Things to Do in Silver Spring

Since founding Clay Hill Stables in 1964, British Horse Society–certified instructor Emmie Prettyman has passed her vast equine expertise on to legions of horses and their riders through a variety of services. Emmie captains a team of instructors certified to teach the English style of riding as well as administer first aid and CPR, ensuring safe and sound lessons for students as young as 6. Beginner classes work to establish fundamentals both on and off the saddle, including riding positions and basic grooming and tacking. Once riders have demonstrated proficiency at the paces of walk, trot, canter, and late-to-work, they may be eligible for the intermediate/advanced class, where they build on skills with more intricate flatwork and jumping exercises.

The combination of Capital Segway’s high-quality apparatuses and expert local guides make the touring establishment a go-to adventure for visitors to the D.C. area. The Segway PTs, or personal transporters, come outfitted with features such as noiselessness and off-road capability in case participants want to explore the White House’s backyard mud pit. Adding to the experience are the highly lauded guides, who fill the noggins of visitors with DC trivia on landmarks such as the FBI Building and the Air and Space Museum.

At Montgomery Royal Theater, six screens beam larger-than-life stars into the eyes of moviegoers during showings of recently released flicks and Hollywood blockbusters. Viewers can sink into the theater's plush, cushioned seats to absorb action-packed reels that showcase the twists of budding romance or the dire consequences of resurrecting an extinct flower’s DNA. The theater’s concession stand outfits viewers with buckets of popcorn and cups brimming with soda, providing the appropriate rations to accompany treks into the fantastical worlds of first-run films.

Established as the Washington Shakespeare Company in 1990, WSC Avant Bard is dedicated to updating classic theater for modern audiences, revitalizing well-worn drama with challenging interpretations. Under the leadership of newly appointed artistic director Tom Prewitt, the theater treats audiences to daring productions of established classics, new works, and little-known Shakespeare fan-fiction about him teaming up to fight crime with Queen Elizabeth I.

Originally the residence of U.S. Capitol architect Edward Clark, O Street Museum’s five interconnected townhouses today enfold a private club, luxury hotel, conference center, and museum. The O Street Museum explores the creative process with more than 1,500 ever-changing exhibits, including handwritten manuscripts, animation stills, and autographed items from such musicians as Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Shedding the restraints of a standard museum, O Street grants guests the freedom to leaf through collections of photographs and letters from visual artists or gently cradle sleeping sculptures in their bare hands.

Themed tours for groups or individuals unveil the subtleties of the museum’s elegant space, adorned with original, hand-painted ceilings and Tiffany stained-glass windows. Immersive special events include the Raw and Exposed program, which draws from the museum’s vast archives as it presents rare recordings from artists such as Janis Joplin and The Beatles. Amateur and seasoned musicians unite on stage during weekly jam sessions, and the SRO concert series fills the museum’s intimate space with one-of-a-kind gospel performances, drag shows, and sock-puppet reenactments of the Revolutionary War.

From the great heights of the Windows over Washington restaurant, a rotation of comedians float nationally toured and tested routines toward dinner and late-night audiences. The Comedy Zone DC keeps punch lines rolling with its regularly stuffed calendar of established and up-and-coming jokesters. Windows over Washington backdrops the onstage uproar with the clinking of wineglasses, aromas wafting from steak and seafood dishes, and stunning views of the cityscape and the Potomac River.