Things to Do in Fairfax

Capital Yacht Charters' fleet of luxury yachts crisscrosses DC's waterways for corporate parties, sightseeing tours, and special events. Tours such as Monuments by Moonlight leisurely motor along the Washington Channel, affording guests the chance to ogle the capital's most famous sights. Each of their luxury yachts also comes equipped with a full bar with snacks for munching or feeding to the landmarks.

Rivers are difficult to navigate without a watercraft or a fish tail, which is why the owners of Rivershore Charters launched their 50-foot pontoon boat, the Miss Rivershore, to provide customers an enjoyable way of experiencing the scenic Occoquan River. Accommodating up to 46 passengers, the Miss Rivershore floats down the Occoquan, a river banked by lush, flourishing greenery and stately homes, for private charters, fishing excursions, and bird-watching tours.

During relaxed jaunts downriver, as eagles, ospreys, and herons patrol the skies or trick raccoons into selling their valuables for a song, the ship's captain relates historical anecdotes and intriguing tidbits about landmarks. As fans of the local food scene, crew members also happily ferry passengers to and from riverside eateries and can serve beer and wine onboard.

S.J. Koch Duffy's electric boats are eco-conscious, as they don't burn any fuel. Emitting zero emissions, the 22- and 18-foot rental boats provide breathtaking views upon departure from any of the company's two regional watery locales. Based on the harbor of choice, renters can take the canopied vessels floating by Annapolis's US Naval Academy, along the waterfront restaurants of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. On board, a built-in stereo system emits an energetic score to each renter's adventure. Duffy's website claims the boats are as easy to drive as a golf cart, but also offers training for new drivers. Self-propelled adventures are also popular, as the company also rents paddleboats and kayaks.

Students can walk into Brush N Blush with nothing but a bottle of wine and a dream and walk out with a self-completed reproduction of Monet’s Water Lilies. But not all classes use famous masterpieces as templates. Some teach students how to render a sunset bleeding orange behind a Georgetown bridge or an impressionistic panorama of the skyline. The instructors have developed step-by-step methods for recreating impressive works of art, although each student is still bound to produce something with original touches, especially if they hold their brush in their teeth.

The team at Brush N Blush strives to make evenings at their studio one of a kind. They dare couples to change it up by forgoing another dinner-and-movie date for an active, artistic affair that ends with a personalized souvenir. All painting materials are provided, although students are encouraged to bring their own beverages and snacks. The studio recently began selling a selection of wines by the bottle and the glass.

Lynford Morton doesn't like to be called an instructor. Instead, he prefers photo coach. To Lynford, coaching more accurately describes his process of giving advice and support and boosting confidence in photographers as they actively snap shots of their subjects. His teaching method sticks to this sports analogy, as he first forms a foundation of photography principles—a playbook of sort. Then during hands-on sessions, photographers practice using techniques and calling audibles to get clouds into the right position. Since Lynford keeps most classes at a ratio of 1 to 12 or fewer, he can guide students with tips or illustrate a point with a teaching app on his iPad.

Lynford has always loved to tell stories with pictures. His father, a self-taught photographer from a village on St. Kitts, fueled Lynford's passion at an early age—which he later bridged with a photojournalism college major and a career in public relations. Now, he walks the historic streets of DC each weekend with troops of eager photographers anxious to tell their own visual stories.