DMV Parks and Gardens Holiday Lights

It's the season of lights in the Washington DC metro area. Many parks and botanical gardens are hosting beautiful light displays through the new year: Brookside Garden of Lights - Montgomery County MD hosts its annual display at Brookside Gardens through January 5th. Walk among the outdoor twinkling lights and glimmering displays that dot the paths and flowerbeds in 50 acres ...

Skating at NGA Sculpture Garden

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden 7th Street & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (National Gallery of Art) Enjoy a winter skate at the NGA's iconic ice rink surrounded by sculptures and the National Mall. Purchase skating passes in person. Fees cover two back-to-back, 45-minute skating sessions that each begin on the hour. Enjoy a hot cocoa and food at the adjoining Pavilion Cafe. The skating rink will be open through March 2nd ...

$10 – $18

“Season’s Greenings” at US Botanic Garden

U.S. Botanic Garden 100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington DC, United States

(DC) (United States Botanic Garden) The annual holiday display “Season’s Greenings” features model trains in the gated outdoor gardens, festive lights throughout the Garden, and the poinsettias, holiday decor, and D.C. landmarks made from plants inside the Conservatory. On the lawn in the gated outdoor gardens, G-gauge model trains  circulate from 10:00-5:00 daily through displays of pollinators made from plant ...

Sunday Morning Bird Walk at Dyke Marsh

Dyke Marsh Alexandria, VA, United States

(VA) (Friends of Dyke Marsh) Join FODM for a bird walk every Sunday at 8 a.m. The Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve is a freshwater, tidal marsh on the Virginia side of the Potomac River in Fairfax County. It is a unit of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, U.S. National Park Service.

Free

Invasive Plant Removal at Reservation 630 West

Reservation 630 West 3031 Sedgwick Street Northwest, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (Rock Creek Park) Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the National Park Service and Rock Creek Weed Warrior Leader Kathy Sykes for this invasive plant removal restoration event in Rock Creek Park. Invasive plants are a major threat to our fragile forests, and stopping their spread helps allow native plants to thrive in the understory. Event location, directions, and information will be ...

Free

Invasive Plant Removal at Normanstone

Normanstone 2965 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC, United States

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy, the National Park Service and Weed Warrior Leader Ella Engstrom for this invasive plant removal restoration event in Rock Creek Park. Invasive plants are a major threat to our fragile forests, and stopping their spread helps allow native plants to thrive in the understory. Event location, directions, and information will be sent from ...

Free

Winter Bird Walk at Lake Accotink

Lake Accotink Park 7500 Accotink Park Road, Springfield, VA, United States

(VA) (Fairfax County) Take a hike through the woods with a naturalist to listen and look for the park’s winter avian residents and migrants. Find out what birds do to survive the winter weather. Ages 4 to Adult.

$8

Monday Morning Birdwalk at Huntley Meadows

Huntley Meadows 3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA, United States

(VA) (Friends of Huntley Meadows) The Monday Morning Bird Walk is sponsored by the Friends of Huntley Meadows Park and takes place every Monday at 8 a.m. Following the walk, members of the group gather at the nearby Denny’s for breakfast and to compile the morning’s bird list. All are welcome.  

Free

Botanical Drawing in Pencil

Woodend Nature Sanctuary 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD, United States

(MD) (Nature Forward) Late fall and early winter offers a wealth of interesting plant material perfect for pencil drawing. Learn the basics of drawing botanical subjects in pencil with Nature Forward member Jen Brown this fall. First we will cover basic pencil handling techniques and how to depict light and shadow in graphite. Then we will work on ways to ...

$35 – $49

Tai Chi at Tregaron

Tregaron Conservancy 3031 Klingle Road NW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (Tregaron Conservancy) Join David Harold for Tai Chi practice on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We will gather west of the Lily Pond near the entrance at Klingle Road NW. David is passionate about making Taiji and Qigong practice and principles accessible. For 15 years, he led a free, weekly public outdoor practice in Winston-Salem, NC. That practice continues to be led ...

Little Critters Nature Play

Smithsonian's National Zoo 3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, United States

(DC) (National Zoo) MOO! OINK! CLUCK! Join us for creative, drop-in play at the Zoo as we learn about different animals that live on the farm. This week, we explore some of our beloved animals from the Kids Farm' exhibit- our cows, chickens, and kunekune pigs. We'll create our own muddy kunekune pigs, practice animal caretaking tasks like collecting eggs ...

Free

Seasonal Walk at Meadowlark

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens 9750 Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna, VA, United States

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Enjoy the autumn colors on a guided walk around Meadowlark's 95 acres.  Each one-hour walk will be over hilly terrain, have a positive focus, and include a silent, meditative portion and a few interesting facts from our docent along the way. This is a drop-in activity.  No reservations are required. Ages 18+.

$4 – $8
Capital Nature