United States Botanic Garden

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United States Botanic Garden

Photo: Dllu · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

🌷 Garden · Washington

1.5 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
★ 4.0
  • 🚗
    About 35 min drive
    From Rockville · Parking: Street parking around the Mall is free on weekends but hard to find; Metro to Federal Center SW and a 5-minute walk
  • 🍼
    Stroller-friendly
    Flat surfaces — bring the stroller
  • 🌳
    Lots of shade
    Rain-OK · Fine on cold days · Handles heat
  • ⏱️
    Typical visit: 1.5 hours
    Best seasons: Winter · Spring · Summer · Fall

A free conservatory at the foot of Capitol Hill: the central tropical rainforest house has a canopy walk up at treetop height, and you wander room to room through the desert and orchid houses; in summer the outdoor Children's Garden lets kids dig and water, and from Thanksgiving to New Year's the Season's Greenings show has DC landmarks built from plants and model trains racing around.

💡 Tips
The first choice for a rainy or freezing day downtown; it's quiet at the 10am opening. The holiday train show has weekend lines, so go on a weekday or at opening. Pairs with the Air and Space Museum next door and the Capitol lawn for a half day.

What this place offers

✓free
✓conservatory
✓tropical rainforest
✓children's garden
✓holiday train show
✓restrooms
✓air conditioning
✓stroller friendly

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
Showers · 49–61°F · 56% rain
☀️
Sun 10/18
Sunny · 45–63°F · 4% rain

Location

Washington, Washington, DC

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