Renee Sklarew

Renee Sklarew is a native Washingtonian who adores her hometown and spent a lifetime exploring the city's many attractions. Her favorite activity is hiking in one of the area's lesser known parks and visiting the Memorials when they're lit up and glowing. Renee and Rachel Cooper co-wrote 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Washington DC, a full-color guide that contains a variety of hikes including challenging, family friendly, urban, suburban and throughout DC's surrounding countryside. It has easy-to-follow maps and recommendations for nearby activities.

Renee also co-wrote The Unofficial Guide to Washington DC which helps visitors and locals create day-trip and week-long itineraries and offers insider information into the museums, neighborhoods and recreational sites in the Nation's Capital. Renee loves traveling throughout the United States and overseas with her multi-generational family and has published her articles and photos in newspapers and magazines focusing on travel and food. She has contributed to the Fodor's Washington DC Guidebook 2013 and 2014, as well as The Washington Post, Boston Globe, Northern Virginia Magazine and The Washingtonian. As the Dining Editor of VivaTysons and VivaReston Magazines, she writes about the wide variety of international cuisines found in Northern Virginia.

She also blogs about the DMV's best sites for families on Travel and Dish (reneesklarew.com). Her advice to hikers: wear comfortable shoes (!) and use this guide to explore new places. For visitors to the DC Area, if you miss some must-see attractions, please come back and visit again soon!