Frederick Douglass National Historic Site

A visit to this national historic site lets you step inside one man's inspiring life. The Visitor Center features a selection of books about Douglass's life and about the institution of slavery. (Don't worry if you miss the somewhat outdated film about Douglass's life, though.)

Rangers give tours several times a day—well worth the small entrance fee. Make a reservation, since the tours are intimate and you don't want to miss out. Your tour starts with a terrific Douglass re-enactor who draws you into the great man's life. Almost all the furniture, artwork and artifacts inside the home are original, so you're really immersed into life during the late 1800s. (And if you walked to the site from the Metro rather than driving, you'll be impressed with the fact that he could climb this hill into his 70s!) Pause before you leave the grounds to take in the magnificent view that makes you feel as if you're not really in the city.

Not far outside Washington, D.C., in Maryland and Virginia, you can camp on delightful chicken farms, at the edges of ponds and rivers, and even in suburban backyards. Check Hipcamp to find just the right spot for your visit to our nation's capital.