DAY 4: We’ll explore a new paved bike path today — the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD,) taking it to its end in the town of Purcellville. There’s a café at the end where you can have lunch. The W&OD is an old railroad line that operated until 1968. Today it’s one of the longest linear parks in the state of Virginia. 23 miles.

DAY 5: We’ll enjoy another totally vehicle-free ride today. We’ll bicycle three different bike paths that weave a wonderful way back to Old Town Alexandria and our starting hotel. Along the way, we’ll picnic at a local park. 41 miles.

DAY 6: We’ll pedal to George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon using the trail of the same name this morning. The bike path meanders along the Potomac River, crossing through woods and over wooden bridges. We’ll take time to tour the historic house and gardens before enjoying a picnic lunch and saying our good-byes. We’ll end our tour at our starting hotel by 1:00pm when you can pick up your car or take the hotel’s shuttle back to the airport. 23 miles.

One of our favorite guides, Laurie, has been busy creating this newest bicycle tour through Washington DC and its surrounding area for us. She’s uncovered all the bike paths and quiet back roads around our nation’s capitol perfect for bicycling. Come enjoy the national monuments, the Potomac River and the C & O Canal Trail with us.

DAY 1: We meet in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, VA. After a rental bike fitting at 3:00pm and an orientation at 5:30pm, we’ll have our first dinner together. If you arrive early, take the time to stroll King Street with its many shops, galleries and restaurants. 0 miles.

DAY 2: After breakfast, we’ll pedal on bike paths across the Potomac River into Washington, DC. We’ll bike past the FDR Memorial, alongside the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and then past several buildings of the Smithsonian until we reach the US Capital Building.

Our leisurely pace will allow plenty of time for photos in front of some of the landmarks, as well as visits to your choice of free museum. We’ll end the day on the bustling Georgetown waterfront for dinner together. 24 miles.

DAY 3: We’ll leave the city today following the Potomac River on the historic Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Trail. The C & O Canal was once a water highway linking the rapidly growing colonies in the west to those in the east, including Georgetown. Along the towpath, we’ll pass historic markers detailing the workings of the locks and the lockkeeper houses.

We’ll cross the Potomac River back into Virginia at White’s Ferry, the only remaining working ferry. We’ll finish our day in quaint Leesburg where we can unpack our bags and stay for the next two nights. 40 miles.