1. Great Falls Tavern, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
City: Potomac, MD
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (301) 299-3613
Address: 11710 MacArthur Boulevard
Description: The Maryland side of Great Falls and the C&O Canal looks remarkably similar to the way it appeared more than 100 years ago. It’s a lovely park in which to bike or walk. You can also take a ride on an 1870s-era canal boat, piloted by two mules. Guides dressed in period costume relate stories of life on the canal and sing songs from the era ($2 per person). The park’s visitor center, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Christmas and New Year’s Day, features exhibits and an audiovisual presentation as well as special programs. Park admission is the same as Great Falls Park admission: $5 per car or $3 per pedestrian, jogger, or bicyclist, valid for three consecutive days and also good for entrance to the park on the other side of the falls (the admission fees are charged intermittently). An annual park pass, good for Great Falls and the C&O Canal, is available for $20. The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk, except on Christmas. The gates are locked at dark.
2. Old Angler’S Inn
City: Potomac, MD
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (301) 299-9097 or 365-2425
Address: 10801 MacArthur Boulevard
Description: You can cozy up next to the roaring fireplace in fall and winter or enjoy patio dining by a fountain in spring and summer. Back inside, the spiral staircase leads from a sitting area featuring big, soft couches, to an intimate, albeit bustling, dining room where the mood continues to captivate. The prices at Old Angler’s Inn may give you a little predinner heartburn—this is a “jackets required” kind of place—but then again, when you consider the setting, service, and wonderful menu selections such as rack of lamb, venison, quail, and rabbit, the financial bite seems somehow less painful. Seared tuna and several other dishes feature Asian spices that show the chef’s range of skill with any number of cooking styles. If you just can’t decide what looks best, let the chef choose for you with his nightly tasting menu. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, Sunday brunch, and is closed Monday.
3. Anecdotal History Tours
City: Potomac, MD
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (301) 294-9514
Address: 9009 Paddock Lane
Description: Local historian Anthony Pitch leads two-hour walking tours of the Adams Morgan district and Georgetown on Sundays from mid-March through mid-December and by appointment. The guide specializes in “anecdotal history,” focusing on homes of famous Washingtonians past and present.