Photograph of Tregaron by Charles Temkin.Inauguration Day is fast approaching, bringing a variety of events to DC, from celebratory balls to protests and demonstrations (not to mention a lengthy list of road closures). Already exhausted? If you prefer to just get away from it all without actually going away, here are five ideas for a mental escape. Withdraw Into Nature Sure, we’re looking at a cold and windy forecast for Inauguration Day. But you can still bundle up (check out our tips on dressing warm for winter) and pretend you’re far away from political noise in local green spaces. Tregaron Conservancy in Woodley Park hosts forest-bathing sessions, a mindfulness exercise that combines meditation with a woodsy walk. Prefer to meander with no agenda? The National Arboretum has quiet paths and gardens to explore across 451 acres. Outside the city, Burke Lake Park in Fairfax offers an easy 4.7-mile loop around the water and, on weekends, a mini train ride for kids. Take a Relaxing Float If you’d prefer to feel, well, nothing, think about taking a float in a sensory-deprivation tank. At OmFloat in Ashburn and Hope Floats in Bethesda, you can step inside a quiet chamber with a shallow pool of saltwater, then float away for an hour or two. For an alternate way of relaxing, the wellness space Awarehouse in Arlington is holding a breathwork and meditation class on Inauguration Day—the better to practice exhaling through the next four years. Get Moving Distract yourself by staying in motion. Channel a “just keep swimming” mentality with a dip at an indoor pool, or ascend above it all by grabbing a day pass to Sportrock, an indoor climbing gym with locations in Alexandria, Gaithersburg, and Sterling. You can also lean into winter weather with outdoor ice skating at the Wharf, Washington Harbour, Reston Town Center, or Rockville Town Square. Lose Yourself in a Book Local independent bookstores can help you escape into the written word. Pair reads with a sweet or boozy treat at One More Page, a cozy Arlington shop that also sells wine and chocolate. Need directions with your distraction? Pick up a cook­book from Mount Pleasant’s Bold Fork Books and spend the day in the kitchen. If you’re searching for fellowship, you might find it at Capitol Hill’s Little District Books, which hosts a “queer joy book club,” while Adams Morgan’s Lost City Books is spreading the love with a club dedicated to “meet cute” stories. Give Back to the Community Inauguration falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day—a traditional day of service and a chance to throw yourself into a volunteer project. Multiple parks in Montgomery County are hosting clean up events, and Shiloh Baptist Church in Alexandria is looking for volunteers to help make prayer blankets and hygiene kits for those in need.The post 5 Ways to Avoid Trump’s Inauguration Without Leaving the DC Area first appeared on Washingtonian.