18 WAYS TO CELEBRATE LABOR DAY WEEKEND IN WASHINGTON, DC

(Source: Internet)

Celebrate summer’s last big weekend with music, food, outdoor activities and baseball.

We’re taking the work out of making your Labor Day weekend plans. Come to Washington, DC and your summer is guaranteed to end with a bang!

1 Check out the National Symphony Orchestra's Labor Day Concert

Bill Ingalls/NASAThe annual Labor Day Capitol Concert will take place Sunday, Sept. 4, at 6 p.m. on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. This free music event kicks off the beginning of theKennedy Center’s performing arts season, and features patriotic classics that highlight the sounds of the American landscape. A free rehearsal starts at 3 p.m.

2 Spend the perfect summer afternoon at the ballpark

Washington NationalsWatch the Washington Nationals face off against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5, at 4:05 p.m. While you’re there, check out where to eatand choose from plenty of gourmet options.

3 Climb aboard a Duck

DC DucksDC Duck Sightseeing Tours offers entertaining 90-minute land and sea experience that take place in an amphibious vehicle built during World War II. With a knowledgeable guide and excerpts from famous speeches by American leaders at the time, everyone enjoys this unique history lesson.

4 Try some of DC's freshest food

FRESHFARM MarketsHead to Dupont Circle on Sunday between 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to sample the array of tastes from vendors at the FRESHFARM Market. Share a wood-fired pizza, grab a to-go taco, chow down on a barbecue sandwich or snag a bag of cookies or pastries for sightseeing on the National Mall.

5 Take the Murals Tour

U.S. Department of Interior MuseumThis tour at the U.S. Department of Interior Building where you can see paintings depicting the history of labor in the United States. Tours are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m. The tour showcases 26 photographic and painted murals by American artists like Ansel Adams. The tour is limited to 20 visitors, and reservations are recommended.

6 Bike or boat in scenic Georgetown

Rent a bike (or boat) from Thompson Boat Center and take a ride along the historic C&O Canal National Historical Park canal path, or paddle along the Potomac with a kayak or standup paddleboard at the Key Bridge Boathouse.

7 Learn about the history of labor

Smithsonian National Museum of American HistoryLocated on the ground level of the National Museum of American History, the American Enterprise exhibit is an interactive display that walks you through the evolution of innovation, wealth and success in the United States as the country moved from a predominantly agricultural economy to an industrial powerhouse.

8 Go for a Segway ride on the National Mall

City Segway Tours and Bike and Roll take you on a scenic routes passing many important DC landmarks, including the National Museum of the American Indian, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and the U.S. Capitol.

9 Wander through America's first modern art museum

Labor Day weekend is an ideal time to take a spin through the legendary Phillips Collection in Dupont Circle. Along with touring the permanent exhibit of impressionists, modernists and contemporary artists, visitors should take a moment to contemplate the impact of color in the peaceful Rothko Room.

10 Try being a spy

International Spy MuseumTour the International Spy Museum to discover people who survived the hardest job ever, being a spy. Learn how spies cracked codes and conducted their labor in secret.

11 For the craft beer connoisseur

ChurchKeyTake the craft beer lover in your life on the DC Brew Tour. A daily five-hour tour, via comfortable van, takes guests to three Washington DC breweries like Capitol City Brewing and District ChopHouse and Brewery for tastings of 12 different beers. Learn about DC’s unique beer history and culture. A beer-centric lunch is included. TheOriginal DC Craft Brew Tour begins at 11 a.m., and they also have an After Hours Brew Tour starting at 5 p.m.

12 Indulge at DC’s award winning farm-to-table restaurants

Restaurant NoraYou’ve put in all that hard work, now enjoy an end-of-summer-bounty. Come with a hearty appetite to restaurants like Restaurant Nora, the country's first certified organic restaurant, Blue Duck Tavern in the Park Hyatt Hotel in the West End and ICI Urban Bistro in the Sofitel Washington DC Hotel.

13 What better end of summer celebration than cocktails on a rooftop?

Liaison Capitol Hill, A Joie de Vivre HotelHere are a few bars where you’re sure to catch a breeze: The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotelopens its rooftop after 5 p.m. and happy hour ends at 7:30 p.m.; The Beacon Sky Bar at the Beacon Hotel in Dupont Circle; Chef Richard Sandoval has two popular rooftop bars in Logan Circle, El Centro D.F. and Masa 14, whivch features a DJ spinning tunes on Sunday afternoons. If that doesn't satisfy your altitude cravings, check out these rooftop bars and restaurants.

14 Explore 12 pivotal years in DC's history

Smithsonian Anacostia Community MuseumRevisit the past at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum’s "12 Years that Shook and Shaped Washington” exhibit. During that period, DC residents were granted meaningful voting opportunities and became the largest majority African American city in the country. New trends in music transformed popular culture, while an atmosphere of protest was fueled by anti war, black power and feminism.

15 Snap a photo with the president

Madam Tussauds Washington, DCMeet all 44 American Presidents at Madame Tussaud’s Washington DC Wax Museum. Take a selfie with your favorite, they’re all there – from George Washington to Barack Obama. The First Ladies are there too, along with various starts trending in pop culture.

16 Paddle on the Tidal Basin one last time

Stephen LittleSay goodbye to summer with a final ride on the Tidal Basin Paddle Boats. Peddle your way around the Tidal Basin for a waterfront view of the Jefferson Memorial and theWashington Monument.

17 Play in the sand with a giant

Visit National HarborNational Harbor’s The Awakening is a five piece cast iron statue consisting of a face, knee, arm, hand and foot emerges from the sand, and kids are welcome to climb around on this unique art installation. National Harbor feels a beach resort, where you can ride the Capital Wheel, rent a paddleboard or perhaps catch a movie under the stars.

18 Spend the day at historic Mount Vernon

Head to Virginia to spend a day at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home and museum. With a panoramic view of the Potomac River, choose from a tour of the Mansion, Gardens, the Tombs or the Distillery and Gristmill. Start your visit in the Ford Orientation Center to see a film, and then plan your day with the help of the living history guides.