Holiday lights and festive outings with kids around Washington DC
Once Thanksgiving passes, DC gets dark early and nights drop into the 30s, which is exactly why the light shows become the best reason to take kids out. All of these work for little ones: a 40-to-60-minute loop, stroller paths the whole way, and a quick retreat to the car or a warm building.
Cheapest is ZooLights at the National Zoo: a few dollars for a timed ticket, a walk down the big hill, hot chocolate and a carousel. Season's Greenings at the US Botanic Garden is free and indoors, with model trains running between DC landmarks built from plants: a must for train kids. Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens charges per car, so fill the seats; Winter Walk of Lights in Vienna is Northern Virginia's most popular walking show, best at the pond reflections. If you'd rather not get out of the car, the Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park is a drive-through, and for something active, the outdoor rink at Pentagon Row has skating aids for small kids.
- 6 places
- 1 free
- 6 stroller-friendly
- closest is 15 min away
6 places
Drive times from Rockville
ZooLights (National Zoo)
5.0Washington · 25 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$ · Parking: Zoo lots $30/car; Metro Red Line to Woodley Park or Cleveland Park and a 10-minute walk
Garden of Lights (Brookside Gardens)
5.0Wheaton · 15 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$$ · Parking: About $30–35/car (more on weekends), reserve a time slot online, park inside the gardens
United States Botanic Garden
5.0Washington · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Street parking around the Mall is free on weekends but hard to find; Metro to Federal Center SW and a 5-minute walk
Winter Walk of Lights (Meadowlark)
5.0Vienna · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$$ · Parking: Free parking inside the gardens; admission about $15–20 per person (more on weekends), free under 2, timed tickets online
Watkins Regional Park train, carousel, and Wizard of Oz playground
5.0Upper Marlboro · 45 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot inside the park
Pentagon Row outdoor ice rink
2.0Arlington · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Pentagon Row garage, free for a while with a purchase; Metro to Pentagon City and a 5-minute walk. Admission about $10–12 plus $5–6 skate rental
💡 Good to know
- Weekend timed tickets for Garden of Lights and Winter Walk sell out weeks ahead; buy early, or go on a weeknight for lower prices and smaller crowds.
- December nights in DC run 30–40°F: dress warm, tuck a blanket in the stroller and bring a thermos. ZooLights is all hills, so a stroller earns its keep.
- The Botanic Garden's train show has lines on weekends; be there at the 10am opening or go on a weekday.