If, like me, you want to take advantage of our fabulous fall weather but are tired of the same old neighborhood – Greenbelt – here’s a couple of very easy get-aways that are also covid-safe.

Sandy Point, Maryland

The first trip I recommend is to Sandy Point, just 35 or so minutes from Greenbelt (off-rush). I visited this week and thoroughly enjoyed sitting and walking on the mostly-empty beach. The rest rooms are open, but not the Marine Shop or the concession stand. It costs $4 per car to enter.

Here’s more about Sandy Point, written pre-covid.

National Arboretum in DC

And even closer to Greenbelt (and a much better place for cycling) is the National Arboretum, where all the outdoor spaces are (finally) open, plus rest rooms! The hours are 8 to 5 every day.

A visitors’ favorite spot among Arboretum’s 446 acres seems to be the Capitol Columns, shown here with my turquoise bike again.

The meadow around the Columns is full, but not yet at its peak.

Very soon it’ll look like this shot, taken in early November. Stunning!

But most popular with KIDS are the koi around the Administration Building, which have been gone for NINE WHOLE YEARS and are finally back, as of this week.

Above, I hung out on the patio garden behind Friendship House and enjoyed this view for a while.

Above, world-class Conifer Collection is also a favorite garden of mine.

I was surprised to see a sign just outside the R Street entrance announcing “Hard Cider on Tape – 2 Bocks!” So I rode down to check it out and found Supreme Core Cider – a welcome amenity for Arboretum visitors.