WINTER No other city celebrates the season like the nation’s capital. j National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST All the activities highlighted below are unique to the District. • Popular holiday displays include the free-to-see Season’s Greenings at the United States Botanic Garden and the epic ZooLights at the National Zoo . • Tend to seasonal shopping needs with visits to CityCenterDC , the DowntownDC Holiday Market and The Wharf . • Only one place has the National Christmas Tree , the National Menorah and the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree . • Head inside worlds of knowledge and expression at free museums like Planet Word , the Hirshhorn Museum and the Library of Congress . • Many local restaurants offer fireplaces for cozy dining, including 1789 Restaurant and The Dabney . LACE UP THE SKATES Choose from four wintertime options for ice skating. TRANSIT PIER What’s cool about it: An outdoor fire pit with s’mores after you skate Where: The Wharf NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART SCULPTURE GARDEN What’s cool about it: Ice skating with views of monuments Where: National Mall CANAL PARK What’s cool about it: Unique figure-eight design Where: Navy Yard WASHINGTON HARBOUR What’s cool about it: 11,800-square-foot rink sits next to the Potomac River Where: Georgetown Note: Most rinks are open from November through February (weather permitting). Visit washington.org for the latest details. WASHINGTON.ORG j United States Botanic Garden 23
Washington DC Official Visitors Guide Washington DC Official Visitors Guide Fall/Winter 2026: Page 23
