Another gorgeous DC day meant another local attraction to explore – and yes, this one was also free. We drove over to the US National Arboretum, located off New York Avenue not far from the Washington Times building.

The park is a great outing for families – we saw many parents with kids big and small, all hiking, biking, picnicking or feeding the large carp in the pond surrounding the Administration building. The park is 446 acres, with 9 1/2 miles of trails and roadways. Unlike many gardens we’ve visited, such as the US Botanic Garden on the Washington Mall or Longwood Gardens in the Brandywine Valley in Pennsylvania, most of the attractions grow naturally instead of inside a greenhouse.

Among the highlights:

The National Capitol Columns: The park has 22 sandstone Corinthian columns that used to be on  the east portico of the US Capitol. They look quite picturesque, especially when viewed across the park’s meadows.

The National Bonsai musuem.  OK, this outs me as a plant geek, but I really like bonsai trees (even though I would never have the patience to keep one). I’ve been told that the park has trees that date back to the 1600s. We didn’t see any of those. The one below, however, has been a work in progress since 1895; it was a gift from a Japanese emperor, it’s been a work in progress since 1895.

 Other areas we explored: The Asian collection of trees and plants, the Dogwood collection where the leaves looked just about ready to turn and the National Herb Garden, where I rubbed the leaves of different plants and had my husband guess the scent (yes, yes, we’re geeks).

All in all, a nice relaxing afternoon. We’re planning on coming back in the spring, when the azaelas and dogwoods are in bloom (and this time, we’ll bring a picnic!)

Read other DC for Free posts:  National Geographic Museum, Teddy Roosevelt Island