With Mother’s Day on the calendar, it felt right to spend a moment appreciating the other mother we share every single day and gave Northern Virginia some of the most beautiful landscapes on the East Coast.

Here are a few places worth getting outside for this May. Any of them would make a wonderful outing with the person you are celebrating.

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna: The spring bloom here is genuinely stunning and far less crowded than the better-known botanical stops in the region. The Korean Bell Garden and native wildflower meadow in May are not to be missed.

The Potomac Heritage Trail: Running along the Virginia bank of the Potomac from Theodore Roosevelt Island toward McLean, this trail is lined with wildflowers and shaded by a full canopy. It connects to the Mount Vernon Trail for a longer route, and the river views from the rocky sections are worth every step.

Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria: One of the most underrated natural spaces in the DC area. A tidal wetland right in the middle of Fairfax County, alive in May with wood ducks, great blue herons, and red-winged blackbirds. The boardwalk loop takes about 45 minutes and feels nothing like the suburbs.

Gravelly Point at Sunrise: It costs nothing, requires no gear, and the view of planes descending over the Potomac with the DC skyline behind them is genuinely cinematic. Pack coffee, go early, and enjoy the excitement.