Best Parks in Washington DC | Outdoor Escapes
Relax in Washington DC’s best parks. Enjoy walking trails, lakes, and green spaces perfect for families and nature lovers.
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Explore scenic parks featuring lush greenery, walking trails, picnic areas, and recreational activities. Ideal for family outings, nature walks, and peaceful escapes from city life.
177 Places in Best Parks in Washington DC | Outdoor Escapes
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Witherspoon Park
Langdon Dog Park
Public Park
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Monument to civil rights leader. Memorial pays tribute to slain civil rights leader near where he delivered "I Have a Dream" speech.
World War II Memorial
Tribute to Americans' WWII efforts. Iconic outdoor memorial honoring the 16 million Americans who served during World War II.
Tidal Basin
Eckington Dog Park
Cherry Hill Park
Campground with 2 pools, café & ballroom. All-year RV hook-ups, cabins & glamping with 2 solar-heated pools, a splash park, café & ballroom.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Classical Roman rotunda upon Tidal Basin. Columned rotunda in the style of Rome's Pantheon on the man-made reservoir known as the Tidal Basin.
Washington Monument Grounds
Landscaped gardens around an obelisk. Outdoor theater & a friendship garden in parkland surrounding the landmark Washington Monument.
National Mall
Historic memorial parks on a promenade. Washington Monument plus memorials to Lincoln, MLK, FDR, WWII & Vietnam vets along a grassy mall.
Maryland Avenue Linear Park
Great Falls Park
Dramatic views, hiking & rafting. Boasting spectacular falls & rushing white water, this park offers picnic areas, trails & boating.
Cole Spray Park
Rock Creek Park
Verdant wildlife & recreation area. Urban oasis with hiking trails, tennis & golf, plus ranger-led wildlife programs.
Constitution Gardens
Small park with a pond & island. Compact garden featuring a variety of relaxing spots, as well as a pond & island.
Lincoln Memorial
Marble monument to the 16th president. Parthenon-inspired tribute to Abraham Lincoln with a 19-ft. marble statue, murals & reflecting pool.
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring
Zip line park with day & night passes. Forest setup of zip lines, rope rigs & wooden bridges has day & night passes for kids & adults.
Our Special Harbor Spray Park
Upper Senate Park
Lawn & plaza with a central fountain. Tree-lined lawn next to the Capitol with a wide paved plaza & an elaborate central fountain.
United States National Arboretum
Plants galore, plus a museum & picnics. Free to visitors, this outdoor space boasts trees, shrubs, & plants, plus a picnic area & museum.
Crispus Attucks Park
Celebrated green area with secluded feel. Known for its secluded feel, this popular urban park includes lots of green space, benches & trails.
United States Botanic Garden
Exotic plants & glass-domed conservatory. Sprawling grounds featuring exotic flora plus conservatory, rare plants gallery & butterfly garden.
D.C. War Memorial
Iconic, Doric monument to WWI casualties. Pillared, neoclassical-style memorial from 1931, dedicated to D.C. citizens who died in WWI.
Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove On The Potomac
Riverside memorial for President Johnson. Memorial for President Lyndon B. Johnson set in a riverside grove with a view of the National Mall.
Walker Mill Skate Park
Shirlington Dog Park
Water stations & a paved, riverside path. Narrow, fenced-in, off-leash dog park along a river, with multiple water stations & a paved walkway.
Founders Park
The Yards
Dancing fountains, a pool & lawns. Landscaped green space with dancing fountains, a swimming pool & grassy areas for picnicking.
West Potomac Park
Site of iconic memorials & monuments. Greenspace that is home to iconic landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial & Washington Monument.
Southwest Waterfront Park
Westminster Park
The Yards Park
Scenic park with a riverfront boardwalk. Sizable park with a waterfall, performance venue & open grassy areas, plus a riverfront boardwalk.
The Magic Tree Box
Wharf Interactive Fountain
Chuck Brown Memorial Park
Georgetown Waterfront Park
10-acre greenspace with paths & views. Tranquil grassy area featuring a promenade for walking & biking, plus scenic views & overlooks.
Dumbarton Oaks Park
Landscape with naturalistic gardens. Green space designed by landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, with naturalistic & scenic gardens.
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
National Park Service East Potomac Maintenance Yard
Pohick Bay Regional Park
Water activities & hiking on the Potomac. Riverfront destination for swimming, boating & kayaking, as well as picnics, hiking & camping.
Lake Fairfax Park
Waterfront space with outdoor activities. Family-friendly green space with a playground, swimming pool, carousel & picnic area.
Powhatan Springs Skate Park
Kalorama Park
Recreational center & community garden. 3-acre park featuring a recreational center, community garden & green space in an urban setting.
Melrose Skatepark
Swampoodle Dog Park & Playground
Guy Mason Recreation Center Dog Park
Ballpark Dog Park
The Capital Wheel
Large ferris wheel with water views. 180-ft. ferris wheel offering 8-person gondolas, colorful lights & views of the Potomac River.
National Landing Water Park
Landscaped urban plaza with fountains. Tranquil outdoor urban park with shade, water fountains, picnic areas & weekly community events.
East Potomac Park
Place for sports & picnicking since 1917. Storied, 395-acre park with a golf course, fishing & picnic areas, plus tennis courts & ball fields.
George Mason Memorial
An homage to an American founding father. This memorial commemorates one of America's lesser-known founding fathers, George Mason.
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Historic route connected to Mount Vernon. Scenic historic thoroughfare along the Potomac River that connects Mount Vernon to McLean.
Montrose Park
Open greenery with tennis & playground. Woodsy park offering foot paths & stretches of open lawn as well as tennis courts & a playground.
Nationals Park
Major League Baseball stadium. 41,546-seat venue is the home field to Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals.
Lady Bird Johnson Park
National park located on Columbia Island. Part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, this park on Columbia Island has trails & memorials.
The Park at CityCenter DC
Fort Washington Park
Historic location with relics & trails. Historic, early 19th-century battlements & war relics plus nature trails, fishing & picnicking.
Lincoln Park
Grassy refuge with benches & statues. Open public green space with statues of Abraham Lincoln & civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune.
Fletcher's Cove - Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Powhatan Springs Park
Space for skateboarders & a rain garden. Concrete skate park with street-style elements, plus a rain garden/learning experience for children.
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
Boardwalk trail through ponds & a marsh. Tranquil preserve with short trails including a boardwalk through a pond & marsh, plus picnic spots.
Columbia Heights Dog Park
Stanton Park
Playground & Nathanael Greene statue. Tree-lined neighborhood park with a playground, walkways & a statue of war hero Nathanael Greene.
Oak Ridge Campground1
Mount Rainier Skatepark
Louise F Cosca Regional Park
Paddle boats, campsites & picnic areas. 690-acre park with a lake & woods boasting paddle boats, campsites, picnic shelters & a playground.
Ramblin' Pines
Shaw Skate Park
Skateboarding area & basketball courts. Outdoor concrete skateboard park featuring ramps, grind boxes & half-pipes plus basketball courts.
Wakefield Park
Sports fields & a skateboard park. Running & biking trails, lighted basketball & tennis courts, a skateboard park & a rec center.
Anacostia Park Roller Skating Pavillion
Sunnyside Skate Park
Ellsworth Urban Dog Park
Park with a playground & tennis courts. This 3.6-acre city park offers a playground, tennis courts & a dog park with water fountains.
The Carousel at National Harbor
Whimsical carousel with water views. Waterside, Americana-themed carousel with painted animals, a children's playground & picnic tables.
Washington Canal Park
Wildflowers & interactive water features. Once a bus parking lot, this modern park now has interactive fountains, landscaping & a restaurant.
Rawlins Park
Green space with fountains & benches. Green space named for a Civil War general, with a fountain, benches & a seasonal magnolia display.
Pershing Park
Memorial plaza with benches & pool basin. Plaza honoring General Pershing with benches & a pool basin.
Meridian Hill Park
City park featuring a fountain & statues. Leafy city park offering a cascading fountain, statues & a tradition of Sunday drum circles.
The Park at LeDroit
Grassy area with a playground & dog park. Quaint green space offering a playground, benches & walking paths, plus a fenced-in area for dogs.
Legacy Memorial Park
Veterans Memorial Park
John Marshall Park
Shaded areas with seats & sculptures. Tree-lined space with grassy areas, benches & sculptures depicting Chief Justice John Marshall.
Farragut Square
Popular compact park with seating areas. Compact park named for a Union admiral featuring lawns & benches, as well as daytime crowds.
Kingman And Heritage Islands Park
River island with a bluegrass festival. Man-made island in the Anacostia River offering rustic trails & an annual bluegrass festival.
Lower Senate Park
Pathways, fountains & a reflecting pool. This urban greenspace with trees & grass offers paved walking areas, fountains & a reflecting pool.
ZavaZone Rockville
Fort Lincoln Park
Civil War site with play areas & views. Former Civil War ramparts atop a ridge with playgrounds & sports areas, game tables & amphitheater.
Fredericksburg / Washington DC South KOA Holiday
ZavaZone Sterling
Travel Camp
Greenbelt Park
Wooded suburban getaway with campgrounds. Picnic tables, playground equipment & walking trails, plus year-round campgrounds.
Banneker Skatepark
Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole
Old West-themed children's water park. Old West-themed water park with slides & flumes designed for children in elementary school.
Skate Park at RFK Campus
SplashDown Waterpark
Summertime swimming & slides. Seasonal water park featuring slides of various sizes, a lagoon, leisure pool & several snack bars.
Dog Park
Newark Street Dog Park
S Street Park
Cozy, enclosed area for off-leash play. This compact, fenced-in dog run is made from artificial turf & features benches for human visitors.
Fort Dupont Park
Wooded area with hiking trails & events. This urban greenspace with 10 miles of hiking trails hosts many concerts & educational programs.
Bryant Street Dog Park
Massanutten Indoor WaterPark
Recreational spot for indoor waterslides. Energetic aquatic park featuring indoor & seasonal outdoor waterslides & pools, plus an arcade.
Anacostia Park
Large riverside area for recreation. Waterside park offering trails, a roller-skating rink, picnic sites, golf, fishing & sports areas.
Cub Run Rec Center
Garfield Park
Green space with courts & playground. This recreational area offers a playground, picnic spots & tennis, basketball & bocce courts.
Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park
Indoor trampoline activity center. Large-scale indoor trampoline center hosting open jump, fitness classes, dodgeball & parties.
Takoma Park Skatepark
Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth
Launch Family Entertainment Prince George's County
Book Hill Park
Stead Park
City park with a playground & rec center. Cozy park offering a playground plus basketball courts, multi-use field & a recreation center.
Oxon Run Park
Folger Park
Old, tree-filled park with pathways. Historical park with a cast-iron fence from 1881, plus ornamental trees, pathways & unique benches.
Pohick Bay Campground and Park Office
Schuyler Hamilton Jones Skateboard Park
Ocean Dunes Waterpark
Jumbo water park with a pool & slides. Sprawling water park boasting 2 slides, a 500-gallon dumping bucket & a large swimming pool.
Pirate's Cove Waterpark
Summertime swimming & slides. Seasonal waterpark featuring a big pool, slides & squirters, a manmade beach & picnic areas.
Lake Fairfax Park Campground
Shaw Dog Park
Dog Run Park at Carlyle
Cameron Run Regional Park
Minigolf, a waterpark & a batting cage. Modest, compact local park offering minigolf, a waterpark, a batting cage, picnicking & more.
Virginia Avenue Park
Dog run, community garden & picnic area. Rolling neighborhood green space featuring a community garden, dog run & picnic tables.
Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg
Relaxed resort with a water park. Cozy suites in a casual property offering a water park & mini-golf, plus dining, a spa & a gym.
Friendship Archway
Iconic traditional gateway to Chinatown. Traditional Chinese gate adorned with tiles & dragons, marking the entrance to Chinatown.
Francis Scott Key Memorial
Park honoring the national anthem author. Small, shaded park with exhibits & a bust memorializing the author of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Waterworks Waterpark
Benjamin Banneker Park
Urban area with a fountain & river views. Known for its architecture, this small urban park features sitting areas, a fountain & river views.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
Get Air Trampoline Park
Barnard Hill Park
Green space with picnic areas & trees. Small grassy area features secluded picnic tables & several shade trees at the top of a hilly ridge.
Healthy Fun One Adventure Park
Volcano Island Waterpark
Aquatic park with water slides & a pool. Polynesian-themed water park with water slides, a swimming pool & a giant, water-dumping bucket.
Atlantis Waterpark at Bull Run
Waterslides, dump bucket & squirters. Atlantis-themed summertime splash zone with 1,000-gallon dump bucket plus open & enclosed slides.
Fort Barnard Dog Park
Anacostia Park Section F
Greenbelt Campground
Bar Harbor RV Park and Marina
Adventure Park USA
Family fun center with rides & more. Family destination offers diversions like mini golf, a climbing wall, go-karts, rides & bumper cars.
Fun Land of Fredericksburg
Amusement park & arcade for tykes. Children's amusement park offering mini-rides, go-karts, arcade games, rock wall climbing & more.
Lansburgh Dog Park
Rollingcrest-Chillum Splash Pool
Year-round indoor splash park. Features 3 lap lanes, a water-play area for preschoolers & a family pool with sprays & slides.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
Launch Family Entertainment Herndon
Magic Ground
Camp Meade RV Park
Super, Awesome & Amazing at The St. James
Green Skate Lab
Glenn Dale Splash Park
Aqua park with slides & water features. Outdoor aqua park featuring slides & waterfalls plus shower & changing facilities.
Samuel Gompers Memorial Park
Green plaza commemorating labor crusades. Small, triangular park with trees & paths, featuring a memorial to a Victorian-era labor leader.
Flight Adventure Park Springfield
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
Six Flags America
Fun park with kiddie rides & coasters. Amusement park offers Looney Tunes–themed rides for kids, roller coasters & an attached water park.
Great Waves Waterpark
Sprawling park with pools & waterslides. Comprising 20 acres, this attraction features waterslides, pools, mini-golf & batting cages.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
Prince William Forest RV Campground
Snug campground with a pool & showers. Compact RV camping area offering showers, a small playground & a pool in a wooded setting.
Garfield Park DIY skatepark
Penni Park
Altitude Trampoline Park - Leesburg, VA
Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park
Indoor trampoline activity center. Large-scale indoor trampoline center hosting open jump, fitness classes, dodgeball & parties.
City of Gaithersburg Water Park at Bohrer Park
Outdoor pool with giant waterslides. Outdoor swimming pool with deep lanes & a shallow play area featuring a 250-ft. double waterslide.
Washington DC / Capitol KOA Holiday
Wharf Kids Water Park
Get Air Trampoline Park
North Arundel Aquatic Center
Lap swimming & a mini water park. Swimming center featuring an 8-lane competition pool & a leisure pool with a children's water park.
Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park
Indoor trampoline activity center. Large-scale indoor trampoline center hosting open jump, fitness classes, dodgeball & parties.
Hancock Park
Petite grassy area with walkways & shade. Pint-sized, urban green space featuring an open lawn with a walking path & large trees for shade.
Trinidad Skatepark
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Indoor trampolines & fitness classes. Chain of indoor trampoline parks featuring freestyle bouncing, dodgeball, fitness programs & more.
FamCamp
CoCo Key Water Resort
Laid-back hotel with a lively water park. Family-friendly hotel with modern rooms, 2 restaurants, a water park with 3 slides & an arcade.
Hamilton Splash Park
Adventure Bound Camping Resorts - Washington DC
Laugh Out Loud Stations MEGA Fun Center
Rockville Skate Park
