Karen's Washington, DC Travel Blog

Don't miss the National Independence Day Parade. It begins at 11:45 a.m. on Constitution Ave, NW and goes from Seventh to 17th Street. This is a wonderful way for the whole family to kick off America's birthday celebration before the fireworks.

The US National Mall is "the" place to be to celebrate Independence Day and with the US Symphony playing patriotic tunes beginning at 8 p.m.and the fireworks beginning at approximately 9:15 p.m. you really get to be in the thick of things. Check-out my tips on road closures and parking to help make your Fourth of July as carefree as possible.

The Dairy Godmother in Del Ray, VA has some of the creamiest and mouth-watering desserts in the Washington, DC Metro area. The shop posts its flavor of the day in an online calendar so that you can plan ahead and if the Tollhouse Cookie doesn't get you, the Summer Pudding--based on an English dessert--most certainly will.

Start America's birthday off with a free concert at the National Cathedral (Massachusetts Avenue NW & Wisconsin Ave NW,Washington, DC 20016; 202-537-5527) on July 4, 2008 at 11 a.m. Cathedral organists Scott Dettra and Christopher Jacobson present an all-American program of music with scores of both the traditional and popular genre. This is an event the whole family can enjoy before watching the fireworks on the National Mall.

Photo courtesy of the National Cathedral.

This week the Tiger Woods AT&T National Golf Tournament will get underway at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda. And although Tiger Woods won't be playing, 120 of his closest friends will be hitting the course. The event honors America's members of the Armed Forces and is one of the most exciting tournaments around. The tournament kicks off on July 2, 2008 and runs through July 6, 2008.

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Montgomery County's Heritage Days are here and to celebrate this year, the house that inspired Uncle Tom's Cabin is open to the public Sunday, June 29, 2008. Additionally, 40 historical county sites will be open for touring. To find out more information visit www.heritagemontgomery.org.

Washington, DC really is a great place to visit. The District has many great museums, monuments, and famous sites that are free. Check out my list of the free fun that DC has to offer.

Photo of Lincoln Memorial courtesy of George Alexander.

If you are planning on celebrating the Fourth of July in DC--and I hope that you are--you will want to check-out these tips about where to park if you are venturing to the US National Mall via car, learn about road closures, and find metro and bike recommendations to help ease the stress of one of the most beautiful holidays in the District.

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On Wednesday, June 25^th the Smithsonian Folklife Festival begins. This festival attracts over a million visitors and is the most widely attended cultural festival in the District. The festival takes place on the National Mall beginning on June 25th running through June 29^th and then July 2^ndth. The festival is open daily 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with evening events starting at 6 p.m. This year guests will be treated to a showcase of information from Bhutan, Texas and NASA.

If you are looking for some fun this weekend, check-out the Caribbean Carnival on June 28-June 29, 2008. The parade begins at 11 a.m. and is a bright and colorful celebration of the Island way of life.

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