Washington DC Sports and Outdoor Activities

(Washington, District of Columbia - DC, USA)



The sports scene in Washington DC is quite simply enormous and there are countless stadiums scattered liberally around the city, where spectators can enjoy watching baseball, American football, soccer matches and basketball games. When it comes to American Football, the Washington Redskins are the big name here and regularly play at the FedEx Field, which boasts a capacity of more than 80,000 spectators.

Located on the eastern side of the city, near Kingman Park, the DC Armory is a multi-purpose arena operated by the Washington Convention and Sports Authority, where all kinds of events are staged each year, including American Indoor Football. Right next-door, the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a premier multi-sport facility, seating around 50,000 spectators. Located alongside the Shakespeare Theatre Company and the Smithsonian Institution, the Verizon Center is the place to come to catch a game of basketball, while if baseball is more your thing, then the Nationals Park arena on South Capitol Street, within the southeasterly Capitol Riverfront area, is a popular ballpark boasting just over 40,000 seats.


Washington Sports and Outdoor Activities

American Football

FedEx Field:
Address: 1600 FedEx Way, Landover, Maryland MD, 20785, USA
Tel: +1 301 276 6000
American Football is always a crown-puller and over the years has produced some of the country's most famous and highly paid sports stars. The Washington Redskins call the FedEx Field in nearby Landover their home ground. There is a much better chance of seeing a football game if you are prepared to travel to Baltimore, where you can watch the Baltimore Ravens, who won the Superbowl in 2000. The American football season runs from mid-summer until January.

Baseball

Nationals Park
Address: 1500 South Capitol Street Southeast, Washington, District of Columbia D.C., 20003, USA
Tel: +1 202 675 6287
Baseball is a hugely popular spectator sport all over America and the city boasts a proud baseball history, dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, when a number of local baseball teams won league championships. These days, the Washington Nationals have not won any major baseball competitions for many years, although the Baltimore Orioles have a strong following of loyal local fans and play regular matches at Camden Yards in Baltimore, which is easy to reach by either car or Amtrak rail service. Of note, the American baseball season runs from April to September.

Basketball

Verizon Center
Address: 601 F Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia D.C, 20004, USA
Tel: +1 202 628 3200
Both the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association and the Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association play regular games at the Verizon Center in downtown. Tickets are usually easy to get hold of and are fairly inexpensive. The men's basketball season runs from November to May, while the women's basketball season runs from June to August.

Cycling

Although the streets of the city are suitable for cycling, there are a number of designated cycle trails, which are clearly signposted with easy-to-spot green signs. A good selection of bicycle rental shops can be found around the city, with the most noteworthy routes including the C&O Towpath at Foggy bottom, as well as the trails of Capital Crescent, Mount Vernon and Rock Creek.

Golf Courses

There are three public golf courses around the city and all open daily, from dawn to dusk. A wide range of golf equipment can be rented at these clubs.


Hockey

Verizon Center
Address: 601 F Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia D.C, 20004, USA
Tel: +1 202 628 3200
The Washington Capitals are the top hockey team in the city and play regular games at the MCI Center between October to April. Tickets are usually readily available and can be purchased directly from the Verizon Center.



Washington Sports and Outdoor Activities

Horse Racing

There are three main horse racing tracks in the area:


Horse Riding

Rock Creek Park Horse Center:
Address: 5100 Glover Road Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia D.C, 20015, USA
Tel: +1 202 362 0117
Real horse country is just beyond the suburban area of Virginia, although horse riding is available in Washington DC itself, at the Rock Creek Park Horse Center, which is located off Military Road. This horse-riding center provides guided trail rides and pony trekking in the corral, being conveniently close to the Dupont and Mall areas.

Ice Skating

Fort Dupont Ice Arena:
Address: 3779 Ely Place, Washington, District of Columbia D.C, 20019, USA
Tel: +1 202 584 5007
In the height of Washington's short cold season, a small temporary ice rink is set up at Pershing Park on Pennsylvania Avenue, between 14th and 15th Streets, close to the White House. The National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden rink on the National Mall (at Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue) is open in the winter and is another excellent place for ice skating at this time of the year. Also of note, the Fort Dupont Ice Arena, off Minnesota Avenue Southwest, is a non-profit organization that is particularly popular with inner-city youth.
Open hours: Friday - 12:00 to 13:50, Saturday - 11:15 to 12:15
Admission: charge, discount available for seniors and children 12 years old and under, skate rental available

Rock Climbing

SportRock II Climbing Center:
Address: 5308 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia VA, 22304, USA
Tel: +1 703 212 7625
For the best rock climbing in the area, head out towards West Virginia, namely the New River Gorge, which is a five-hour drive from central Washington. Closer to the city are some excellent cliffs at Great Falls, on both the Maryland and Virginia sides. There is an indoor climbing wall at the Sportrock II Climbing Center in Alexandria, Virginia, while Sportrock also offers excursions to the nearby cliff at Carderock, on the Potomac River.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 12:00 to 23:00, Saturday and Sunday - 10:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge, discount available for children 12 years old and under

Tennis Courts

East Potomac Tennis Center:
Address: 1090 Ohio Drive Southwest, Washington, District of Columbia D.C., 20024, USA
Tel: +1 202 554 5962
Rock Creek Park Tennis Center:
Address: 4850 Colorado Avenue Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia D.C., 20011, USA
Tel: +1 202 722 5949
Tennis is a popular sport and there are numerous tennis courts located within the main parks, schools and sports centers. These include the East Potomac Tennis Center, close to the Smithsonian Metro station, with five indoor courts and a number of outdoor courts, and also the Rock Creek Tennis Center, to the east of Rock Creek Park, which boasts ten hard-surface courts and 15 clay courts.
Open hours: East Potomac Tennis Center: daily - 07:00 to 22:00
Rock Creek Park Tennis Center: May to September, Monday to Thursday - 07:00 to 23:00, Friday - 07:00 to 21:00, Saturday and Sunday - 07:00 to 20:00; October to April, Monday to Thursday - 07:00 to 23:00, Friday to Sunday - 07:00 to 22:00

Soccer / Football

DC United:
Address: 2400 East Capitol Street Southeast, Washington, District of Columbia D.C., 20003, USA
Tel: +1 202 587 5000
Soccer has a huge following in Washington and is rapidly becoming one of the most popular spectator sports within the city. DC United is the city's excellent professional soccer team and they play major league soccer from March to November, at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium on East Capitol Street.

Washington Sports and Outdoor Activities

Boating, Kayaking and Rafting

The Potomac and Anacostia rivers, along with the Tidal Basin, offer lots of opportunities for water sports enthusiasts. There are plenty of rapids in the Potomac, although it should be noted that this river can be extremely rough in places. The Tidal Basin is always very popular with tourists and has much calmer waters. Boating in the Tidal Basin boasts some great views of the Washington cityscape. Within an hours' drive are a series of lakes and rivers, with West Virginia being home to some tempting white water rafting.

Fishing

Chesapeake Bay Sport Fishing:
April to December: Queen Anne Marina, Kent Island, 412 Congressional Drive, Stevensville, Maryland MD, 21666, USA
December to March: Inlet Station Marina, Rudee Inlet,227 Mediterranean Avenue, Virginia Beach, Virginia VA, 23451, USA
Tel: +1 410 703 2760
Fly fishing is popular and countless rural rivers are just a few hours drive from central Washington. Alternatively, charter fishing excursions are also available, on Chesapeake Bay out of Annapolis, with trips running from the end of April through November.

Swimming

During the summer months, many people enjoy bathing and swimming in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. There is also an excellent bay beach at the Sandy Point State Park, just outside of Annapolis, Maryland. The DC area is home to almost 40 public swimming pools and outdoor pools, which are generally available from May to September.









RC Banner

© TravelSmart Ltd: World Guides - Copyright and Privacy Policy 2000-2020

World Guides Policy

Washington, DC USA - Sports and Outdoor Activities - Last updated 7/9/2019 - gprofile - Google+

Copyscape