Everything everyone has said is true - this is the best park in DC. Amazing spray park during the…read moresummer, but the cars/scooters and other donated outdoor toys are fun in any season. The park is TINY but never seems to be overly crowded - but it's small enough (and securely gated on all sides) that you can sit on a bench and give your toddler some independence, which is great! Our daughter was always intimidated at the larger DC spray parks, but she really felt at home here. It also has a small playground and then some other outdoor furniture, like a play kitchen.

This small playground was a short walk from our airbnb. I have an almost three year old and almost…read moreone year old. It was the perfect spot for both of them to get out some energy. Not realizing this park had a splash pad (or spray park I guess is what it's called in DC), the first day my daughter only used the swing and slides. It was packed with kiddos that Friday morning (10am ish). The next day we went back with a swimsuit and had a blast! Went at the same time but only a few other families were there. I noticed on Friday everyone was there with a nanny and on Saturday it was all parents. The parents came armed with coffee, breakfast and bug spray. Bug spray is a MUST! Note you do not need to bring toys... there are tons of them provided by the park. Things to ride on. Things to collect water. Water tables. I wish we had something like this in the city we live in.

Very nice Visitor Center full of information, displays, a mini-zoo of local residents, and…read moreactivities for the little ones. Friendly Front Desk Staff, clean restrooms and located near trailhead with ample parking.

I think this is a perfect little spot for toddlers and you g children. There is a little library…read morethat had books, toys, and blocks my daughter liked. Lots of different reptiles and insects to see. Stuffer creatures, microscopes, and items to touch. We spent a nice hour here on a rainy cloudy day.

I really enjoyed coming here. Plane spotting wasn't a thing to do that I would have even thought of…read more(other than air shows). It's such a chill thing to do and it's free. Grateful that there's plenty of parking and they aren't charging for it. It seems really safe, there's a lot of family and friends enjoying watching the planes fly so low as they are about to land. It seems as if the planes fly low almost every 2-3 minutes. It's a pretty good spot to take pictures. There's a trail for walking, plenty of people are walking, running, biking or on scooters. It's a nice picnic spot if you enjoy crowds spaced out. There's a porta potty that would be awesome if it were replaced with real bathrooms.

Spacious park, has water side areas; right next to Regan airport for plan viewing. No restrooms…read moreonly porta potties (do not recommend)

We were biking around the area looking for a fun neighborhood park that offered some low key fun…read morenearby! This park definitely hit all the high notes! It's conveniently located near all the popular stores without feeling like it's wedge unsafely or unnaturally in the area. We stayed on the playground portion but the water area also looks cool & refreshing on those hot days of summer! Highly recommend checking out this park with your little one.

this park appears to only be open if you participate in a paid preschool co-op. We are visiting. It…read morewas locked when we came at 8 AM on a Tuesday in May.

Took a wrong turn and that's an easy thing to do in this part of town, trust me. Entering this park…read moreturned out to be a pleasant surprise. Decided to get out of the car and start walking down the trail and this turned out to be peaceful as all get out. A few yards into the tree line and you hear birds singing and insects chirping and the city washes away. The tall trees provide plenty of shade and relief from the afternoon sun. A few hundred yards down the trail you come to a clearing with a giant rock formation in the center. This is the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac. There's a whole backstory to this memorial grove told by Lady Bird Johnson herself. Just press the button and listen to the recordings. From here facing east you can see the Potomac River and it's a beautiful spot. It's easy to see why President Johnson chose this location. He used to come here when he wanted to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the White House. The Mount Vernon Trail passes through the park so watch out for joggers and cyclists. You can find restrooms and trash cans close to the parking lot and snacks are available at the Columbia Island Marina.

Lady Bird Johnson Park is a small park that takes up most of Columbia Island in the Potomac River…read morecreated in honor of the work the former First Lady did around urban beautification. Here's why it's worth a visit: 1) Park: It's a larger park with lots of trees, flowers and picnic tables in shade for family getaways. There are trails throughout the park including one that leads to a pedestrian bridge to the Pentagon. 2) Parking: There's a free three-hour parking lot near the marina. 3) Memorial: In the middle of the park is a memorial for Lady Bird's husband, President Johnson. 4) Views: The views from the park are stunning. You can see the entire National Mall from across the river. If you need a park with fewer people and lots of shade, go here!

Because of the pandemic I needed an open space for my toddler to burn his energy and stay safe at…read morethe safe time. This park has a lot to offer. It has sections for different age groups. Slides, swings, sand area, and even baseball court. People here are respectful of your space and wore masks. The ground itself has many shaded spots which is nice when it's really sunny. Plenty of seats and there is bbq grill just outside the playground if you want to have a birthday party or something.

This park is little bit on the older side and is pretty worn. It has street parking around its…read moreperimeter available, but there is a 2 hour time limit. The park features a basketball court, a picnic shelter, a playground, and picnic tables. It seems a little out dated and trashy. You will find 2 fenced in playgrounds areas here. The larger playground area, which is designed for older kids, has has a large jungle gym with a rock climbing structure, monkey rings, slides, bridges, tunnels and canopies. There is also a bank of traditional/ADA swings here. The area is lined with wood chips, with a rubber mat path going down the center. The other playground area, which is designed for pre-schoolers, has a small jungle gym with a rock climbing wall, a small canopy, a small rock climbing wall and a couple of slides. It seems much older and worn than the one on the other side. There is also a small blue wooden house, a mock pirate ship, a rocker animal and a few plastic tables and cars that you would get from a department store in this section as well. The area is lined with rubber matting and sand. It was not my favorite area to say the least. In between the two fenced playground areas, you will find a few benches to sit. The picnic shelter has a bunch of picnic tables under it and is in decent shape. The basketball court is a full court and is in fair shape. The park has a fair amount of green space to play, but the grass does have a large bald spot in the front that is just dirt and a few patches near the basketball court. The back side of the park, across the walkway, is where you will find some picnic tables and grills in a shaded area. This park needs a little TLC and updates to get it back up to speed. It is a fair park and would be an ok place to pass time if you are in the area. It would not be my go-to or destination park though. It does have a lot of potential though and I hope that it makes the needed modifications to reach that potential.

Constitution Gardens is a vast green space at the center of many monuments and memorials on the…read moreNational Mall along Constitution Avenue. The gardens have access to the Lincoln Memorial, WWII Memorial, Reflecting Pool, JFK Hockey Fields, U.S. Park Police Horse Stables, and Korean War Veterans Memorial. The area is approximately 50 acres. At its center is a pond where you will often find ducks and geese. At the center of the pond is a memorial stone honoring the 56 signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. You can find many willow trees along the pond. There are concession stands located around the pond and food/ice cream trucks to the south closer to the WWII Memorial and Constitution Avenue. During the summer the concession stands are open, however, during the colder months the concessions normally are closed. NOTE: Over the years, the end of the pond near WWII Memorial has been littered with debris, and because the water is stagnant the pond sometimes gives off a horrible smell when the water moves. I've driven by in spring 2026 to see that the pond has been cleared and cleared at this end of the pond (I'm assuming as a part of the 2026 DC Safety and Beautification Initiative). You can often experience swarms of gnats and mosquitoes during the summer. The best time to visit is early spring or fall when these pests are done for the season. Overall, a great grassy area in the heart of downtown with plenty of street parking along Constitution Avenue.

Constitution Gardens are a pleasant park area that feels like a peaceful oasis near the busy…read moreNational Mall. Water features, greenery, and pathways create a very harmonious environment for walks or a short rest. I especially appreciate the calmer atmosphere and the sense that it is not just a tourist spot, but also a park that locals enjoy using.

We had an amazing time here! The staff were helpful at every turn and you could tell they loved…read morebeing here. We love animals and photography so this was the perfect stop to do both. After a few shots, our new friend and manager Jon K approached with friendly offers because he knew we were there to showcase how great this place was. We will love to come back any time. For now we will let the photographs do most of the speaking. Hope you enjoy our little collection from our experience. Instagram: @3spade7star_photography Facebook: ThreeSpade SevenStar Nikon Z8/Z30 "O" and Bobby B.

September 6, 2026. We were excited to finally see this private zoo. I had proposed the idea of…read moreseeing Nova Wild to my husband, who was elated to go & insisted on going as early as possible. I saw the zoo website a few years ago and put it on my to do list for this area. Despite some of the negative reviews we saw online, the reviews did no affect us at all. Yet I could see how the negative reviews can affect one's perception of the zoo. Tickets are $20 for adults. Children's tickets are less. Parking is free. We came to the zoo in the morning to avoid crowds and less heat from the sun. It is true that there are additional costs for food to feed the animals, rides on the camel, and to see the butterfly garden. The prices are fair though. The zoo is small yet clean, well maintained, and has many areas & animals to see. Some of the animals are shy & avoid onlookers, yet that happens in zoos. Restrooms are limited. I only saw restrooms near the entrance. When compared to the Smithsonian zoo, this zoo was less crowded and the customers had better etiquette. Nova Wild truly went beyond our greatest expectations. I saw all the animals I wanted to see there. Despite the shyness of some of the animals, most of them seemed happy. Some had good interactions with the people and children especially when it came to being fed by children or adults. There are many sitting areas throughout the zoo. The bench by the lake and willow trees is where I spent a lot of rest time at the zoo. Highlights in the Nova Wild Zoo: Clouded Leopard, Cheetah, Fennec Fox, Giant Ant Eater, the Flamingos, the Camels, African Tortoise, Owls, Emus, Cows, and Silver Cheeked Hornbill bird. There were others as well yet I didn't spend that much time around them. My favorite place and last place to explore in the zoo was the butterfly garden. There were many blue butterflies flying inside the enclosed garden as well as other types of butterflies. It was mesmerizing watching the butterflies. We spent the most time watching the butterflies. We skipped doing the drive through safari since the line was so long and it was getting too crowded at the end of the day. It was a quiet and peaceful experience at the Nova Wild Zoo. We look forward to visiting this place again.