the yards park
The Yards Park is a premier waterfront destination that provides green space and water features for all to enjoy the outdoors along the Anacostia River. The Park offers a waterfall, a performance venue & open grassy areas, plus a riverfront boardwalk. It is a scenic, vibrant, riverfront escape for the entire group, the green space is home to plenty of events too, such as movie screenings and music classes for little ones.
Tidal Basin
The Tidal Basin is a man-made reservoir located between the Potomac River and the Washington Channel in Washington, D.C. It is surrounded by cherry trees. You can rent a paddleboat on a sunny day and enjoy the sight of monuments and cherry blossoms.
The Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, founded in 1846 and home to numerous museums and galleries. The Smithsonian National Zoo is a popular family attraction with nearly 1,800 animals representing around 500 species. The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden showcases modern and contemporary art through paintings, sculptures, photography, installations, and digital works. The National Air and Space Museum offers historic aircraft, spacecraft, hands-on experiences, science demonstrations, and IMAX movies. Families can explore the National Mall and the National Museum of Natural History, featuring the Hope Diamond, dinosaur skeletons, marine specimens, and a Butterfly Pavilion. The National Museum of the American Indian presents Indigenous American art, history, and culture. The National Museum of American History offers engaging exhibits about American life, including women’s history, Latino history, and food history.
The National Building Museum
It is a unique concept to encourage children to build things. The colossal Italian Renaissance-style Great Hall has hosted 15 presidential inaugural balls, you can have an indoor picnic here. This unique museum is dedicated to everything from soaring skyscrapers to cities. This is an excellent place to visit with your kids.
The District Wharf
One of Washington’s latest additions to neighborhood attractions, The District Wharf offers an array of larger-than-life outdoor games, like bocce ball and mini-golf that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Also include splashing under the fountains, kayaking, and paddle boarding on sunny days and winter brings ice skating.
Sunset Cruise on the Potomac
Watching the sunset on the water never goes wrong, take a cruise tour at Georgetown Waterfront to enjoy dinner with the panoramic views of the sunset and explore the major Washington D.C. landmarks on the Potomac shore. It can be total fun for the entire family.
Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium
Rock Creek Park features miles of beautiful nature trails, where your kids may like to run frantically but the Planetarium is the main attraction for the entire family. The planetarium generally has programming for young children (ages 4–10) on Wednesdays. The Rock Creek Park Planetarium uses high-tech software to project the image of the night sky onto a large, dome-shaped ceiling. Rangers lead you on a journey of exploration into the solar system, galaxy, and beyond.
Old Town Alexandria
A busy, historic district along the Potomac, Old Town Alexandria is marked by cobblestone streets and 18th-century townhouses. Alexandria is an ideal spot to soak up some history; Old Town is the home to more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques alongside intimate historic site museums. You can take a water taxi to add a pinch of fun to reach Old Town. The historic King Street is the heart of the charming historic city, just stroll around and see the magnificent centuries-old architecture marvels and many historically important restaurants, boutiques, and museums along the way.
Georgetown Waterfront Park
The Georgetown Waterfront Park is part of the Georgetown Historic District, the park stretches along the banks of the Potomac River from 31st Street, NW to the Key Bridge. Park offers an array of kids and family-friendly activities. You can rent a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard, or rent again a bike to ride three connected trails, picnic in the park, meditate at the labyrinth, or catch a live musical performance on the weekends.
Gravelly Point
Gravelly Point is an area within the National Park Service’s George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. It is located on the west side of the Potomac River, north of Roaches Run and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
You can have a relaxing day here while kids are running and frolicking around and gazing upward to feel the thrill as jets descend directly overhead every minute, are closer than your imagination and land at a short distance.
Beauvoir Outdoors Playground
National Cathedral Elementary School has huge playgrounds which are accessible to the public from 6 pm till dark. Your kids will go rambunctious on the Beauvoir Outdoors Playground with rope bridges, wooden jungle gyms, slides, and even a zip line.
Nationals Park
Nationals Park is located in Southeast Washington, south of the Capitol, along the fast-developing Capitol Riverfront adjacent to the Navy Yard. The new park redefines modern sports facility architecture and also serves as the catalyst and cornerstone of a new mixed-use Capitol Riverfront in the nation’s capital. This baseball park designed for fans of all ages offers special programming for kids, including giveaways and a play area featuring a jungle gym.
International Spy Museum
A visit to Spy Museum will teach your kids about the fascinating espionage who have contributed to world events. They have a chance to pretend to be a spy through some intriguing games. The museum features an array of spy gadgets, including KGB-issued poison pellet shooting umbrellas and Germany’s Steineck ABC wristwatch camera. Take your grownups to test their spy skills.
United States Botanical Garden
United States Botanical Garden is home to more than 4,000 seasonal, tropical and subtropical plants. It is a wonderful place to stroll around the beautiful and lush flowers and greenery with over thousands of specimens and species inside the area. The United States Botanic Garden is a soothing escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life.
C&O Canal Towpath
Explore one more bike trail adventure on the C&O Canal Towpath. The tree-lined, gravelly trail follows a 19th-century canal that begins in Georgetown and heads west, ending 184 miles later in Cumberland, Maryland. You have a pretty chance to try your hands on kayaks and canoes at the beginning of the Towpath.
Library of Congress Young Readers Center & Petworth Neighborhood Library
These two libraries are excellent for young readers, kids can enjoy small fun activities like outdoor story time and writing workshops, activity sheets, and scavenger hunts. At the Library of Congress, you can pick up your kid’s first library card to use wherever you are within the United States.
Family Bike Ride on the Mount Vernon Trail
If you have grown-up kids who love adventure then rent bikes and go on the Mount Vernon Trail. Excellent adventure activity through the trail runs parallel to the George Washington Memorial Parkway and follows the Potomac River’s west bank. Explore the gorgeous sights of the riverfront and Washington’s iconic landmarks.
