For things to see and do while at the Vascular Annual Meeting, consider National Harbor as a gateway port to Washington, D.C., situated just across the Potomac. The famous sights, monuments, museums, and cultural icons in the nation’s capitol are a given for any visitor (visit www.washington.org for a full rundown).
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But there are also a lot of lesser known tourist attractions unavailable anywhere else in the country. Medical history buffs, for example, may want to visit the National Musuem of American History, which houses collections of medical science and biotechnology artifacts. And Civil War buffs with access to a car can visit the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Md., about an hour’s drive from National Harbor. Frederick was the site of three Confederate invasions and two major battles.
Cultural events abound during the annual meeting period. Theater goers can attend Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” or the musical “La Cage aux Folles.” You can attend the DC Jazz Festival or the National Symphony Orchestra’s performance of pieces by Bruckner and Mahler. For more cultural events, visit www.culturalcapitol.com.
For sports lovers, baseball season will be just getting underway and the Washington Nationals will be playing the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday and Sunday at Nationals Park.
And National Harbor has its own attractions. Hardest to miss is the Capitol Wheel, a giant ferris wheel that soars 180 feet above the Potomac River waterfront, with views of the White House and Capitol, the National Mall, and all the surrounding DC metro area.
To plan your visit, check out www.nationalharbor.com/consumer/entertainment.
