Stunning Garden & Art Walk - Places to Sightsee in Washington DC
- nancy9487
- May 30
- 2 min read
Washington DC is a beautiful city! On a nice day, there's no better way to appreciate it than by exploring the incredible outdoor art, sculptures, and gardens on this fantastic walk.
With so many amazing places to sightsee in Washington DC, your walk will begin at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. As you meander through, you'll encounter quirky sculptures such as the giant eraser below, along with impressive modern art and whimsical characters. The garden is arranged around a lovely fountain, and you can enjoy snacks and drinks at The Pavilion Cafe.
Next up is the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden, which has an impressive mix of over thirty modern and contemporary sculptures. It's getting a big makeover right now, so it's temporarily closed. They're planning to open it back up in fall 2026, and when it does, you definitely have to check it out!
Keep strolling past the beautiful Smithsonian Gardens and the National Mall until you reach the Tidal Basin. Take in the view over the water as you head to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial. There, you'll find an impressive granite sculpture of Dr. King coming out of a "mountain of despair." It's a powerful and thought-provoking piece.
Continue further along the Tidal Basin to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. This memorial is set up as outdoor rooms with water features, stone carvings and bronze sculptures. It is a beautiful integration of text, sculpture and nature.
The last destination on this art walk is the US Botanical Gardens & Bartholdi Fountain. There, you'll discover a variety of intriguing outdoor sculptures and installations. You're welcome to visit the conservatory to explore a diverse collection of plants from around the world. Just across the street, you can admire the elegant 19th-century Bartholdi Fountain in Bartholdi Park.
I've designed an awesome 4-mile walking route that leads you through these incredible outdoor locations. Refer to the maps below to guide you. Have a great walk!
(The plotaroute app has been a great navigational tool for all of my walks. You can find the instructions to download the app here.)
Google Map Navigation
Commenti