4 free things to do in the DC area New Year’s Day

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4 free things to do in the DC area New Year’s Day

If your head needs clearing and your legs need stretching, a walk in the park could do you wonders. And for New Year鈥檚 Day, all Virginia state parks have free admission, and parks in both Virginia and Maryland are holding free guided First Day Hikes, designed to spur interest in each state鈥檚 natural beauty. (Courtesy Maryland Department of Natural Resources) — If your head needs clearing and your legs need stretching, a walk in the park could do you wonders. And for New Year鈥檚 Day, all Virginia state parks have free admission, and parks in both Virginia and Maryland are holding free guided **First Day Hikes**, designed to spur interest in each state鈥檚 natural beauty. Find information on and . (Courtesy Maryland Department of Natural Resources)

The Season鈥檚 Greenings show at the U.S. Botanic Gardens ends Jan. 2, including a model train that runs in and around a collection of plant-based re-creations of more than 50 national parks and historic places, including the Grand Canyon, the Gateway Arch, Mount Vernon, Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty and more. The garden is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Architect of the Capitol) — The at the U.S. Botanic Gardens ends Jan. 2, including a model train that runs in and around a collection of plant-based re-creations of more than 50 national parks and historic places, including the Grand Canyon, the Gateway Arch, Mount Vernon, Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty and more. The garden is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Courtesy Architect of the Capitol)

If there’s a Smithsonian museum on the National Mall you’ve been meaning to hit for some time, New year’s Day is a good day to get in. There’ll generally be a bit less traffic heading into and out of the District, and the Smithsonian’s John Gibbons says New Year’s Day is “a little lighter” in attendance than your average day, meaning you’ve got more of a chance to see art and artifacts without being jostled. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

You can wrap up New Year鈥檚 Day with the last night of the extravaganza, with more than a half-million eco-friendly lights putting on a show for visitors. Admission is free and the show runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Courtesy Smithsonian’s National Zoo/Jim Jenkins)

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There are plenty of events to help ring out the old year, but here are a few ways to ring in 2017, free of charge.

Rick Massimo

Rick Massimo came to WTOP, and to Washington, in 2013 after having lived in Providence, R.I., since he was a child.聽He's the author of "A Walking Tour of the Georgetown Set" and "I Got a Song: A History of the Newport Folk Festival."