Forest therapy, or forest bathing, comes from the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku. It involves immersing yourself in a forest environment to benefit your body and mind. It helps you relax and destress by reducing cortisol, decreasing blood pressure, and releasing adiponectin, a protein that regulates blood sugar levels.
Here are my favorite places to unwind in the DC suburbs.
- Scotts Run: Mclean, Virginia
- Billy Goat Trail: Potomac, Maryland
- C&O Canal: Different locs (search in google maps!)
- Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens: 1550 Anacostia Avenue NE
- Great Falls Park: Mclean,Virginia
- United States National Arboretum: 3501 New York Avenue NE
- Botanical Gardens: 100 Maryland Avenue SW
- West Potomac Park: 2912 Independence Avenue SW
- Rock Creek Park: 3932 West Street NW
- Theodore Roosevelt Island: Washington, DC
