Head west from DC, and the Blue Ridge mountains come quickly into view. Rolling farmland, vineyards and horse farms surround genteel estates. Small towns with fine inns and quaint shops are haven for artisans and celebrities escaping city life.

America's historic river, the Potomac, gushes with rugged beauty past Great Falls National Park. South of DC, the resurgent national bird, the Bald Eagle, perches high above marshland, and thousands of acres of quiet wood await at Prince William Forest Park.