Where to take kids when it's hot around Washington DC
July and August in DC mean 90-plus degrees and sauna humidity; after 10am the outdoors stops being fun. There are three ways out: water, shade or air conditioning, and this list has all three.
Water is the direct route: the canal at Yards Park and Our Special Harbor at Lee District Park are free, South Germantown, Bohrer Park and the Water Mine in Reston are kids' water parks for around fifteen dollars, and the mountain lakes at Greenbrier and Cunningham Falls, an hour away, run cooler than the Chesapeake. For shade, pick the paved creekside trail at Sligo Creek, the Cabin John playground tucked under big trees, or the streamside path at Scott's Run. After noon, go indoors: every Smithsonian is free, and the Kogod Courtyard and US Botanic Garden are the best places to collapse.
- 49 places
- 32 free
- 44 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
49 places
Drive times from Rockville
Rockville Memorial Library
5.0Rockville · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Rockville Town Square garage, 2 hours free with library validation; 5-minute walk from Rockville station on the Metro Red Line
Ride the Metro Red Line downtown (Rockville to Union Station)
5.0Rockville · 5 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free weekend parking at Rockville and Shady Grove stations; fares $2–6 per person, kids under 5 ride free with an adult (two per adult)
Lake Needwood (Rock Creek Regional Park)
5.0Rockville · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Several free lots at the dock and picnic areas, fairly full on fall weekend afternoons
Cabin John Regional Park playground and train
5.0Bethesda · 10 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot by the playground off Westlake Dr, plenty of room on weekend mornings
Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm
5.0Gaithersburg · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot at the S Frederick Ave entrance
Meadowside Nature Center raptor aviary
5.0Rockville · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot
Bethesda Library
5.0Bethesda · 15 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Small free lot behind the library and metered street parking on Arlington Rd
Germantown Library
5.0Germantown · 15 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot shared with the BlackRock arts center
Wheaton Regional Park train and carousel
5.0Wheaton · 15 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot at the Shorefield Rd entrance, by the train and playground
Black Hill Regional Park (Little Seneca Lake)
5.0Boyds · 20 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots by the visitor center and the dock
Sligo Creek Trail
5.0Silver Spring · 20 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Several free lots along Sligo Creek Pkwy; some stretches close to cars on weekends, so check which section is open
South Germantown Recreational Park (Adventure Playground)
5.0Boyds · 20 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Schaeffer Rd entrance, big free lot by the playground
Silver Spring Library
5.0Silver Spring · 20 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: County garage on Wayne Ave, free on weekends; 8-minute walk from Silver Spring station on the Metro Red Line
Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium
5.0Washington · 25 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot, plenty of room on weekend mornings
Arlington Central Library
5.0Arlington · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot beside the library; Metro Orange/Silver to Virginia Square and a 5-minute walk
College Park Aviation Museum
5.0College Park · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot; admission about $5 adults, about $2 ages 2–17
Centennial Park lake loop
5.0Ellicott City · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots at the Centennial Lane main entrance and the west entrance
Ellanor C. Lawrence Park (Walney Visitor Center)
5.0Chantilly · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot at the Walney Visitor Center
Claude Moore Park
5.0Sterling · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot at the Cascades Pkwy entrance, next to the nature center and playgrounds
Kogod Courtyard (American Art Museum)
5.0Washington · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Downtown garages about $15–25; Metro to Gallery Place-Chinatown puts you at the door
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (DC central library)
5.0Washington · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Downtown garages from $15; easiest by Metro to Gallery Place-Chinatown or Metro Center, 3-minute walk
City of Fairfax Regional Library
5.0Fairfax · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free garage under the library
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
Robinson Nature Center
5.0Columbia · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot; admission about $5 adults, about $3 ages 3–17, planetarium extra
Smithsonian National Museum of American History (Wegmans Wonderplace)
5.0Washington · 35 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Metro to Smithsonian or Federal Triangle and a 5-minute walk; street parking is free on weekends but hard to find
National Building Museum
5.0Washington · 35 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Metro Red Line to Judiciary Square puts you at the door; admission about $10–12 adults, about $7 ages 3–17, free under 3 (check the website)
Yards Park canal and fountains
5.0Washington · 40 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Navy Yard garages about $10–15 on weekends; easier to take the Metro Green Line to Navy Yard-Ballpark and walk 5 minutes
Burke Lake Park train and carousel
5.0Fairfax Station · 45 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Lot inside the park; about $10/car for non-Fairfax County residents on weekends April–October
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
Chessie's Big Backyard (Lee District Park)
5.0Alexandria · 50 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Telegraph Rd entrance, free lot by the playground, full at midday on summer weekends
Kinder Farm Park
5.0Millersville · 55 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Lot inside the park, about $6/car for non-Anne Arundel County residents (check the website)
B&O Railroad Museum
5.0Baltimore · 55 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free museum lot; admission about $25 adults, about $15 ages 2–12 (check the website)
National Aquarium (Baltimore)
5.0Baltimore · 60 min drive
3.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$$$ · Parking: Inner Harbor garages $20–30; admission about $50 adults, about $40 ages 3–11, free under 3, discounted online
Port Discovery Children's Museum
5.0Baltimore · 60 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Nearby garages about $15–20; admission about $23 per person, free under 2 (check the website)
Greenbrier State Park lake beach
5.0Boonsboro · 65 min drive
4 h · carrier recommended
$ · Parking: Lot inside the park, about $5 per person (MD residents) on summer weekends, often full and closed before noon
Seneca Creek State Park (Clopper Lake)
4.0Gaithersburg · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Clopper Rd entrance, about $3 per person (MD residents) on weekends and holidays April through October, parking itself free
Theodore Roosevelt Island
4.0Arlington · 30 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot reachable only from the northbound GW Parkway, full after 10am on weekends; or Metro to Rosslyn and a 10-minute walk
Riverbend Park
4.0Great Falls · 35 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot by the visitor center; fills on April bluebell weekends
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens lotus ponds
4.0Washington · 35 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot, fills on July lotus-festival weekends
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
4.0Washington · 35 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Street parking around the Mall is free on weekends but nearly impossible; Metro to Smithsonian or Federal Triangle and a 5-minute walk
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (National Mall)
4.0Washington · 35 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
Free · Parking: Easiest by Metro to L'Enfant Plaza and a 5-minute walk; street parking is free on weekends but almost impossible to find
Udvar-Hazy Center (Air and Space Museum at Dulles)
4.0Chantilly · 35 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Admission free, parking $15/car (free after 4pm); the lot is enormous and never fills
Mount Vernon
4.0Mount Vernon · 55 min drive
3.5 h · stroller-friendly
$$$ · Parking: Big free lot; admission about $28 adults, about $15 ages 6–11, free under 5 (check the website)
Sandy Point State Park bay beach
4.0Annapolis · 60 min drive
4 h · carrier recommended
$ · Parking: Big lot inside the park, about $7 per person (MD residents) on summer weekends, entrance closes when full
Cunningham Falls State Park lake beach and falls
4.0Thurmont · 60 min drive
4 h · carrier recommended
$ · Parking: William Houck area lot, about $5 per person (MD residents) on summer weekends, closes when full
North Beach boardwalk and beach
4.0North Beach · 65 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Paid street spots and lots in town; summer beach admission for non-residents a few dollars per person (check the website)
Scott's Run Nature Preserve falls
3.0McLean · 25 min drive
1.5 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Two small lots on Georgetown Pike (the east one is closer to the falls), free but full after 10am on weekends, no roadside parking
KID Museum
2.0Bethesda · 10 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$ · Parking: Free lot shared with the Davis Library; admission about $10–15 per person (check the website)
Sugarloaf Mountain
2.0Dickerson · 35 min drive
2.5 h · carrier recommended
Free · Parking: Drive all the way up to the East View and West View lots, free (private preserve, donations welcome); line at the entrance after 10am on fall weekends
💡 Good to know
- Lake beaches and water parks close at capacity before 11am on weekends; arrive when they open, and watch for the afternoon thunderstorms.
- Spraygrounds run Memorial Day to Labor Day; bring swimsuits, water shoes and sunscreen. Playgrounds don't cool down until after 6pm.