D.C. has arguably the best urban parks in the nation, and lots of them. (I would know because I’m on a quest to visit every D.C. park for City Cast D.C.). Here are a few of my favorite parks in D.C. for kids, based on my ten years as a D.C. parent.
Ingenious Playground Design: Beauvoir Park
(Cleveland Park)
This playground makes grownups wish they were kids. There are secret passageways, slides that poke through a hillside, and a zipline. Everything is wood, rope, and metal. It’s on the National Cathedral grounds, part of a private school, so you have to visit when school or summer camp is not in session.
Beauvoir Playground in Cleveland Park. (Jacob Fenston/City Cast DC contributor)
Space To Run Wild (Plus Mini-Golf!): East Potomac Park
(Southwest)
What urban kid doesn’t yearn for some open space to run? East Potomac Park is a large grassy area between the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. There’s also a historic mini-golf course, which just reopened after a $1 million renovation.
Something For Everyone: Oxon Run Park
(Congress Heights, Bellevue, Washington Highlands)
Pool? Check. Creek? Check. Playground? Check. Urban farms? Check. Oxon Run Park is the biggest locally-managed park in the city. The outdoor pool is kid friendly, and there is a great farm that’s open to the public.
Hidden Gem: Westminster Park
(U Street Corridor)
This little neighborhood park is just off busy 9th and U St. NW, squeezed into a gap between stately rowhomes and shaded by mature trees. It’s great for younger kids, with play structures, a splash pad, and various random scooty toys left by neighbors. It’s run by the local neighborhood association, and they often turn on the splash pad before the city-run parks do.
Riders cross Rock Creek at Milkhouse Ford. You were allowed to cross the ford by car up until the 1990s; now it’s limited to equestrians. (Jacob Fenston/City Cast DC contributor)
Small, But Entertaining: Swampoodle Park
(NoMa)
The last time I stopped by Swampoodle Park with my six-year-old, I had to drag him out of the park against his will. This park is smaller than a D.C. row house and built vertically, so kids have multiple levels to explore. The play structure is of Dutch design, known as a Wallholla. Don’t be put off by the resemblance to a giant hamster cage.
Ride Horses In DC: Rock Creek Park
(Northwest)
Teddy Roosevelt loved to take his kids on hikes in Rock Creek Park, and so can you! Though, Roosevelt liked to swim in the creek, which is now off limits, and tromp through the woods off-trail – another no-no. Still, there is no better place to explore. Kids can volunteer to pull invasive plants, take horseback riding lessons, or just enjoy the woods. It’s also a great place for little ones to bike, scoot, or skate on the miles of roadways closed to car traffic.
