Washington, D.C. intrigues visitors with several new experiences. Foil an espionage plot at the International Spy Museum, figure out our Neanderthal connections at the National Museum of Natural History and find out what ordinary foot soldiers felt while fighting the Civil War. Come visit again.

Summer is a great time to visit any city, especially Washington, D.C., a place that offers plenty of opportunity to play outdoors in between exploring the capital’s top spots. To prevent your trip from feeling like a forced march through museums, take time to enjoy some of the District’s oases.

There’s still plenty to enjoy in Washington, D.C., even after you and your family tour the U.S. Capitol, visit the White House, see the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives, take in the monuments and memorials and peruse the exhibits at Natural History, Air & Space, American History

Although the nation’s capital as the seat of political power won’t interest your young children, Washington, D.C., has much that will excite them. D.C. is a vibrant city with tot-friendly attractions, engaging exhibits and lively children’s theater.

Washington, D.C., is in the spotlight as the city readies for President Obama’s second inauguration, January 21, 2013. Whether you plan be in the District for the festivities or visit the city later this winter, there’s much that’s new and interesting.

Have limited time in London? Then, capture a sense of the city’s rhythms, people and iconic sites from Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London on this combination walking tour and river ride.

Take a covered wagon trip and time travel back to the era of pioneer journeys when America’s west stretched out as a vast, little explored land filled with promise. On an Oregon Trail Wagon Train, you experience the Nebraska grasslands, the slow pace of a westward trek plus some old-fashioned fun.

Feed baby lions in South Africa, track elephants through the Namib Desert, identify dolphins off a remote Greek island and build nests for toucans in Belize. These are just some of the adventures available on a volunteer vacation. Have fun while doing good deeds.

Virginia features thousands of acres of state and national parks as well as the U.S.’s first national water trail. For those who like mountains, hike in Shenandoah National Park and for those who seek water, paddle the historic trails and waterways of Virginia’s Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.

In Virginia’s southwest and its Blue Ridge Highlands, toe-tapping fiddle and banjo tunes as well as blends of folk and popular music ring out against the mountains. Along the region’s back roads and main streets, discover the other kind of mountain magic: handmade quilts and pottery plus contemporar