Lincoln Park is an urban park located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The largest Capitol Hill Park, Pierre L'Enfant included it in his original 1791 plan for the District of Columbia, intending it for public use. L'Enfant planned it to be the point from which all distances in North America would be measured, although it was not ultimately utilized for this purpose. It was known historically as Lincoln Square. Laid out in L'Enfant's plan for Washington as a square to hold a monumental column from which point all distances on the continent would be measured, Lincoln Park was slow to develop, and, in fact, was used for years as a dumping ground. During the Civil War, it was the site of Lincoln Hospital, named after the President, and among the places visited by Walt Whitman, who made rounds to comfort the injured and dying soldiers. The name apparently stuck and, in 1867, Congress authorized it to be called Lincoln Square as a memorial to the martyred leader, the first site to bear his name. Lincoln Park is also the location for the Emancipation Monument

The Washington DC Black History NRT was originally created as an Eagle Scout project. The trail uses city streets and is maintained by the District of Columbia City Government and the National Park Service. The trail stretches from Southeast to Northwest going through every major neighborhood in the city. The trail is used as a tourist vehicle to get tourists of the Mall and in to the District of Columbia. It is the first trail to highlight the achievements of African-Americans to American history and is the only African-American theme trail recognized by the federal government. For a free brochure, write Washington, DC Black History Recreation Trail, National Park Service, National Capitol Region, Office of Public Affairs, 1100 Ohio Drive SW, Washington, DC 20242 or call (202) 619-7222.

The National Arboretum in Washington, DC displays 446 acres of trees, shrubs and plants and is one of the largest arboretums in the country. Visitors enjoy a variety of exhibits from formal landscaped gardens to the Gotelli Dwarf and slow growing Conifer Collection. The National Arboretum is most known for its bonsai collection. Other special displays include seasonal exhibits, aquatic plants, and a National Herb garden. During the early spring, the site is popular spot to see more than 70 varieties of Cherry Trees.

184.5 Miles of Adventure! The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located in the District of Columbia and the states of Maryland and West Virginia. The park was established as a National Monument in 1961 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in order to preserve the neglected remains of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal along the Potomac River along with many of the original canal structures. The canal and towpath trail extends from Georgetown, Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland, a distance of 184.5 miles (296.9 km), and was designated as the first section of U.S. Bicycle Route 50 on October 23, 2013. Preserving America's early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural and recreational treasures!

Steeped in history, rich with tradition, the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is a living plant museum that informs visitors about the importance, and often irreplaceable value, of plants to the well-being of humans and to earth's fragile ecosystems. More than 200 years ago, George Washington had a vision for the capital city of the United States that included a botanic garden that would demonstrate and promote the importance of plants to the young nation. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1820, the U.S. Botanic Garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in North America. Since 1934, it has been administered through the Architect of the Capitol. The Garden has been recognized as a museum and is accredited by the American Association of Museums. This accreditation is a widely recognized seal of approval that recognizes a museum's commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. The USBG is dedicated to demonstrating the aesthetic, cultural, economic, therapeutic and ecological importance of plants to the well-being of humankind. The USBG promotes botanical knowledge through the cultivation of an ordered collection of plants; presenting displays of plants, exhibits and educational programs to the Congress and the public; and, fostering…