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Washington DC Sports and Washington DC Outdoor Activities (Washington, DC, USA)



The Washington sports scene includes several major professional teams, such as baseball, basketball and American football's Washington Redskins. All of these sports are incredibly popular in Washington and matches are played regularly.

The local Washington newspapers provide a sports section listing daily local sports events and games, and there are many popular spectator sports in the Washington area.




Washington Sports: Washington American Football - Washington, DC, USA
Probably Washington's most famous sports' team are the Washington Redskins, who have won the prestigious Superbowl three times. American football is one of Washington's most popular spectator sports and due to their large following, all of the seats at the Redskin's FedEx Field Stadium are season tickets. Tickets are often available through the classified ads in the Washington Post newspaper, from ticket touts at the stadium's gates and preseason tickets are generally easier to obtain.

There is a much better chance of seeing a football game if you travel to Baltimore, to watch the Maltimore Ravens, who won the Superbowl in 2000. The American football season runs from August to January.

Washington Sports: Washington Baseball - Washington, DC, USA
Baseball in Washington DC is another popular spectator sport and Washington has a proud baseball history, dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, when a number of Washington baseball teams won league championships. These days, Washington has not won any major baseball competitions for many years, but the Baltimore Orioles have a strong following of loyal fans in Washington DC and play regular matches at Camden Yards in Baltimore, which is easy to reach by either car or Amtrak rail service. The baseball season in America runs from April to September.

Washington Sports: Washington Basketball - Washington, DC, USA
The Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association and the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association play regular games at the MCI Center in Downtown Washington DC. Tickets are usually easy to get hold of and are fairly inexpensive. The men's basketball season runs from November to May and the women's basketball season runs from June to August.

Washington Sports: Washington Cycling - Washington, DC, USA
Although the streets of Washington are particular bicycle-friendly, there are a network of excellent paved cycle trails - sign posted by green signs with a picture of a bicycle - making cycling in this mainly flat region a popular sport and pastime in the Washington DC area. There are a number of bicycle rental outlets in Washington DC and popular trails include to C and O Towpath in Foggy bottom, the Capital Crescent trail that runs through northwest Washington, the Mount Vernon trail southwest of DC, the Rock Creek trail running from Hains Point towards Maryland, and the W and OD Trail, which heads due west from the Mount Vernon Cycle Trail.

Washington Sports: Washington Golf Courses - Washington, DC, USA
There are three public golf courses in the Washington district and they all open daily, from dawn to dusk. A wide range of golf equipment can be rented at the clubs.

• East Potomac Golf Course - 972 Ohio Drive, between 15th Street and I-395, SW, Washington, DC, USA
  Tel: +1 202 554 7660
• Langston Golf Course - 2600 Benning Road, NE, at 26th Street, Washington, DC, USA
  Tel: +1 202 397 8638
• Rock Creek Golf Course - 1600 Rittenhouse Street, NW, at 16th Street, Upper Northwest, Washington, DC, USA
  Tel: +1 202 882 7332

Washington Sports: Washington Gyms and Fitness Centers - Washington, DC, USA
There are numerous well-equipped fitness and sports centers in Washington DC, with excellent state-of-the-art fitness and weight training equipment, aerobic courses, personal trainers, saunas, solariums, steamrooms, hydrotherapy and massage. Most gyms and sports centers in Washington DC are open daily, from early in the morning until late at night.

Washington Sports: Washington Hockey - Washington, DC, USA
Tel: +1 202 628 3200
The Washington Capitals are the top hockey team in Washington DC and play regular games at the MCI Center between October to April. Tickets are usually readily available, directly from the MCI Center.

Washington Sports: Washington Horse Racing - Washington, DC, USA
There are three main horse racing tracks in the Washington DC area:

• Laurel Park - Racetrack road, off State Route 198, Laurel, MD, USA
  Tel: +1 301 725 0400
• Pimlico Race Course - Winner and Hayward Avenues, Baltimore, MD, USA
  Tel: +1 410 542 9400
• Roescroft Raceway - 6336 Rosecroft Drive, off Brinkley Road, Fort Washington, MD, USA
  Tel: +1 301 567 4000

Washington Sports: Washington Horse Riding - Washington, DC, USA
Real horse country is just beyond the suburban area of Virginia, but horse riding is available in Washington DC, at the Rock Creek Park Horse Center, which is located at 5100 Glover Road, NW, at Military Road, Washington, DC. This horse-riding center provides guided trail rides and pony rides in the corral and is close to the Dupont and Mall areas of Washington.

Washington Sports: Washington Ice Skating - Washington, DC, USA
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 ice rink on the Mall (at Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue) is open in the winter and is an excellent place for ice skating in Washington at this time of the year. Also, Fort Dupont Ice Arena, off Minnesota Avenue Southwest, is a non-profit organization that is particularly popular with Washington's inner-city youth.

Washington Sports: Washington Rock Climbing - Washington, DC, USA
For the best rock climbing in the Washington DC area, head out towards West Virginia, namely the New River Gorge, which is a five-hour drive from central Washington DC. Closer to the city are some excellent cliffs at Great Falls, on both the Maryland and Virginia sides. There is also an indoor climbing wall at the Sportrock II Climbing Center, in Alexandria, Virginia, and Sportrock also offer climbing trips to the nearby cliff at Carderock on the Potomac River.

Washington Sports: Washington Tennis Courts - Washington, DC, USA
Tennis is a popular sport in Washington DC and there are numerous tennis courts located throughout the Washington DC area, often in parks and schools. These include the East Potomac Tennis Center, close to the Smithsonian Metro station, with 5 indoor tennis courts and a number of outdoor courts, and also the Rock Creek Tennis Center, to the east of Rock Creek Park, which boasts 10 hard tennis courts and 15 clay courts.

Washington Sports: Washington Soccer / Football - Washington, DC, USA
Tel: +1 202 547 9077
Soccer in Washington DC has a huge following and is rapidly becoming one of Washington's most popular spectator sports. DC United is Washington's excellent professional soccer team and they play major league soccer from March to November, at the RFK Stadium, at 22nd and East Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC.

Washington Sports: Washington Boating, Kayaking and Rafting - Washington, DC, USA
The Potomac and Anacostia rivers, together with the Tidal Basin, provide numerous opportunities to enjoy watersports in the Washington DC area. There are plenty of exciting rapids in the Potomac and this river can be extremely challenging and is not generally recommended for beginners. The Tidal Basin is particularly popular with tourists and has calm waters. Boating in the Tidal Basin area also offers some spectacular views of the Washington skyline. Close to Washington DC, within an hours' drive, are a number of lakes, bays and rivers to explore and West Virginia is home to some excellent white water rafting.

Washington Sports: Washington Fishing - Washington, DC, USA
Fly fishing is popular and is just a few hours drive from central Washington DC, in countless rural, scenic rivers. Alternatively, charter fishing excursions are also available on the Chesapeake Bay out of Annapolis and trips run from the end of April through November.

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

 
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