Last updated on May 28th, 2024 at 12:32 pm

Washington DC knows how to celebrate its seasons – just as it up pops up with the Cherry Blossom Festival in spring, it lights up with Christmas decorations and activities in the winter.  After experiencing a lot of them firsthand, we want to share our favorite things to do during the winter holidays in DC with you guys in this blog post.

Every weekend from Thanksgiving till Christmas, there are tons of free events all around DC. From holiday markets to ice sculptures to winter pop-up bars to America’s National Christmas Tree, DC has something for everyone.

Related: Fun things to do in Ottawa, Canada for Christmas this year

Pick a weekend this winter and hop to DC to enjoy the below festivities around town.

1. See the National Christmas Tree

Being the capital of the country, the National Christmas Tree at the President’s Park is the highlight of the season. What’s more interesting is the National tree is surrounded by 56  other trees from respective US states and territories. Not to miss around the tree is a display of toy trains.

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Related: Fun times in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, during Christmas

2. Visit the US Capitol Christmas Tree 

Not to be confused with the National Christmas Tree, this one outside the Capitol is less crowded yet even prettier. The 2021 Capitol Christmas Tree came all the way from the state of California from a region most badly hit by the wildfires.

Come early to the Capitol and check out the Library of Congress which is free to enter without any prior reservation. If you want to see the Capitol building from inside you need to join a group tour that you can register at the US Capitol Visitor Center.

You might enjoy this 3-Hour Holiday Lights Night-Time Bus Tour.

3. Watch a Christmas Show (The Nutcracker)

Definitely a good idea to enjoy some of these seasonal shows while visiting DC during the Christmas holidays like Christmas Carol. We would recommend our all-time favorite ballet The Nutcracker. TIP: While there are multiple ballet companies performing the Nutcracker all over DC, the Washington Ballet gives it a DC twist.

4. See Union Station’s Christmas Decoration

Union Station in DC might be the transportation hub but during the winter season, it is decked up for the holidays.  And if you didn’t know, there is a shopping mall inside Union station, time for some Christmas shopping anyone?

Don’t miss the giant tree at the foyer and the Norwegian Holiday Model Train exhibit next to it. We loved chasing all these toy trains around the city. To be honest the one in Union Station might be our favorite. What’s more, Union Station is a short walk from the US Capitol building.

5. Enjoy the US Botanic Garden Christmas Display

If you truly want to see the best of Christmas decorations in DC then you must visit The Botanic Garden. Every year they display a model exhibit of local DC monuments and historic buildings made out of all plant-based materials. To add to that there is also a display of 31 different train stations across the country with model trains running around them. Yes! another brilliant holiday train display 😀

6. Enchant DC – Christmas Lights & Maze

Washington DC now hosts this amazing light show called ‘Enchant Christmas‘ which features a light maze at Nationals Park in Navy Yard. This show is not free unfortunately but the tickets can be cheaper on week days than the weekends. Along with the light maze you can also get to experience the Christmas market as you grab some hot cider or a mulled wine in the Nationals field.

7. Explore the Downtown DC Christmas Market

It won’t be a festive post without the mention of Downtown Holiday Market in DC. You can find this market at F street sidewalk between 7th and 9th streets. Or an easier way to find it is right in front of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. It’s a fun little market to grab a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the various regional artisans selling their handicrafts. My favorite shop was this chocolate stall all the way from Munich, Germany. Now how does one have the heart to eat such good-looking cocoa?

8. Experience the DC Zoo Lights

One of our favorite things to do in DC in December is to experience the Zoo lights. Once the animals retire to their beds, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is transformed into a glittery town with Zoo Lights. The entrance is FREE and it is open to visitors from Nov 29th to Jan 1st except on Dec 24, 25 and 31 for holidays.

9. Hunt the Georgetown GLOW Fest

Georgetown Glow is an exhibit where light art installation at various places in Georgetown is put up. The exhibits are open to the public from Dec 6th to Jan 5th, 2019 from 5 pm to 10 pm. You can find out the exact locations on the glow’s website but our favorite this year is the one by Georgetown waterfront and the one by M Street. Since it’s a lot of walking be sure to bundle up for the cold wave.

While you are at the Georgetown waterfront, don’t forget to check out the reflection of the lights at Kennedy Center of Art.

10. Have fun at the ICE sculpture in National Harbor

Gaylord National Resort’s ICE sculpture exhibit is a great getaway especially if you are visiting DC with kids. The National Harbor although officially located in Maryland, is right on the border of DC. Besides the exhibit, Gaylord resort’s wonderful Christmas decorations are worth checking out too.

The ICE exhibit is open in 2018 from Nov 16th to Jan 1st. You will get a special Parka inside the exhibit since the temperatures are maintained at 9 degrees but don’t forget to bring your own hat and gloves. TIP: Look for entrance tickets on Groupon for a cheaper rate.  These intriguing ice sculptures are hand-carved by artisans from China. Oh did we mention they have 4 ice slides as well? What better way to enjoy the winter wonderland than bringing out the kid in you.

11. Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens

Brookside Garden is located in Wheaton, Maryland which is about 30 minutes drive from DC. Garden of Lights is a perfect combination of an evening walk combined with glory of lights. TIP: This is such a fun activity to do especially with kids.

12. Explore the Smithsonian Museums 

We talked a lot about experiencing the winter wonderland in DC but how about escaping some of that bitter cold and doing some indoor activities? Especially since all the Smithsonian Museums in DC are FREE! There are plenty of museums to choose from,  here’s a list of all the Smithsonian museums in DC. A couple of our favorites are the Air and Space Museum, American Art Museum and National History Museum.

13. Enjoy Ice Skating in DC 

There are many fun outdoor winter activities in DC in different neighborhoods including ice skating rinks in town, here are some we recommend –

• Washington Harbour Ice Skating Rink at  Georgetown Waterfront.
• Ice Rink in the National Gallery of Art
• Canal Park Ice Rink at Capitol Riverfront

14. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

Finally, it is also the season to gobble so don’t miss out on the awesome dining scene in Washington DC. Some of our favorite restaurants in DC are –

• Zaytinya – For Mediterranean food
• Oyamel – For Mexican food and drinks
• I-Thai – For Thai food
• Daikaya – For excellent Japanese Ramen
• Old Ebbitt Grill – For excellent American Brunch
• Farmers Fishers Bakers – For a fresh farm to table meal
• Miracle on 7th Street – DC’s favorite pop up bar with Christmas theme for the season
• Watergate Hotel Winter Igloo – Whiskey bar with igloo set up on the rooftop

Hope you enjoyed watching all the festive photos. All the more reasons for you to visit DC in the winter holidays. If you liked this post then do share it with your friends and family.

More on winter travel:

• How to Dress For Winter in Canada – The Essential Winter Packing List!
• The Quebec City Winter Carnival Guide – How to Enjoy Your Winter Getaway in Canada
• Visiting Isle of Capri in Winter – A Fun Day Trip From Naples or Sorrento

Happy Traveling!

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