A Local's Guide to Washington DC, Baltimore & Arlington, Virginia

Visit Arlington National Cemetery: This is a great option for history buffs (and families wanting to expose their children to our nation's past). Located right next to Fort Myer.

Explore nightlife in the neighborhoods of Ballston, Clarendon, and Rosslyn: These all have a very active nightlife scene with ease of walkability, many great restaurants, and lots of great commerce. I enjoy walking around Ballston the best. I recommend walking down to the many restaurants in the food hall at the Ballston Commons. If you're looking for more of a romantic or upscale restaurant, I would suggest SER.

Bike or walk on biking trails: There are plenty of biking trails in Arlington to bike and walk on. I recommend the WO&D trail, which goes all the way out to the countryside in Purceville, Virginia.

Attend a show at the Kennedy Center: Their productions are superior! (And for those on a budget who still want to check it out, I would suggest attending a concert as part of the Millennium Stage Concert Series, which are completely free!)

Explore the monuments and museums on the National Mall: Even if you're not a history buff, I would recommend walking around the National Mall to explore the beautiful and powerful monuments and museums. My favorite monument is the MLK Jr. Memorial, and my favorite museum is the American Indian Museum. All of the museums on the National Mall are completely free!

Eat at one of the many great ethnic restaurants: Name a country's food, and DC probably has it! I particularly love Chinese food here. DC has its own dedicated Chinatown with many Chinese restaurants and shops.

Walk around the Inner Harbor and Fells Point: If you want to get your taste of walking along the water in a big city, the Inner Harbor is for you. Take advantage of the many restaurants and shops it has to offer. Fells Point is also a very historic part of Baltimore. I recommend taking a paddle boat ride out in the harbor.

Attend a Baltimore Orioles or Ravens game: The Orioles (baseball) play from April to October, and the Ravens (football) play from late August to February. I prefer to attend the baseball games over the football games, as the tickets are cheaper.

Go to the National Aquarium: If you are a sea animal lover, I would suggest spending a couple of hours touring the National Aquarium. It has multiple levels filled with fish, dolphins, sharks, and other sea animals. I would recommend going here either in the beginning of the school year or in the summer since lots of school groups come to visit.

Lost Dog Cafe: A great mom-and-pop pizza, pasta, and sandwich restaurant with three locations in Arlington. I recommend trying the Diggity Dog sandwich. It has fresh spinach, avocado, sliced tomato, provolone and cheddar cheese, basil, and garlic mayo served on a warm sub roll. It is delicious!

Pupetella: A certified Neapolitan pizza restaurant with two locations in Arlington. Every pizza here is excellent, but I recommend trying both the mushroom pizza with brie cheese and the spinach pizza with feta cheese and Italian cream. I also recommend ordering the eggplant arancini (risotto balls stuffed with eggplant and mozzarella cheese) for an appetizer. I like the creaminess of both of those pizzas. The risotto rice in the arancini is perfectly cooked.

SER: A Spanish tapas restaurant that is on the more expensive side (good for special occasions and date nights). I recommend ordering the fried eggplant small plate that is topped with goat cheese and honey. It is sweet and creamy with the goat cheese and honey added, but not too much. Since their tapas are small, I recommend ordering two or three per person. If one likes paella, I recommend ordering the seafood paella for two. This is definitely a dish to share.

Full Kee: A family-owned Chinese restaurant in the Chinatown portion of DC. I recommend trying their fried bean curd. It is not too deep-fried, which makes it lighter than other dishes like this I've had.

Founding Farmers: A farm-to-table restaurant with several locations in DC. I recommend trying the shrimp and grits with sausage. The grits are cooked perfectly in my opinion. Again, this restaurant is a bit pricey, so I would recommend visiting on a special occasion or for a date night.

Ted's Bulletin: An upscale diner with several locations in DC. I recommend trying their biscuits and gravy. Their biscuits are some of the best I've ever had, and their gravy isn't too bland, but neither is it too spicy. These restaurants have their own bakery attached as well. Their Pop-Tarts are heaven in your mouth.

Dinos: A very affordable Greek restaurant in the heart of Baltimore. I recommend trying their eggplant Parmesan. It's one of the best I've had (and I have tried many). The portion is big enough for two people. Note: Even though this restaurant is open until 2 am, I would not recommend walking here late at night.

Thames Street Oyster House: A seafood and oyster house in the Fells Point neighborhood in Baltimore. I would recommend trying their gouda mac and cheese. Their oysters are good as well.

Rusty Scupper: A seafood restaurant by the Inner Harbor overlooking the water. I recommend trying their lump crab fettuccini. It is simple yet delicious. Since this is a seafood restaurant, it is a bit expensive.