All Day

2023 Bull Run Festival of Lights

Bull Run Regional Park 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Enjoy a 2.5 mile drive-through of festive light displays, walk-through a Christmas Village and Carnival. The show is open nightly from November 11, 2022 through January 8, 2023. Times vary on weekday and weekends. PLEASE NOTE: YOU ONLY NEED TO BUY ONE TICKET PER VEHICLE.

$30 – $75

2023 Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens 9750 Meadowlark Gardens, Vienna

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Enjoy even more lights this year as Meadowlark Botanical Gardens sparkles with displays of flowers, animals, trees, and holiday scenes along the Winter Walk of Lights .6-mile trail. Times and prices vary by weekday or weekend. See website for all details.

$18 – $22

2023 Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run

Cameron Run Regional Park 4001 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria

(VA) (NOVA Parks) Ice & Lights offers a fun, outdoor family experience to see unique light displays, take family pictures or selfies with a variety of displays, and take a spin on the outdoor ice rink.  Tickets are available for the Village or Village and Ice Skating daily through January 1st.  Prices and times vary from weekdays to weekends.

$8 – $20
Ongoing

Garden of Lights at Brookside

Brookside Gardens 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton

(MD) (Montgomery Parks) The Garden of Lights display transforms Brookside Gardens into a magical winter wonderland. Stroll through the one-half mile, outdoor, walk-through exhibit and enjoy the twinkling lights and glimmering one-of-a-kind displays adorning the flowerbeds and grounds throughout the 50-acre horticultural gem in Wheaton. Shop for unique seasonal items at the Gift Shop. Hot chocolate and light snacks will ...

$10

US Botanic Garden Holiday and Trains

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

(DC) (US Botanic Garden) The annual holiday display “Season’s Greenings” will feature model trains in the gated outdoor gardens, festive lights throughout the Garden, and the Conservatory will feature poinsettias, holiday decor, and D.C. landmarks made from plants. G-gauge model trains will circulate through displays of pollinators made from plant parts in the outdoor gardens. These scenes will range from ...

Free

US Botanic Garden Holiday and Trains

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

(DC) (US Botanic Garden) The annual holiday display “Season’s Greenings” will feature model trains in the gated outdoor gardens, festive lights throughout the Garden, and the Conservatory will feature poinsettias, holiday decor, and D.C. landmarks made from plants. G-gauge model trains will circulate through displays of pollinators made from plant parts in the outdoor gardens. These scenes will range from ...

Free

Occoquan Bay Natural Resources Survey

Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge 14050 Dawson Beach Rd, Woodbridge

(VA) (Audubon Society of Northern VA) If you would like to discover native birds, other fauna and flora — in the company of dedicated citizen scientists — then consider joining this outing!

Free

Exhibit: Recovering Our Night Sky

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History 1000 Madison Drive NW, Washington

(DC) (Smithsonian Natural History Museum) What do brighter nights mean for people and wildlife? Through over 100 photographs, nearly 250 objects, interactive experiences, tactile models, and a theater program, discover why dark nights matter, rekindle your connection with the night sky, and consider how much light at night is enough—for whom, for what purpose, and who gets to decide?

Free

Exhibit: To Live and Breathe

Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum 1901 Fort Pl, SE, Washington

(DC) (Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum) Women have led the environmental justice movement. This exhibition explores how local women of color draw on a long history of activism and advance environmental justice efforts not only in D.C., but across the country and beyond. Visitors will be inspired as they learn why women have become leaders in the environmental justice movement, which ...

Free

Forest Bathing 101 (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian Associates) Immerse yourself in the Japanese practice of forest bathing as Melanie Choukas-Bradley introduces its history and how-tos. Learn creative ways to reduce holiday stress and banish winter blues by connecting with nature close to home. Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, originated in the 1980s as a restorative and meditative practice of connecting with nature and disconnecting from the ...

$25 – $30

Camping Basics

Columbia REI 6100 Dobbin Rd Ste B, Columbia

(MD) (REI) Learn the basics of camping! Whether you’re planning to go solo or with friends and family, we’ll cover everything you need to know and bring to ensure your next camping trip is a successful one. We’ll talk trip planning, how to be comfortable sleeping outside, camping kitchen considerations, and more. Camping is a fun and affordable way to ...

Free

Stream Team Leader Training (Virtual)

(DC) (Rock Creek Conservancy) Join Rock Creek Conservancy for a virtual training for our Stream Team Leader program. Stream Team Leaders are dedicated volunteers that work with the Conservancy to host their own trash cleanups and stormwater engagement events, increasing stewardship actions within their communities and throughout Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, MD.

Free

Winter Bird Feeding Workshop (Virtual)

(VA) (Audubon Society of Northern VA) Greg Butcher will offer tips about increasing the number and variety of birds that visit your backyard this winter. In addition, he will introduce you to Project FeederWatch, a program of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology that allows you and your family to contribute to science. After the presentation we’ll test your backyard bird ...

Free

Create an Evergreen Wreath (Virtual)

(DC) (Smithsonian Associates) Just in time for the holidays, create a modern wreath with fresh evergreens on a metal hoop. Using a method similar to floral arrangement, combine local textures, shapes, and colors in your design. Many styles of wreaths, and even garlands, are possible with the wiring techniques covered in class. Open to beginners and to students with floral ...

$35 – $45
Capital Nature