We’re so grateful to have so many loved ones traveling from near and far to celebrate our wedding with us!

Whether you’re just in town for the weekend or planning a longer stay in or near our nation's capital, we want to help you make the most of your trip:

Wineries: Virginia is an emerging wine destination, and there is no shortage of beautiful vineyards with great wine in the area. Our welcome party is at Barrel Oak Winery, but other wineries we've enjoyed near our venue include Three Fox Vineyards, Naked Mountain Winery and Greenhill Vineyards.

Sky Meadows State Park: Rich in history and great hiking trails, Sky Meadows is about half an hour from our hotel blocks in Gainesville/Haymarket. It's also dog-friendly, but watch out for ticks! The entrance fee is $10 per car.

Manassas National Battlefield Park: The Battle of Bull Run, the first major battle of the Civil War, took place less than 10 minutes from our hotel blocks in Gainesville/Haymarket.

Historic Middleburg: "The Nation's Horse & Hunt Capital," Middleburg's historic district is a cute 1-mile long shopping destination situated among stately horse farms and OLD money estates.

National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: The Udvar-Hazy Center is the suburban companion to the Air & Space Museum on the National Mall. Unlike the National Mall, the Udvar-Hazy Center is 10 minutes from Dulles airport. Famous (or infamous) aircraft on display include the Space Shuttle Discovery, Enola Gay, Concorde and SR-71 Blackbird.

Stonewall Golf Club: Former Pres. Barack Obama is a member at the Robert Trent Jones club in Gainesville. Unfortunately, I (Dave) am not Barack Obama and do not have playing privileges there, but I do hear great things about the Stonewall Golf Club next door that does have public tee times. The course is located about 10 minutes from our hotel blocks in Gainesville/Haymarket.

Georgetown Waterfront: Georgetown (then in colonial Maryland) predates the District of Columbia, and to this day it remains the premier shopping destination in D.C. Take a detour from the retail on M Street to stroll along the Potomac River and take in great views of the Rosslyn skyline, Kennedy Center and other sights.

The National Mall needs no introduction, but if you're a first-timer, make sure to see the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and Washington Monument. You could spend a lifetime in the (free) Smithsonian museums along the Mall. Dave and Maureen's favorites include the Air & Space Museum, American History Museum and the National Archives.

Rock Creek Park is not your typical urban park. It's the closest to untamed wilderness you will find in a major American city. Full of trails and wildlife, Rock Creek Park is not only Dave's favorite place in D.C., but also Banana's.

Union Market is probably Dave and Maureen's favorite place in DC to go out at night. The market itself (and its Latin counterpart La Cosecha) are full of different restaurants to try, and there are plenty of places to grab a bite or drink nearby as well. The new F1 Arcade with racing simulators just opened near Union Market and is a blast.

George Washington's Mount Vernon estate is about 15 miles south of downtown D.C. Once you'll visit, you'll see why George wanted the nation's capital near his home!

Semi-related, Old Town Alexandria is where George Washington hit the town in the days before the American Revolution.

The Washington Nationals host the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers the week of our wedding.