The Chillest Places in the DMV (That Kids Love, Too)

The lazy days of summer–while we love them so–can also be some of the most stressful days of the year. There are camps to schedule, sports to shuttle to and fro, and grandparent visits to make. If your sleepless nights and busy days are catching up with you and the crew, it may be time for a break from it all. Luckily, that doesn’t mean you have to plan a vacation. Whether you’re into sports or spa days, we’ve rounded up a list of our favorite places in the DMV for families to chillax.

Kogod Courtyard

After a day of museum-hopping (or shopping or noshing in Chinatown), find refuge in the glass-enclosed courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery.

There are tables and chairs, plus a slew of large marble benches for resting tired legs. Hot and antsy kids (and grownups) can get their feet wet in the water scrim that stretches the full length of the courtyard. If you’re lucky you’ll show up on one of the many days that the courtyard hosts free performances.

8th and F Sts., NW (Judiciary Square)
202-633-8300
Online:
npg.si.edu

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What’s your family’s favorite spot to recharge? Let us know in the comments below.

—Sarah Vogel and Ayren Jackson-Cannady