Parks and the outdoors in Washington, D.C.
383 parks, gardens, beaches and walks in and around Washington, D.C..
Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 383.
Parks and the outdoors in Washington, D.C.
SeeArt museumNational MallNational Gallery of Art
The staggering depth and breadth of the world-class collections here are a clear testament to U.S. wealth and power. The east building of this museum is devoted to modern art, while the west building showcases traditional, mostly European, paintings and sculptures. The west wing's impressionist gallery is likely the most popular, although it would be a shame to skip the east wing's fauvist and abstract expressionist galleries. Just west of the buildings is the relaxing sculpture garden, with a foot pool for cooling off tired feet. There are dining options within the Gallery. Among popular options are the Garden Café and various dining options in the area connecting the east and west wings of the museum. Also, food is available in the park on the Gallery grounds.
Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM; Sun 11AM-6PMWi-Fi · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible
SeeHistoric siteNational MallWashington Monument
No man looms larger over American history than the first president, and no monument looms larger over D.C. than this, both the world's tallest stone structure and its tallest obelisk. When completed in 1884 it was the world's tallest structure, and remains one of the tallest buildings in D.C. Viewed from either end of the Mall its size may not be evident, but enter the enormous square on which it stands, and you'll realize just how monumental it is. The view from the 555-foot top is great on a clear day, allowing you to see up and down the Mall, and out as far as the Shenandoah Valley. The observation level reopened in September 2019 and is open for viewing with a ticket. Entrance is by timed ticket, which are distributed on a first come first served basis starting at 8:30AM from a National Park Service booth on 15th St east of the monument or online, if booked months in advance.
open daily except for July 4th and December 25th- regular hours-9AM-4:45PM, summer hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day) 9AM to 9:45PMFree · Wheelchair accessible
SeeHistoric siteNational MallLincoln Memorial
Most of the D.C. memorials, especially those for U.S. leaders, are meant to awe and impress in a very direct manner. None more so than this impressive monument in a commanding location at the end of the Mall. Modeled after the Greek Temple of Zeus, Lincoln sits with a commanding presence overlooking the reflecting pool, straight across the Mall to the Washington Monument and beyond it the Capitol Building. Few monuments in the world can match the simple power of the Lincoln Memorial at night.
Open now · open 24 hoursWheelchair accessible
SeeMonumentNational MallVietnam Veterans Memorial
Often described as the most moving memorial in the city, the Vietnam Memorial stands as tribute to those who died or went missing, intended to transcend political controversy in remembrance of the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Its centerpiece is a simple black granite wall engraved with the 58,256 names of each.
24 hrs daily. Rangers on duty for questions and interpretive programs: 9:30AM-10PM
SeeArt museumNational MallHirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
Home to D.C.'s premier collection of international modern and contemporary art, housed in an intimidating brutalist spaceship of a building. The exhibits are wonderfully stimulating and cutting-edge, albeit often not made accessible to casual viewers (a free docent-led tour available noon-4PM can be helpful), and very often not family-friendly with very graphic content. The museum tries to make it clear when you are about to walk into an "adult exhibit," but do not count on this if you are with children. The sculpture gardens, however, are great fun for kids, and a nice quiet escape from the Mall proper. And this modern sculpture collection of several Rodins, a huge Lichtenstein brushstroke, and other famous works, is world-class!
Mon noon-5:30PM, Tue-Sun 10AM-5:30PMFree entry
SeeGardenCapitol HillUnited States Botanic Garden
U.S. Botanic Garden
The national conservatory is one of the least visited attractions around the Mall, and that is one of the best reasons to visit. The botanical collection is extensive, the climate is often a welcome respite, and the catwalk through the leaf canopy in the jungle room is a favorite. Bartholdi Park, south of the conservatory, is small but majestic, centered around the Bartholdi Fountain.
10AM-5PM dailyFree · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible
SeeArchaeological museumGeorgetownDumbarton Oaks
Most famous for its role in 1944, when world leaders convened here to draw up the United Nations charter. But that's not why you should come. The extensive gardens are the biggest draw; they are extraordinarily beautiful—almost palatial—and peaceful, uncrowded. The best time to come is a Spring weekday, when the gardens are practically empty, and the trees are budding with bright pinks and purples. The mansion, built in 1800 for John Calhoun (one of the most powerful senators in American history), houses an extraordinary collection of pre-Columbian and Byzantine art. And rest assured a stroll around the mansion would be worthwhile even without the exhibits. Don't thank Sen. Calhoun for all this though; he was rather a boor. The second owners, the Blisses, a wealthy couple from the U.S. Foreign Service, are responsible for the magnificent landscaping and collections. If you are up for a little homework, look for Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks Concerto, commissioned by Mrs. Bliss for their 30th wedding anniversary.
Museum: Tue-Sun 2PM-5PM, Gardens: Tue-Sun 2PM-6PM (15 Mar-31 Oct), Tue-Sun 2PM-5PM (1 Nov-14 Mar)Museum: free; gardens: $15, Free in the winter - 2PM-5PM
SeeMuseumEast EndSmithsonian American Art Museum
The collection here is a walk through encyclopedia of American Art—Gilbert Stuart's stern presidential portraits through Nam June Paik's house-sized America sculpture of neon and televisions.
11:30AM-7PM dailyFree · Wi-Fi · Free entry · Wheelchair accessible
SeeAttractionCapitol HillCapitol Building
The center of the legislative branch of America is home to the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as numerous impressive paintings, statues, historical exhibits, and one magnificent dome. The visitor center features an exhibition of the history of the Capitol and of Congress. Tours of the Capitol building are free and can be arranged online or by same-day walk-in and start from the visitor center. You may not bring food or drinks inside. Only the smallest and thinnest bags will be allowed. If lines for security are long, an alternative is to use the tunnel from the Library of Congress. When you are looking at this beautiful structure, remember that it was built during the era when slavery was legal in D.C., and enslaved laborers were used in the original construction that was completed in 1800 and the expansion that took place in the 1850s. The impressive rotunda is where deceased former presidents and other distinguished individuals granted the privilege by the U.S. government lay in state.
Mon-Sat 8:30AM-4:30PMFree · Built 1800 · Wheelchair accessible
SeeHistoric siteNational MallJefferson Memorial
Thomas Jefferson played an outsized role as one of the republic's founding fathers, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president. Accordingly, he has an enormous statue in a circular, neoclassical, open-air building, based largely on the design of the Roman Pantheon (and Jefferson's Monticello and University of Virginia), and standing prominently on the bank of the Tidal Basin. Quotes from Jefferson's writings, including the Declaration of Independence, are reproduced on the walls.
Open now · open 24 hoursWheelchair accessible · Built 1943
SeeHistoric siteNational MallNational World War II Memorial
Many of D.C.'s monuments have a simple, sudden, and grandiose impact, and don't require much time to visit. Not so for this new memorial. WWII was the defining event of the twentieth century, in which sixteen million U.S. soldiers served, and 400,000 died—the enormity of the war is hard to grasp in one's mind, and the architect aimed to convey that enormity in this central memorial. To best appreciate it, you will have to walk around and slowly take it in. Kilroy was here—look for the hidden carving behind the Pennsylvania obelisk.
Wheelchair accessible
SeeMonumentNational MallMartin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
The newest of the Mall's memorials, dedicated to the fallen civil rights leader. You enter between two slabs of granite that symbolize a "Mountain of Despair" before standing before the "Stone of Hope", both named based on a line in King's "I Have a Dream" speech. A 30-foot likeness of King is carved out of the Stone of Hope overlooking the Tidal Basin, while a nearby wall contains inscriptions of quotes from many of King's speeches.
SeeMonumentNational MallFranklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Filled with sculptures, wartime and depression era quotes, and numerous waterfalls (beautifully lit up at night), the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is one of the city's most peaceful and contemplative places for a walk. It is divided into four sections, each dedicated to one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's four terms in his twelve year presidency.
SeeUpper NorthwestNational Zoo
A collection of 400 species, including 2,000 animals. Get a map at the entrance, take your time, and be prepared to walk a great deal. Bring water—the concessions here are insultingly expensive. The most crowded exhibits are nearly always the Pandas and the Ape House. The pandas are perhaps the zoo's shyest residents. The Ape House is fun no matter the crowds. Other hits include the Seals & Sea Lions Exhibit, the Reptile House, the remarkable Aviary, and the irresistibly cute prairie dogs.
8AM-7PM; winter: 8AM-5PM, last admission 1 hour before closingFree. Parking $25 (limited availability in spring and summer) · Free entry
SeeMonumentNational MallKorean War Veterans Memorial
This memorial is a little hidden in the woods, and perhaps that's appropriate for the memorial to the one major war of the twentieth century (in which over 200,000 allied troops were killed or wounded) that did not leave such a huge impression in the American mind—the Forgotten War. It's easily one of the city's most powerful, though. The focus of the monument is the nineteen very realistic steel statues of American soldiers moving across the landscape (nineteen, because they total 38—referring to the 38th parallel—when reflected in the water). The lighting at night leaves an especially disconcerting, ghostly impression. The best time to visit might be after a winter snow storm, which will help you remember the worst hardship of the war—the snowy marches through the cruel Siberian winds.
DoNational parkWaterfrontNationals Park
Nationals Park opened in 2008, and is home of the Washington Nationals baseball team, The Nats. The Nationals, though, have history beyond its 2005 revival — D.C.'s first baseball franchise from 1891-99 bore the same (interchangeably with the Washington Senators), as did its two other successors throughout the 20th century. None were very successful though. The first disbanded after nine years with a 0.366 win percentage; the second and third eventually left the city to become the Minnesota Twins and the Texas Rangers. After the Montreal Expos moved to the city, they followed in the D.C. tradition, and performed progressively worse with each passing year. In 2010, when the team finally started turning itself around, and acquired bona fide superstars in pitcher Stephen Strasburg, followed by outfielder Bryce Harper and pitcher Max Scherzer. The stadium is big, with comfy seats, an enormous scoreboard, and great concessions by venerable D.C. food establishments such as Five Guys, Ben's Chili Bowl, Dogfish Head, and Flying Dog Brewery.
$20-250
SeeMuseumNational MallNational Museum of African American History and Culture
The newest museum on the Mall, with a collection of remarkable artifacts illustrating the history of African American culture, from the years of slavery to the Civil Rights Movement to pop culture figures. Given the interest in the museum, admission is refused without a timed entry pass. A few walk-up passes are released on weekdays (not weekends) at 1PM, but otherwise passes must be booked online. A limited number of same-day passes are available online every morning starting at 6:30AM, but they go quickly; the only other option are advanced passes, booked 3 months in advance.
10AM-5:30PMFree entry
SeeMuseumEast EndHouse Where Lincoln Died
Petersen House
1865 was perhaps the most consequential year in presidential history, when, on the 14th of April, John Wilkes Booth, a prominent actor at Ford's Theatre and Confederate sympathizer shot President Lincoln in his balcony seat. Attendants carried Lincoln across the street to a small bedroom in the small row-house across the street, but the doctors were unable to save the president. He died early morning the next day. This isn't so much a museum—it's just a small room with a few plaques, recreated to look as it did on that day. The house is operated by the National Park Service, and visited via tours from Ford's Theatre.
9AM-5PM dailyFree
DoCapitol HillFolger Shakespeare Library
A library, performance venue, and a museum all rolled into one. The library is the single most impressive feature—it houses the largest collection of the Bard's works in the world—although the library itself is geared towards researchers, not travelers. The Shakespearean performances here are top-notch, and occasionally outshine the bigger Shakespeare Theatre Company in the East End (although the performances here can be more uneven). There are also frequent lectures, musical performances, etc., which can be a good excuse to visit. The small museum has a replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and an Elizabethan garden in the back, and is nice to visit combined with a performance.
Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PMPlays: $20-50 (occasional student discounts) · Wi-Fi
SeeMonumentEast EndU.S. Navy Memorial
D.C.'s memorial to the U.S. Navy is not as jolting as the big memorials, but it is nice to walk around. Make sure to see the famous Lone Sailor statue, and who knew that Neil Armstrong was in the Navy!
9:30AM-5PM daily
SeeMonumentCapitol HillBelmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
The Belmont–Paul Women's Equality National Monument (formerly the Sewall House (1800–1929), Alva Belmont House (1929–1972), and the Sewall–Belmont House and Museum (1972–2016)) is a historic house and museum of the U.S. women's suffrage and equal rights movements located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The monument is named after suffragists and National Woman's Party leaders Alva Belmont and Alice Paul. Since 1929 the house has served as headquarters of the National Woman's Party, a key political organization in the fight for women's suffrage. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
Free
SeeNational MallSmithsonian Castle
This distinctive brick-red structure was the original Smithsonian museum. The building now presents an overview of the Smithsonian system as well as occasional exhibitions. Just south of the castle, the beautiful Haupt Garden features an ornate parterre as well as some quieter enclaves; it is a great place to stop to rest or eat.
8:30AM-5:30PM daily
SeeHistory museumGeorgetownOld Stone House
Built in 1765, this is the oldest original structure in Washington, D.C. For a while it was a used car dealership, but since the 1950s it has been operated by the National Park Service as a house museum showcasing pre-revolutionary colonial life in Georgetown, as well as a small English garden in the back.
House: Wed-Sun noon-5PM, garden: dawn-dusk dailyFree · Free entry
SeeNear NortheastNational Arboretum
The park's sprawling acres of carefully manicured gardens and its wide collection of trees from around the world are fantastic for getting away from the urban world and for a picnic. There are several attractions within the park worth seeking out, including the original columns from the Capitol Building's first incarnation, now standing alone mimicking Roman ruins, a Japanese garden, and a great bonsai collection. This is the best place in the city to enjoy the cherry blossom season—you can stroll serenely around the trees, while inwardly chuckling at the uninformed hordes sweating it out at the sardined Tidal Basin. They are not exclusively of the sakura variant downtown. Rather, there is an extensive collection of over 30 different flowering cherry trees, making for an excellent scavenger hunt!
8AM-5PM dailyFree
SeeHistoric siteAdams Morgan-Columbia HeightsMeridian Hill Park
aka Malcolm X Park
A 12-acre park centered on a long, stunning, cascading waterfall, surrounded by European-style terraced landscaping, and administered by the National Park Service. The grounds have long been an esteemed commodity in the city, first surrounding an 1819 mansion that became President James Quincy's home following his presidency. Around 1900, Mary Foote Henderson, who owned the land, petitioned Congress to move the White House to or establish the Lincoln Memorial at Meridian Hill, since the National Mall was just north of the putrid stench of the mosquito and sewage-infested Washington City Canal in Waterfront. The plan didn't pass the House of Representatives. However, she did convince Congress to create a park and, in 1910, the federal government purchased the ground and later converted it into the extravagant Italianate park that you see today. After the 1968 DC riots, the park was a haven for open-air drug markets, which got worse and worse throughout the crack epidemic of the 1980s. Following the murder of a teenager in 1990, the community decided to take back control of the park, and organized regular citizen patrols throughout the day and night. They were very successful, and the park is quite safe today. The sword from the statue of Joan of Arc—the only female equestrian statue in the city— was stolen and replaced several times.
DoParkNational MallIce Rink @ National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
A relaxing place just outside the National Gallery of Art to enjoy the fresh air, listen to music, and enjoy the surroundings, including a view of the National Archives building. Take a break from skating to enjoy hot cocoa or a meal at the Pavilion Café, next to the skating rink. Note that the sculpture garden itself closes M-Sa 5PM, Su 6PM, and access after that time is restricted to the ice rink only.
Nov–March: Mon-Thu 10AM-7PM, Fri-Sat 10AM-9PM, Sun 11AM-7PM$8.50 adults, $7.50 children, students, and seniors; $3 skate rental
SeeAnacostiaAnacostia Museum
The Smithsonian's least visited museum, far from the Mall, is a small but superbly exhibited tribute to Anacostia and D.C. "East of the River", and also to African-American history.
10AM-5PM dailyFree
DoParkGeorgetownGeorgetown Waterfront Park
A 10-acre National Park that traces the path of the Potomac River from the Key Bridge to the Washington Harbor Complex. The park itself features an interactive fountain, water steps, lawns to relax upon, and walking/cycling paths. There are also scenic river overlooks and a labyrinth to explore.
SeeMemorialNational MallDeclaration of Independence Memorial
A little known memorial stands on the island in the Constitution Gardens Lake, dedicated to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Not content to reside only on the document itself, their signatures have been reproduced here, etched in large granite blocks.
SeeWaterfrontDwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial is a United States presidential memorial in Washington, D.C. honoring Dwight David Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during World War II and the 34th president of the United States. Located to the south of the National Mall, the national memorial is set in a park-like plaza, with large columns framing a mesh tapestry depicting the site of the Normandy landings, and sculptures and bas-reliefs arrayed in the park. Architect Frank Gehry designed the memorial and Sergey Eylanbekov sculpted the bronze statues of Eisenhower in various settings.
SeeHistory museumGeorgetownTudor Place
A stately mansion built in 1815 by the son of the first mayor of Georgetown, and the step-granddaughter of one George Washington. The manor hosts permanent exhibits of 18-19th century American furnishings, as well as a large collections of items owned by George and Martha Washington. The gardens in the back are lovely, and can be accessed separately from the mansion for $3.
Tue-Sat 10AM-3PM, Sun noon-3PM (tours on the hour)Adults: $10, seniors 62+ & college students: $8, students 7-17: $3
SeeUpper NorthwestHillwood Estate
A hidden gem of magnificent proportions. Marjorie Merriweather Post, prominent businesswoman and heiress to the Post Cereal fortune, fashioned her estate next to Rock Creek Park to be an extraordinarily stately and luxurious site for entertaining guests, housing her impressive art collections, and with the intention of leaving it behind for the world to enjoy. The mansion is a treasure trove of French and Russian decorative arts, much of which she obtained from the USSR, whose government under Stalin was then auctioning off a good portion of its cultural heritage to finance its war efforts. Second in grandeur only to the art collection itself are the French and Japanese-style gardens—great places to linger long after the tour.
Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM; tours: 11:30AM,1:30PM, garden tours: 10:30AM, 12:30PM (Spring & Fall) cafe: 10AM-4PM, lunch: 11AM-2:30PM, tea: 2:30PM-3:30PMSuggested donation: $12, $7 student, $5 child
SeeMemorialNational MallJapanese Lantern
Two lamps were sculpted in 1651 and placed in Tōshō-gū temple, in Ueno Park, Tokyo. In 1954 the governor of that city gave one of those lamps as a gift to the people of the United States.
.jpg?width=240 "Photo: Lou Stejskal, CC BY 2.0")
EatRestaurantCapitol HillRose's Luxury
Tasting menu: $135. Rated as one of the best restaurants in the city. In a converted townhouse. Portions are generally shared among your party, "family style". Roof garden available for large groups.
Closed · opens 5 pmTasting menu: $135 · Limited wheelchair access
SeeEast EndFranklin Square - Statue and Language Museum
Franklin Square was planned to be another city block until a natural spring was discovered there. With the federal buildings built nearby, the federal government wanted to use the spring water to supply water to its workers, and it was purchased in 1832 and kept as a park. The spring is no longer there, but the park remains. The statue on the west side of Franklin Square near McPherson Square Metro is of Commodore John Barry of the Revolutionary War-era Continental Navy and later the U.S. Navy, known today as the Father of the American Navy. The striking red building at the northeast corner of the square is the Franklin School, from which Alexander Graham Bell sent his first wireless message (to 1325 L St NW). The building is being converted into a language museum.
BuyCraft shopWest EndIndian Craft & Map Store shops
Want to own a piece of America? OK, you can't actually walk in and purchase federal lands, or buy a mining permit. The gift shops, however, are open to the public. In business since 1938, the Indian Craft Shop has numerous American Indian handcrafted items, including pottery and jewelry, as well as books. The map store resides under the name of "Earth Science Information Center."
Mon-Fri 8:30AM-4:30PM
SeeGeorgetownOak Hill Cemetery
The Gothic chapel and gates were designed by the same architect who designed the Smithsonian Castle. It was the original resting place of Abraham Lincoln's son, Willie, before he was reinterred with his father in Illinois, as well as other figures. In addition to being a cemetery, it is also a botanical garden well set for a leisurely walk.
Mon-Fri 9AM-4:30PM, Sun 1PM-4PMFree
DoParkGeorgetownBook Hill Park
A park on what used to be a reservoir, the hilltop is now a great place to get a view of Georgetown University.
_June_2013.jpg?width=240 "Photo: Ron Cogswell, CC BY 2.0")
SeeAnacostiaKenilworth Aquatic Gardens
The only aquatic gardens managed by the National Park Service in the country is a marvelous off-the-beaten-path destination in D.C. The Kenilworth marsh is all that remains of the vast marshlands that once covered the riverbanks of the Anacostia (before being dredged for development), and is the only place where you can really imagine the District before it became America's capital. The prime attraction are the cultivated ponds, full of waterlilies, but it's also a worthy destination for the riverfront trail, greenhouses, and birdwatching. The best time to visit is without a doubt on an early summer morning, when the waterlilies are in full bloom. Free summer garden tours are available Sa-Su 9AM & 11AM (Memorial Day-Labor Day).
8AM-4PM dailyFree
SeeBrookland-Petworth-TakomaMount St Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land
The Franciscan Monastery is home to a magnificent Italianate church and flower gardens, ringed by a Rosary Portico of 15 chapels with the Angelic Greeting written in 200 languages. The lower gardens are more kitschy— the monastery's founders, in the late nineteenth century, set out to create a Holy Land in America, and commissioned the construction of replicas of overseas holy sites, including the Roman Catacombs, The Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, the Grotto of the Nativity, and other assorted reproductions. A fine place to stroll, read, and contemplate.
Grounds: 10AM-5PM daily (Catacombs visits require tour), tours: Mon-Sat 10AM, 11AM, 1PM-3PM, Sun 1-3PM (tours start on the hour)Free, donations encouraged
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Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Washington, D.C. (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps. Some descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).