is just a 2 hr drive away.



Be sure to check out the annual Christmas market near the Portrait Gallery.

I meant Frederick, not Fredericksburg. Sorry!