10 Things to Do in Washington DC in Winter

Winter brings out the beauty of Washington and offers a different perspective on the city. And in the winter months, there are plenty of great things to do during the winter months. In a city where snow is often the main feature of the season, plans to take shelter from the cold are always the most recommended. Christmas also dominates a large part of the calendar and there are other very special festive dates. In this post I share with you 10 perfect plans to get to know Washington DC in winter.

On 4 December, to celebrate the arrival of winter, a very special parade takes place in Washington, DC, with a very Christmassy feel as a multitude of boats decorated with lights cruise the waters of the Potomac River, which crosses the capital.

It is a totally free activity that takes advantage of the occasion to set up dozens of stalls from the waterfront in Alexandria, Virginia to the pier where the parade ends. At these stalls you can enjoy all kinds of hot food typical of this time of year, as well as other stalls where winter activities are held or typical products are sold.

But if you're not in the US capital on that date, here's another plan that might also suit you: take a cruise in Washington on the Potomac River, sailing through Alexandria and seeing places like the Washington Monument, Reagan National Airport and Old Town Alexandria while you listen to the captain's stories. Oh, and this plan also includes a buffet lunch - super appetizing!

After Christmas, Martin Luther King Day is America's most important winter holiday. It is celebrated on the third Monday in January, around 15 January, Luther King's birthday, to honour one of the most important figures in the civil rights struggle of the African-American community in the USA.

There are usually marches or the annual "Let Freedom Ring" concert held each year at the John F. Kennedy Center for the perfoming arts and the arts. Kennedy Center for the perfoming arts and in Washington the date is especially marked, as the capital is home to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial, which becomes a place of worship during this celebration.

Did you know that it was in Washington that Martin Luther King gave his famous "I have a dream" speech? You can learn all this and much more if you book the African American history tour in Washington, where you will have priority entrance to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and visit other points linked to African American culture, such as, of course, the Martin Luther King Memorial.

Christmas is always one of the main attractions of winter in Washington. Washington is one of those special cities that transforms itself for the Christmas season, and the capital of the United States has one of the quintessential symbols of the holiday season not only for the city, but also for the entire nation: the National Christmas Tree.

It is an enormous coniferous tree that is installed in front of the White House and decorated with handmade ornaments from all the states of the country, and around which endless activities are held that make it the star of the country. Throughout the month and until the end of Christmas there is a small daily lighting display from 4:30 in the afternoon until 10:00 at night, completely free of charge.

One way to discover it without getting cold is to book a 3-hour night bus tour of Washington which, among other iconic sites, passes by the White House. Take advantage and tour DC in comfort and warmth as you gaze at the Christmas lights!

The Smithsonian National Zoo is one of the most important zoos in the United States and the world. The zoo's famous pandas, for example, attract more than 2 million visitors a year.

Given that winter is not an inviting time to visit the zoo, the zoo itself organises special events and activities to attract people, one of which is ZooLights, when the zoo is specially lit up and some of the nocturnal animal enclosures remain open.

By the way, if you are interested in natural history, you must book tickets for the Smithsonian National Museum. You'll be able to see over 146 million specimens of flora, fauna, minerals, etc. and, of course, you'll be able to do so in the cold.

Useful information

• Price: Free of charge
• Opening hours: From 21:00
• Location: Smithsonian National Zoo, Connecticut Avenue

Another winter and Christmas attraction in the US capital is its Christmas markets. The most popular is undoubtedly the Downtown Christmas Market, with more than 100 stalls selling crafts, food and all kinds of Christmas products, as well as many children's activities. This plan is, therefore, especially recommended if you are travelling to Washington with children.

Can I tell you how I would organise it? I would hire a seat on the Washington Big Bus and take a tour aboard this tourist bus, which passes through the most emblematic places in the city. Afterwards, I'd get off at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which is right next to the Christmas market, and take a stroll to buy some gifts and have a hot drink. Are you in?

Interesting information

• Price: Free of charge
• Hours: 8:00 to 00:00, late November to late December
• Location: on F Street NW, between 7th and 9th Streets NW

Washington has become a popular winter destination thanks in large part to the number of winter sports on offer in the surrounding area, perfect for a day trip there and back:

• Whitetail Ski Resort in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania is just a couple of hours from the capital.
• Two hours from Washington is Bryce Mountain Resort in Basye, Virginia.
• Washington itself, when it snows, becomes a makeshift sledding resort in hilly, steep places like Fort Reno Park, Battery Kemble Park and Book Hill Park.

And if you're not so much into the sport as you are into watching it live, here are three options for enjoying America's best sport in the winter months. Take note!

• Book tickets to see the Wizards at Capital One Arena in January and February.
• Book tickets to see theBaltimore Ravens, who play some games in January and February at M&T Bank Stadium.
• Book tickets to see theWashington Capitals who play games in February and March at Capital One Arena.

Washington has a wide variety of theatres offering a wide range of performances in the winter months. It's one of the most popular and recommended activities to ward off the winter cold, and there's also a proliferation of Christmas plays at this time of year.

The historic Ford's Theatre, the site of President Lincoln's assassination, is not only a tourist attraction in itself, but also one of the best places to enjoy Christmas plays.

And if theatre isn't your thing, the place itself is also a museum where you can learn all about the history of Lincoln and his assassination, something you can discover in depth by taking the Lincoln Assassination Tour. Don't miss it!

Washington is the museum capital par excellence:

The Smithsonian Museum, or rather the museum complex, comprising 17 museums, art galleries and a zoo, is the best known and one of the most important museums in the world. These places are the most popular in winter, as they offer a huge range of history, culture, science, art and more. And all this under cover and protected from the cold.

• Booking a guided tour of the Smithsonian National Museum is a must in the DC winter, but it's not the only museum in town.
• Aguided tour of the National Gallery of Art is a must.
• And a visit to the Washington Museum of the Bible will definitely surprise you.

The Wharf is a Washington district on the banks of the Potomac that's full of life and atmosphere all year round, but in winter it has a special feature that attracts thousands of locals and tourists: all along the area there are several bonfires around which the cultural and leisure life develops on winter days.

It is common to go to this area full of bars, restaurants, cocktail bars, pubs, hotels, theatres and a wide range of leisure and cultural offerings and end the evening with a drink in the warmth of the fire of these particular bonfires. The Wharf is, without a doubt, the best place to enjoy the capital's leisure activities in the cold winter months.

As they say, if you can't beat the enemy, join him. And that's what they do in Washington with the cold weather. They take advantage of the low temperatures to, among other things, set up ice rinks all over the city of Washington.

The Washington Harbour rink in Georgetown is the biggest and most important of them all. It is located next to the Potomac River and has the great advantage of being in an area full of restaurants and cafes, perfect to complete a day of skating with a hot chocolate or a good dinner to warm up.

Useful Information

• Price: about $10
• Hours: Sunday - Thursday: 11:30am - 9:00pm; Friday and Saturday: 11:30am - 11pm
• Location: The Washington Harbour - 3000-3050 K St NW

Winter is understandably the coldest season in Washington and perhaps the harshest in terms of temperatures. In addition to the very low thermometer readings, snowfall is frequent and often blankets the city in white.

On average, temperatures in December, January and February range from a high of 8 degrees Celsius to a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius in January, the coldest month of the year.

Despite all this, the cold in Washington DC is a dry cold, so it's easy to combat it with warm clothing.

If you're looking to visit the US capital in its quietest season, winter is the season for you.

The cold weather is the main reason why the number of tourists is much lower than the rest of the year, which means fewer queues at the city's main monuments, less crowds and easier to find hotels and restaurants.

If we take European city prices as a reference, we can say that Washington DC is an expensive city to visit. Even so, winter is the cheapest time to visit, given the lower demand for hotels and reservations.

Since we are travelling to another continent, and in winter, we must take into account what to pack in our luggage. Here is a list of the most essential items:

• It is essential to take a good, well-lined and waterproof coat. It is best to take a coat prepared for snow.
• Take thermal T-shirts. They are the best allies for efficiency and comfort to combat the cold.
• Don't forget accessories such as hats, gloves and scarves.
• Take good, comfortable, waterproof footwear with good grip in case you find snow on the roads.
• Remember that the plugs in the USA are different from those in Europe, so you'll need to bring an adaptor.
• It's always important to carry your passport and documentation, but in the USA it's even more important, especially when entering the country.