DC Summer Calendar

It’s not the humidity, it’s the tourists. Summer may seem like a good time to clear out of DC, but it’s also the season with the most to do. June is the month of Folk Festivals, with the Glen Echo Park Folk Festival in early June and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the end. In July, Rehoboth’s Annual Sandcastle Contest is the quintessential beach event, and July is also the best time to enjoy the Water Lily Bloom at Kenilworth Gardens. August presents a number of fairs and farm tours throughout the region, commencing with the annual Sunflower Bloom at McKee-Beshers, before easing into the Fall Calendar with the can’t miss Renaissance Fair.

Sprayparks, Pools & Waterslides Near Washington, DC

A girl escapes the heat of DC's summer by swimming in a pool
Summer in DC is hot, but the DMV’s area pools, sprayparks and waterslides are great places to cool off.

The DC region is hot in the summer, but there are plenty of places to cool off, and all are open every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from Memorial Day — Labor Day.

Sprayparks include:

Best Pools & Waterslides in the DC Region:

Beaches Around Washington, DC

Kent Island, in the Chesapeake Bay, is just one of countless beaches less than an hour from Washington, DC

If you want to swim but need a little more room to spread out, get up early and head out to one of Washington, DC’s nearby beaches:

Leesylvania State Park ( 30 min)
Sandy Point Public Beach ( 50 min)
Terrapin Nature Park ( 50 min) ( 50 min)
Purse Nanjemoy Fossil Beach ( 50 min)
Calvert Cliffs Fossil Beach ( 1 hour)
Flag Ponds ( 1 hour 20 min)

Reserved Beaches:

Mayo Beach Mayo Beach ( 1 hr)
Kentmorr Marina Kentmorr / Dirty Daves ( 1 hour)

Amusement Parks Around Washington, DC

If you’re ready to plunk down some serious coin and pack in with the crowds, here are a few options:

August 30: 2023 NAFCM Assembly — Join NAFCM for our Assembly on Monday, October 2nd & Tuesday, October 3rd, at George Mason University's Arlington, Virginia campus!

Never-ending Summer: there’s so much to do in DC!

An open field of sunflowers extend almost to the sky at at McKee-Beshers WMA near Washington, DC

DC’s best sunflower fields during peak bloom
McKee Beshers Wildlife Management Area

Peirce Mill and Rock Creek Park
Peirce Mill

Explore the C&O Canal and Potomac Heritage Trail

Two children pose in front of a sign that says Visit Baltimore

Best of Baltimore: 3 Days in Charm City
Baltimore

The fish counter at the Good Fortune Supermarket at Eden Center, one of the many cultural centers near Washington, DC

Secret Cities of the DMV

The Top 5 Public Lakes Near Washington, DC

Como se llama?

The 5 Best Zoos Near Washington, DC

A boardwalk trail winds through Huntley Meadows.

The Best Birding Near DC

A peacock struts in the Frying Pan Park barnyard.

Take your sweet time at Frying Pan Park
Frying Pan Farm Park - Parking Lot

The 7 Best WMAs Near DC

A girl shades her eyes as she looks out over the gardens in front of a plantation house at Oatlands Plantation in rural Virginia

Meander through the Oatlands Plantation and Gardens
Oatlands Plantation Lane

Hike the Gathland State Park trails
Gathland State Park

A girl sits on a log at Kent Island beach

Is Kent Island the best beach destination that you’ve never heard of?
Terrapin Nature Park

The Whitehouse Overlook in Sky Meadows State Park offers the quintessential Virginia view.

Hike Sky Meadows State Park
Sky Meadows State Park

Beach Barbecue at Freestone Point, Leesylvania State Park
Leesylvania State Park Barbecue Parking

3 hours at Raven Rocks Trailhead on the Virginia State Line
Raven Rocks Trailhead

DC gardens, nature centers, and easy walks

The Sierra Club bridge in Prince William Forest National Park

Best kid-friendly hikes in DC

the boss trail

10 Badass Mountain Biking Trails near Washington, DC

9 Spots to Golf and Putt near DC

Stroll Mount Vernon
3200 Mount Vernon Hwy

Discover art & history in Occoquan
Occoquan Historic District

Tour Udvar Hazy Center, Smithsonian’s best Air and Space Museum
14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy

The Ultimate Guide to the Smithsonian & National Mall
600 Independence Ave SW

Wander Mawavi (Prince William Forest Park), the largest National Park in the DMV
Prince William Forest Park Visitor Center

Visit the Holy Land, in Brookland
Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America

Get lost in Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens & Meadowlark's Winter Walk of Lights