1. The area’s best flower bloom (imo) has begun at a recently reopened hidden gem of a place. The lotus flowers and water lilies have started to put on their seasonal show at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, where they are welcoming visitors to enjoy the park full of ponds and wetlands once again — with restrictions. Some of the paths, the boardwalk area, and visitor center are closed, and you have to follow a route through it all. But it’s wonderful as ever and will be even more so over the coming weeks as the bloom reaches its peak. A great way to get there is by bike along the Anacostia River Trail — read more about that here. And view more pics from our visit there on IG. Hours are 8am – 4pm, and admission is free. (Extra: The DC area’s best flower blooms.)
2. Montgomery Parks playgrounds have started reopening and will continue over the next couple of weeks. Two especially good ones are at Cabin John and Wheaton Regional Park (both have Miniature Trains that have started operating on weekends). Whether you plan to visit one of those or another Moco play area, be sure to check ahead and confirm it’s open.
3. Plan ahead: Mount Vernon is hosting An American Celebration on July 4th. It all takes place during the day, so no fireworks, but there will be special festivities like military demos, appearances by General Washington, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. And many exhibits, both outdoors and in, will be open to tour (the Museum is open, but the Mansion is not). Capacity is limited for social distancing, so advance purchase is recommended. Admission is $18-20/adult, $10-12/age 6-11, free/under 6.
4. In case you haven’t heard, the Hamilton movie is coming to Disney Plus this Friday, July 3. It’s not free, and you need to be a subscriber, but there is a way to do it cheaply — follow the link for details.
5. And here’s a little something awesome to get you psyched for it.
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