Best Picnic Parks in Washington DC

Posted by Abbott Klar Real Estate on Thursday, April 9th, 2015 at 2:26pm

DC's Best Picnic Parks

Spring has sprung.  With seventy-degree days on the forecast and sunshine chasing the winter blues away, excuses to stay inside are few and far between.  A picnic in one of DC’s picturesque parks is the perfect way to welcome spring, celebrate the warm weather and enjoy outdoor fun with family and friends.  Check out the descriptions of some of DC’s most picnic-able parks below, then, grab your friends, your family, your picnic basket and go!
Picnic

Meridian Hill Park

2400 15th St NW

Washington, DC 20008

Meridian Hill Park, with its abundant sunny hillsides and grassy green spaces ideal for throwing down a picnic blanket and throwing back a mimosa (not to mention the nation’s longest cascading fountain), offers a perfect setting for a park picnic any day of the week.  However, hit the park with a full basket of goodies on a Sunday and find yourself surrounded by drum music, hula hoopers, acro yogis, slack liners and a general crowd of those feeling good and feeling the beat.  The Sunday drum circle has been a feature of the park since the mid-1960s and has become a welcoming community of good fun and good rhythm open to all.  Check out the Washington Post article and video project on the drum circle, choose a sunny Sunday, then pack your basket (and your bongos) and join the fun.

Dumbarton Oaks Park and Gardens

3120 R St NW

Washington, DC 20007

Designed by Beatrix Farrand, the first female professional landscape architect in the United States, Dumbarton Oaks Park and Gardens is the outdoor gem of Georgetown.  Farrand designed the park, opened in 1941, as a “wild garden” – mixing the natural beauty of the park with designed landscape.  The park and many of its features including DC’s oldest building, the Old Stone House, are free and open to visitors.  General admission to the gardens is $10, with discounts for seniors and children under 12.  The park and gardens offer 27 acres of beauty – there is no shortage of picnic perfect scenery.  Pack a full basket (or a backpack to cruise the park post-picnic), bring the family and enjoy lunch under a bursting in bloom cherry tree or alongside a shaded stream.  Don’t miss the park’s 74th anniversary celebration Sunday April 12, 2015.  Volunteer before the festivities beginning at 9:00 am and enjoy free events with the family from 12:30-3:00 pm.  
Bike picnic

West Potomac Park

West Basin Dr SW

Washington, DC 20024

If a picnic along the Potomac sounds like your idea of a perfect afternoon, head to West Potomac Park for outdoor waterfront dining with unbeatable monument views.  West Potomac Park is bordered by the Potomac River to the west and DC’s Tidal Basin to the east with stunning views of the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Thomas Jefferson Memorial.  It’s the perfect picnic setting to impress visitors, guarantee family fun, or to just enjoy an afternoon reminding yourself why you love your city.  
Georegtown and Roosevelt Island

Theodore Roosevelt Island

George Washington Memorial Pkwy

Washington, DC 20037

Looking for an escape from the city?  Roll up your picnic blanket and head to Theodore Roosevelt Island.  The park was transformed into a woodland memorial to President Roosevelt in the 1930s and today offers a network of trails and lovely open spaces surrounded by the beauty of the Potomac.  As not many tourists or residents venture to this hidden DC gem, the island offers a secluded setting for a peaceful afternoon in nature.  Check out the National Park Service’s tips on getting there and don’t forget to check out the stunning memorial to the island’s namesake while you’re there.  

 Roosevelt Island

Anacostia Park

1900 Anacostia Drive South East

Washington, DC 20020

Does a waterfront picnic in a peaceful, recreation-filled setting sound like your cup of tea?  Grab the family and head to Anacostia Park for riverside fun, outdoor recreation, wildlife sightings and more.  Spread out your blanket and goodies wherever you see fit, or enjoy use of the park’s multiple picnic areas complete with tables and charcoal grills.  Planning a larger picnic get together?  Reserve a spot for your special event of up to 300 guests here.  The park also features playgrounds, a network of paved paths, a roller skating pavilion, boating and fishing opportunities and more to guarantee an afternoon of family fun.  

National Mall and Memorial Parks

Washington, DC
Jefferson Memorial on the National Mall


For the quintessential DC picnic experience, lay your picnic blanket down in sun or shade at the foot of one of the nation’s iconic monuments or along the miles of open green space on the National Mall.  Take a seat at Lincoln’s feet and enjoy lunch while gazing out over the reflection pool toward the Washington Monument; find a shady spot to watch the ducks on Constitution Gardens Pond; get inspired while snacking on the lawn outside the National Gallery of Art – the possibilities for picnic perfect spots are limitless.  Check out the National Parks Service site for tips on how to best enjoy all the National Mall has to offer, then pack your picnic, choose your favorite spot for monument views and enjoy an afternoon in America’s backyard.


 

All picture copyright Shutterstock, used with license.

Leave A Comment

Format example: yourwebsitename.com