1. Take a virtual ride. The American History Museum has virtual rides that include a cosmic race, a ride through the Bermuda Triangle, a solar coaster trip, a few laps around the Grand Prix raceway, a trip through an astro canyon and a glacier run. The simulators accommodate up to 8 people per ride and children must be 42 inches tall unless they’re riding with an adult. The rides are $7 per person and can be found on the lower level of the museum across from the Stars and Stripes Café.
2. See the holiday lights at the National Zoo for free. ZooLights is the zoo’s annual display of thousands of environmentally-friendly lights and animal exhibits, entertainment and a special train ride for children. Visitors can see ZooLights every night until January 1 from 6 PM to 8:30 PM. ZooLights will not be open December 24, 25 and 31. No tickets are required but be prepared to pay $15 for parking. Members of the zoo pay $8. The National Zoo is also accessible by Metro at the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan stop.
3. Go outdoor ice skating. The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink, located on the National Mall at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, is open mid-November through mid-March, weather permitting. Skaters can see the gallery's sculptures while skating in the open air. Adults are $7, and seniors, students with a school ID and children under 12 pay $6. The rink is open Monday through Thursday 10 AM to 9 PM, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 11 PM and Sundays from 11 AM to 9 PM. You can rent skates for $3 and a locker for 50 cents. In the evenings when the gallery and sculpture garden are closed to the public, the ice rink and Pavilion Café are accessible at Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive near 9th Street.
4. Walk through an ice village. Check out the 15,000-square foot ice village with the theme "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" at the Gaylord National Hotel at the National Harbor in Maryland. The walk-through winter wonderland is made of 2 million pounds of ice, which means you'll have to dress for a very cold experience. Parkas are provided but dress in layers with hats and gloves. The event runs daily until January 9, including holidays. Tickets are $29 for adults and $18 for children between ages 4 and 12. You can buy tickets online at or by calling (301) 965-4000. They can also be purchased in person at the Gaylord Concierge Desk or the ICE! Box Office.
5. Go to a pro sports game. The Washington Capitals are playing the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at 7 PM at the Verizon Center at 601 F Street, NW. Tickets are as low as $75 and can be purchased online. The next night, the Washington Wizards are playing the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 7 PM. You can get tickets online for as low as $14.40 plus $4.40 for fees. The Verizon Center is accessible by Metro at the Gallery Place/Chinatown stop. The arena also has a parking garage but it's only available for concerts and not sporting events.
6. Tour the Washington Monument. Nothing says Washington like this iconic monument, which allows views of the city from 500 feet. Free tours are available throughout the week from 9 AM to 5 PM but you must make reservations. Tickets are required, no matter your age and they can be reserved online. There's about 60 available for each hour. The monument is accessible by Metro at the Smithsonian stop.
7. See a controversial art exhibit. The National Portrait Gallery's "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture" has 105 pieces of art that "focus on sexual difference in the making of modern American portraiture." The one piece of the exhibit that sparked debate in late November 2010 was a four-minute video created as a metaphor for AIDS. The Smithsonian, which oversees the National Portrait Gallery, has since removed the video from the exhibit but the rest of Hide/Seek is open until Feb. 13. The free museum is at Eighth and F Streets, NW, and is open 11:30 AM to 7 PM daily except Christmas. The museum is Metro accessible at the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop. Exit the station at the Arena exit at 7th and F Streets. The DC Circulator also makes a stop in the Penn Quarter neighborhood where the museum is located.
8. Drink some hot cocoa. The weather in Washington in late December is bone-chillingly frigid. Co Co. Sala, a chocolate bar at 929 F Street, NW, offers up hot or frozen chocolate drinks, including "Dark Co Co," "White Co Co," "Milk Co Co," and "PB & Co." The chocolate boutique is Metro accessible at Metro Center and Gallery Place/Chinatown stops. You can also make a reservations.
9. Talk a walk. Walk of the Town offers free, tips-only walking tours of the city's well known spots. Meet Tim Stewart, a licensed tour guide, for a 3-hour tour every Friday and Sunday in December, except for Christmas Eve, at 10:30 AM on 15th Street NW, near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue. His extra holiday hours include a tour on Dec. 23, Dec. 27, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, all starting at 10:30 AM at the 15th Street location. He's also offering Einstein's Saturday Morning Charity Tour to the Tidal Basin and Beyond every Saturday in December, except for Christmas, at 10:30 AM. You can meet him on 22nd Street near the intersection of Constitution Avenue. Tim wears a hat, backpack and a tour guide license around his neck.
10. Catch a show. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has several free music performances throughout the week, as well as Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, whose tickets range between $39 and $135, and Shear Madness, a comedy whodunit that's been playing at the Kennedy Center for more than 20 years. Performances are $42 all week and $50 on Dec. 31. The Kennedy Center is at 2700 F St., NW, near the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue, NW, and the Rock Creek Parkway. The Kennedy Center is accessible by metro at the Foggy Bottom/George Washington University stop. You can either walk along New Hampshire Avenue or take the Kennedy Center's free shuttle, which runs every 15 minutes. The Kennedy Center also has an underground parking garage that charges $20.
