Washington, D.C.

Population: 5.9 million (metro)

Median Home Price: $443,000

Best For: Weekend warriors

Surprise: D.C. provides more acres of greenspace per capita than any other U.S. city of its size. The most diverse playground of the bunch is Rock Creek Park, which has 40 miles of hiking trails, a 25-mile forested road-biking route, and, when the creek is high, Class III and IV whitewater for experienced kayakers. Though it’s very much a wonky town dominated by people working in politics, D.C. is loaded with recreational athletes—just ask former mayor Adrian Fenty, who finished 16th at the Washington, D.C., Triathlon in 2010. Favorite running routes include the four-mile lap around the National Mall for views of the Capitol, White House, Lincoln Memorial, and other historic sites (the annual Marine Corps Marathon is another great way to see these spots). Cyclists roll out on the C&O Canal towpath, which winds 185 miles up the Potomac, starting in Georgetown and ending in Cumberland, Maryland. Half an hour northwest from D.C., Virginia’s small Great Falls National Park offers top-roping climbing routes rated up to 5.12 in difficulty, with programs for kids ages eight to 16 from the instructors at Sportrock. Or you can simply cruise around town on one of the 2,500 bikes that are part of Capital Bikeshare, which was the nation’s first program of its kind when it launched in 2008