A recent scene from Whitetail… day trip to the local(ish) slopes this weekend!
1. If you’re going to be in town over the upcoming long weekend, but want to get out of DC on Monday (Inauguration Day), when many places will be closed, and it will be tough to get around, consider a day trip! Find a bunch of ideas for destinations and activities that are within a couple hours drive from here. It’s a section of the Winter Break Guide, but all of the recommendations are great anytime. There are also some ideas in the new post about MLK Day celebrations.
2. And speaking of Inauguration Day closures, there is an extensive list of roads that will be shut down in DC. Also note that almost all of the Smithsonian museums in DC will be closed on Monday, January 20. Only the Anacostia Community Museum and National Zoo will be open. The National Gallery of Art will also be closed — on Monday and Saturday, January 18.
3. And speaking of the Zoo, the new giant pandas Bao Li and Qin Bao are making their debut! FONZ members can get a peek of them and their new habitat this week, through January 19. The rest of the public can get a first look starting January 24. To celebrate, there will be a District of Panda Party January 25 – February 9 that will also feature family-friendly activities to celebrate the new residents, including a Kung Fu Panda film fest and a Lunar New Year event (more details TBA). Admission to the Zoo is free with timed entry tickets, so be sure to reserve yours before you go to guarantee entry.
4. I recently started reading this novel that was widely praised as one of the best last year and already get why.
5. The Washington Post article about how to help L.A. wildfire victims that I shared in the last Weekend Round-Up has been updated, so sharing it again.
