Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium

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Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium

Photo: Bonnachoven · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

🥾 Hike · Washington

2 hours · Free · No reservation needed

age fit
0–1 yr
★ 5.0
1–3 yrs
★ 5.0
3–5 yrs
★ 5.0
5–10 yrs
★ 5.0
  • 🚗
    About 25 min drive
    From Rockville · Parking: Free nature center lot, plenty of room on weekend mornings
  • 🍼
    Stroller-friendly
    Flat surfaces — bring the stroller
  • 🌳
    Lots of shade
    Rain-OK · Good on cool days · Handles heat · Fine on cold days
  • ⏱️
    Typical visit: 2 hours
    Best seasons: Spring · Summer · Fall · Winter

A 1700-acre forest park inside the District. The nature center has live turtles, a beehive, and a kids' discovery corner, and the only planetarium in the National Park system runs free weekend star shows suited to ages 4 and up; the 0.3-mile Woodland Trail out the door is short enough for a 2-year-old to finish.

💡 Tips
The planetarium has kids' shows on weekend afternoons; pick up free tickets at the front desk first. The Rock Creek Park Horse Center next door has horses to look at on weekends and kids' riding lessons. Parts of Beach Drive close to cars on weekends, great for strollers and learning to ride a bike.

What this place offers

✓free
✓planetarium
✓small animals
✓forest trails
✓restrooms
✓stroller friendly
✓horse center

Featured in these guides

This weekend's weather in Washington

Forecast at the destination itself (coast and hills often differ from home)

🌦️
Sat 10/17
Drizzle · 46–59°F · 53% rain
☀️
Sun 10/18
Sunny · 43–62°F · 3% rain

Location

Washington, Washington, DC

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