We all go through it: we grow up hating our hometown, claiming that it's boring and we can't wait to graduate and live somewhere else, and then once we go off to college or work away from it, we start to miss it and can't wait to go back for the holidays.

Going off to college has really made me appreciate how many activities and getaways I actually had next door -- Old Town Alexandria, Fort Belvoir, Kingstowne, Washington, D.C., Georgetown, Arlington, National Harbor, Great Falls, and so many other awesome places are all within a 30-minute drive. There are so many people who would kill to have the same opportunities I have at home, and for that reason I'm so grateful to call Alexandria my home. Here are some things I can't wait for when I come home from college for Winter Break.

1. Old Town's King Street at night

Old Town Alexandria itself is a historically well-kept and beautiful town in Alexandria which contains countless buildings, streets and memorials that attract tourists -- and even Alexandrians -- to visit. However, if you ask anyone who lives near Old Town about their favorite parts about being home for the holidays, they'll mention King Street's tree lights. Every year from about November to January, Old Town puts white lights on every tree on one of Old Town's most popular streets, King Street, as well as on some of the trees along the intersection with the main road, Washington Street. People love walking or driving through Old Town and watching the town light up as they pass. It truly gets them in the holiday spirit.

2. Visiting Washington, D.C., and Georgetown with friends and family

One of the best parts about being from Alexandria is that we're so close to our nation's capital, as well as to Georgetown. The metro is pretty much a piece of cake for us practically Washington, D.C., natives. It's how we get around, since driving through Washington, D.C. (and finding parking) can be very stressful. Washington, D.C., is so pretty during the winter -- the national Christmas tree is up along with the smaller trees that represent each state and visiting it is a great family activity.

3. The Collingwood Road house's street lights

If you're from Alexandria like me, or know someone who is, I'm sure they talk about how excited they are to come home from college and drive to the house on Collingwood Road. This house, pictured above, is prepared by owner Bill Vaughn around late October or early November each year in order to be ready for the holiday season. The house is so popular that most drivers end up parking across the street and watching the lights light up to their own Christmas music station. The decorations change slightly each year for variation, and Vaughn even has his own blog where he explains why he's been doing this for the past 24 years.

4. Santa and his other winter friends go water skiing on the Potomac River

Every Christmas Eve, people line up at the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria to see the water-skiing Santa and other winter characters such as the kneeboarding reindeer, the flying elves, the jet-skiing Grinch and Frosty the snowman in a dinghy. This event is so popular that national news teams come and get coverage of the characters and the people who came to see the show! This year we celebrated the 30th anniversary of this event -- pretty cool seeing your favorite holiday characters on water, right?

(To see a slideshow of this years pictures from the event and a video capturing the whole show, click here.)

5. Going to the Capitals and Washington Wizards home games

One of the advantages of being 15 minutes away from Washington, D.C. is that you can actually go to a Capitals or Washington Wizards game and see it live instead of on TV. The tickets are usually cheap, and the games are always fun to go to and cheer on our team with a big group of spirited fans.

6. New Year's Eve in Old Town

Last year my friends and I spent our New Year's Eve in Old Town at the waterfront on King Street. There was a DJ and a ton of people walking the streets. It took us a half an hour just to find parking. It was so much fun to meet new people with my friends and dance until the countdown to the new year came (which was followed by fireworks over the Potomac River and the National Harbor). If you're ever in town around New Year's and want to find a fun, family-friendly activity to do, I'd definitely recommend it! It costs around $20-$30 to get in (even though my friends and I got in for free, whoops) and you can find more information about it here.

7. Going to your favorite hiking spot with friends

One of my favorite things to do with my friends is go to our favorite hiking trails: Great Falls (top picture) and Scott's Run (bottom picture). We go to these locations year round (especially around the spring and summer time) and really love the trails. Both trails are about a 30-minute drive and finish with a beautiful view of a waterfall (one of which we can swim in). Great Falls and Scott's Run have been popular spots for people from my high school, we're always bound to run into someone we know when we go hiking or go for a swim by a waterfall.

8. Going to the National Harbor

Another popular location to visit near Alexandria is the National Harbor. Located right off the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, the National Harbor has so many holiday attractions that are fun for people of all ages. They put up the big Christmas tree (which lights up in different colors), have Ferris wheel rides, play classic Christmas movies on the big screen every Saturday throughout the month of December for free, have the themed "On Ice" event in the Gaylord National Hotel, and decorate and put on shows in the Gaylord main lobby. There's never a dull moment at the National Harbor during Winter Break!

9. Spending time with family and high-school friends

The most important thing that motivates me to finish the semester and come home for winter break each year is being able to spend time with my family and friends from high school whom I don't get to see that much anymore. The holidays are all about spending time with friends and family, right?