First Trip to DC and surrounding area

Mt Vernon is just outside DC in VA. Philadelphia, Gettysburg and Lancaster to the north are interesting as well. Harpers Ferry in WV is an easy drive from DC. Depending on when the leaves are changing where, the Deep Creek area of western MD is beautiful and also a nice drive.

Much of the mountain places are booked up already, but west to Shenandoah would be nice. I second the Harper's Ferry suggestion!

We just got back from a week in DC. Alexandria is really pretty colonial town and is considered George Washington's home town. He worked as a surveyor there as a teenager and helped design the original roads. Don't go there on a Tuesday though, the shops are open but the historical sites were all closed.

Another vote for Harpers Ferry.
I'd add Gettysburgh too. If you're a Civil War/ history buff you could spend days there exploring the battlefield(s), plus the countryside is bound to be gorgeous this time of year.

Staying right now in Front Royal, VA. This is the gateway to the Shenandoah Parkway. It's close to Manassas.

If you are interested in the Civil War, there are battlefields and historical sites all over. Gettysburg is the best.

The National Museums are also great to visit, and with that 4 letter word - free. Natural History and Gallery of Art are my favs. American Indian is also worth a visit.

Monticello, UVA, Colonial Williamsburg, The College of William & Mary, Gettysburg, Harper’s Ferry, Antietam, Mt Vernon….you have a lot from which to choose!

In DC — the National Gallery, the Corcoran, the entire Smithsonian, the Presidential monuments and memorials, the Library of Congress, Georgetown, etc.

If Monticello is high on your list, and with a car, another suggestion would be to head over to Front Royal and then south along Skyline drive - one of the most scenic road trips in America ... especially this time of year with the Fall colors in full riot. You could then head east to Charlottesville and complete a very scenic loop back towards DC with possible side trips to Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown.
The Yorktown Days celebration takes place every year on October 19th. It's a charming small-town celebration of the 1781 British surrender, complete with marching bands from nearby high schools and finishing at the Victory Monument where there's a formal ceremony which is always quite moving. It's worth detouring a bit to spend the day there.

Lots of great ideas here. One minor correction in response to one of the comments: The Corcoran Gallery is long gone. It went bust financially in 2014 and the art went to the National Gallery (there is still some controversy about this). The building is still there, I think it's an art school, but there is nothing for visitors to see. But even without that, you will not run out of things to see and do in DC and surrounding area.

Wow, what great responses!
Thank you so much!

I live in the area and love to go to Harpers Ferry to hike and see the fall colors. It also is a National Park and you can learn about its fascinating history. Also close by there is Antietam battlefield one of the most bloody one day battles of the Civil War, which you can tour by foot or car-download the audio tour on your phone.

We lived in the DC area for several years and hated the terrible traffic.

If you rent a car, just know that getting anywhere near DC will be a huge pain in the butt.

There are several great Smithsonian museums on the mall, the Air and Space Museum, Art Museum, the Red Castle, The Natural History Museum and more. Also, the Holocaust Museum is great.

As for staying in DC, if your hotel is downtown, you can walk to all these places.

Just be careful were you go at night, crime is more of a problem these days.

We love Gettysburg and if you decide to go there let me.know and can highly recommend a B&B that has a private entrance first floor handicapped accessible room.in an historic house. Eisenhower's farm is there and is wonderful as well. You have received other wonderful suggestions. We have been to all of them and all are good. In DC try to see changing of the guard at Arlington. Enjoy your visit. Another thought but really try not to drive in DC. Very difficult.

Don't underestimate how far apart things are on the mall. It is something like 2.5miles between the capital and the Lincoln memorial. Since you mention mobility limitations look into the DC Circulator bus (free!) or one of the hop on hop off buses.

Robert's idea is great. Think seriously about a trip to Charlottesville, Virginia. Take the long way via Skyline Drive and the shorter trip back via Route 29 which is also beautiful. You can visit Monticello (a wow, in my opinion), wineries, James Monroe's Ash Lawn, University of Virginia. There are lots of lovely restaurants and gorgeous drives. If you take Skyline Drive ( Shenandoah National Park), think about an overnight midway at one of the park lodges.
The rooms are modest but the views, especially at sunset, are gorgeous. Skyline drive is excellent for non-hikers because there are so many road side overlooks. https://www.goshenandoah.com/explore/skyline-drive?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvfmoBhAwEiwAG2tqzP5VH9ZODUVfOXAppHhb6_iUv9FeAmaQCAzJckRStDeOtaa19MkjKBoC8e4QAvD_BwE

Geova, traffic is not quite as bad (in terms of getting out of town) since the pandemic--a lot of teleworking now.
If you are heading west at the right time of day (early), it's a breeze. Heading south on 95 can still be a nightmare, but they have extended the toll express lane a lot, which is a godsend!
So, after your week in the city, head west in late morning (before heading up to WV or south into Shenandoah) and you should miss the traffic.
Ask rental agency about an ezpass for using the toll roads and express lanes.

Less than an hour north of Monticello is James Madison's home, Montpelier, also very nice.

Traffic in DC is terrible, especially on I-66, I-95/495, the BW parkway, and the beltway depending on time of day. Last week it took me 3 hours to return home from Dulles airport when it normally takes 1-1.5 hours.

If you do go out to Skyline Drive and have a National Park annual or lifetime pass, take it. The entrance to that park is expensive the times of year when there are hoards of people. It is very crowded this time of year.

Annapolis and the Naval Academy are nice to visit. Every other place I can think of to visit has been mentioned.

Thanks, everyone! Great tips. I will be renting a scooter to navigate between our hotel (Madison) and the conference (Jefferson). Questions is, would it be a good idea to take the scooter to the National Mall? Any suggestions regarding scooter rental, or is it a bad idea to travel with a scooter to the National Mall? Thanks in advance!
Lori

You may want to search about scooters on the national mall to see what is allowed, what isn’t, and parking them.

If you visit Monticello, try to have lunch at Michie Tavern. Save your ticket stub for a slight discount. An 18th century tavern serving good food, or at least they did when we visited years ago. The kids and I were impressed with the experience.