Oh boy, let me tell you about the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in DC—it's a hidden gem that's filled with surprises! If you're tired of the usual sightseeing spots, this place will have you saying, "What the shell?!" in the most delightful way. First, let's talk about the lotus flowers. These magnificent blooms are like nature's fashion show, strutting their stuff in vibrant colors and elegant poses. Walking among the lotus ponds, it's hard not to feel like you've stumbled into a secret garden of extravagant couture. Be warned, though: they might make you question why you ever thought a sunflower was impressive! I wear long sleeves even though it's hot out in July. The bugs are intense! And let's not forget about the turtles. These little critters are like the laid-back cool kids of the aquatic world. As you stroll along the garden's pathways, you'll spot them sunbathing on rocks or leisurely paddling through the water. They're the epitome of zen, always reminding us to slow down and take life at a turtle's pace. Just be careful not to mistake one for a floating rock, or you might end up with a surprise splash! In all seriousness, though, the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is a unique and beautiful escape from the bustling city. It's a place where lotus flowers dance, birds sing their hearts out, and turtles remind us to embrace tranquility. So, grab your camera, put on your silliest hat, and prepare for a whimsical adventure that will leave you smiling and saying, "Well, that was a shell of a good time!"

Each season at Kenilworth is something to behold! In winter, you'll see an open expanse and a swamp in quiet rest. Spring starts to bring greenery and new life. Summer is a steamy explosion of tall and colorful lotuses, lillies and more! Egrets, herons, deer, turtles, fish, insects and more can be found here, especially if you come during the day when it is more quiet. This National Park is a secret oasis in Washington, D.C. - bring your visiting family and friends for a walk through the ponds and across the boardwalks on the Anacostia River. You can even connect to walk on the DC trail system. In summer, be sure to come for the VERY popular lotus festival, filled with world crafts, foods and so much more. A very kid-friendly place with helpful park rangers, a little gift shop and summer programming. Be mindful of the closing time and plan for at least an hour to walk these grounds. It can be really hot or get swampy after rain (lots more critters to see as the flooding means fish are moving around and herons are hunting!) I like to wear my waterproof + secure sandals and a big hat.

Strolling through the Lotus and Water Lily Gardens was akin to stepping into an age-old painting, where time seems to still and nature serenades your soul. Every step taken felt like a gentle caress from Mother Nature herself, with the delicate petals of lotus and water lilies forming a mesmerizing tapestry beneath the azure sky. Dragonflies, with their iridescent wings, danced gracefully above the water's surface, each one seemingly narrating tales of old. The soft hum of bees, tirelessly working amidst the blooms, added a rhythmic undertone to this tranquil symphony. The world outside felt miles away, as if these gardens were shielded by a cloak of serenity. In an age of relentless hustle and bustle, this Eden offered solace to the weary traveler. It was a gentle reminder of the simple, undiluted joys of life, and a testament to the peace that can be found when one takes a moment to truly commune with nature.

A pleasant, well-kept park with plentiful picnic tables in cool shaded spots, plenty of water lillies, a boardwalk through the swamp, and excellent birding. Sadly not easily accessible by metro, but you can get here from 295, and there is plenty of parking. There is a small visitors center describing the history of the park as an aquatic plant nursery and displays about the history of the Kenilworth neighborhood. If you have a limited time in dc, I would recommend one of the flashier attractions, but if you live here, it is well worth a visit.
Restrooms
They exist
Picnic area
Plenty of tables in the shade

Each year at the time of the lotus and water lily season, we will definitely go visit the festival with whole family, friends and neighbors. We enjoy the flowers in the ponds in their natural form meanwhile walking around different ponds to pick up the high lighted spots as a good exercise to all of us, too. Of course we can’t stop taking photographs on each spots and sharing them in our different social media circles for the beauty of the flowers, our appreciation of it and the happy leisure and relaxing off from the secular vanities we have experienced during the time!

This is a little-known yet beautiful spot in northeast DC. There are acres of shallow ponds with water lilies and locusts which bloom from May to September. The peak blooming season is late June-early July. Short walking trails take you through the park. There's plenty of free parking and no entry fee but be sure to return to your car before they lock the gates promptly at 4:00. Public restrooms are available, and there is a small gift shop and educational displays in the Visitor Center.
Restrooms
Public restrooms are available next to the Visitor Center.

The aquatic gardens are worth a stop — during the right time of year. In particular, in mid-July when the lotus flowers are out in force. In fact, the NPS does a lotus festival with live music and activities for the kids (bring water and sunscreen, there is little shade and it’s hot). If it is not the right time of year, there is far less to do here. One can walk through the empty ponds or explore the nearby Anacostia river walk/bike trail. The facilities are okay but certainly nothing special. Plan your visit to be around an hour, tops.

Beautiful natural setting with a rousing history of environmental protection. This estuary of the Anacostia provides habitat to migratory birds, fish, and even beavers. My favorite time to visit is during the rain when the park is empty. During peak times, the park can get crowded, but it's no less beautiful and boats some of the oldest water gardens in the United States. If you haven't been, you should make a point to visit. The Rangers are wonderful and very informative. You won't be disappointed!

Lotus lotus lotus. Came here for lotus got lotus. Come in rain boots or hiking boots if you don't want your sneakers to get ruined. I saw people taking the pods that fell and collecting them presumably to eat them. They are very tasty. This is also next to the Anacostia River which also- is a national park - and you can get the stamp for that close by. Also by a marsh that has a nice bridge over it. Worth a visit, it's free, makes you feel away from whatever is going on, and pretty. Also turtles!

Biked here from Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Gorgeous ride and fun to walk along the boardwalks, even though there weren't any flowers in the pools at this time of year (late April). Nice picnic tables in the shade.
Restrooms
Clean, well maintained. Three stalls in the women's bathroom.
Picnic area
Very spacious, over a dozen tables scattered in 4 or 5 areas around a large lawn. Some right near the lily ponds. Most had good shade from lots of big trees. Really pleasant.

Ultimately, a very based location to visit. Go on a weekday and get in early if you want to enjoy the park peacefully without crowds. It'll also be easier to park in the parking lot instead of having to wait for somebody to leave or just park on the street across from the park The lotuses in bloom are super fly oh my. You gotta check em out in the height of summer. It's clean and well kept, with some fine honeys working the park.
Picnic area
Clean, comfortable

Although the boardwalk section of the park was closed, we still had an enjoyable time strolling around the diverse wetlands and spotting all the different animals and plants. They seem to do a great conservationist job here. The park was fairly quiet during a weekday. There is access to the Anacostia river trail. Certain sections have seating, but nothing over a mile of walking. Flat ground, easy for kids and older people.

Things got interesting in late June 2023 of Kenilworth Aquatic Garden, not only early blooming of lotus and water lilies but also dragon flies, little pond turtles, frogs…refreshing scent in the early morning, dogs always on leashes are allowed. Fully prepared for wetlands after a few thunderstorms, I brought a pair of rain boots for walking around with ease. It’s a peaceful teaser visit of the astonishing season to come.

A lovely experience with beautiful lilies, lotuses and the birds and animals that call the ponds home. Free entry and there is both car and cycle parking. It was quite nice to walk around the garden. All the plants are not in phase, so you will get to see each of the flowers at different stages which was unique and enjoyable. Allot about 45 minutes to explore it well.
Restrooms
They have restrooms

Beautiful and unique, both the history and nature. It is a bit muddy, depending on the path you take, also, it’s clear there is not a lot of funding beyond the very basics. If you want to see a spot in DC that most visitors nor locals have seen, this is the spot!
Picnic area
Many picnic tables, a bit crowded under the limited shaded area but lots of room to pull them out.

This is a hidden gem in Washington DC. It’s something that’s beautiful when in full bloom (last week of June through mid July). Costs nothing! Make sure to see the smaller landscaped ponds behind the visitors center as those have the Brazilian lily pads with the upturned edges - if you’re lucky you’ll see a frog or a baby turtle resting on one of these pads.

Located near DC, Maryland border. Plenty of parking and not so crowded when we visited during long weekend. Place is great for Beautiful nature walks, picnic tables and fresh air. We have spotted Turtles, baby Turtles, Cranes, various birds while doing boardwalk. Garden closes at 4pm and the entry is free. Restrooms located at welcome center

This was such a beautiful experience- I'm not even sure where to start. Like being inside of a Monet painting. Free to enter. Dog and kid friendly. Miles of lilies and walking- beautiful scenic walks. Alive with nature, butterflies, bees herons (towards the back end). Very friendly atmosphere. Highly recommended!!

Beautiful gardens and interesting tour guides to explain the history of the gardens. We are from out of town and visiting family in NoVA, selected this place as a outdoor walk for our kids. We visited at the end of July so the flowers were slightly out of season, but still plentiful and great photo opportunities.

There's not many other places in the U.S. you can find a lotus flower collection! The aquatic gardens have irises, willows, and lots of turtles to observe as well. There's also a short bike trail and boardwalk through a marsh. The whole area can be walked or biked in under an hour, depending on your pace.

Stop reading the reviews and go out to these gorgeous gardens yourself! Whether you manage to catch the lotus blooms or not, the gardens themselves are beautifully maintained and peaceful. A cool history of its origin too. Every season brings something new to see, don’t miss the chance to get out there.

Splendid experience at the Lotus & Water Lily Festival! The many ponds and wetlands were in full bloom with a sampling of various varieties of aquatic plants in bloom. Be prepared though - it truly IS a wetlands. Come prepared! Shoes that can get wet/dirty and won’t get sucked off your feet in the mud!

I came to the gardens with a group of students and it is a beautiful Park to visit. I will admit though that it was tough for us to find. We AR not from the area and it is not easy with all the construction to get here. The park is worth the navigation woes. There are lots of things to see and do.

One of my all-time favorite parks: so much beauty. You can look at the plants around the ponds, or the ones growing in the ponds, and you can try to spot wildlife in the water and the trees. There are bike paths on the far side of the park (if you drive). Plan to go early, the park closes at 4pm.

This is a unique aquatic garden in the DC area. Best time to visit is in the morning. The water lilies and the lotus are spectacular. There are different small ponds where they grow the lilies and the lotus. Bring your cameras!!! There is also a boardwalk and trails along the river.

I was there to attend the lotus and water lily festival. The flowers were at peak bloom. Beautiful scenic walk around the ponds. The cultural festival was fun to attend. The park rangers were on top service to provide water and guidance. It is a family and pet friendly spot.

This place is beautiful! If you didn't know where you were, you might swear you'd left the city for somewhere in the deep south. Not very busy, somewhat out of the way, and food for the eyes.. and nose.. a nice little getaway, without really having to get away.

Nicely maintained aquatic garden with lotus, lilies, and boardwalks. Good for birdwatching and experiencing other aquatic wildlife. Best time to visit would be July-August during the lotus and water lily festival. Parking can be tricky during the weekend. More

Beautiful park with aquatic gardens for Lotus and water Lilly. June to August are the pick months to visit.
Restrooms
Have couple of restrooms.
Dog-friendliness
Dogs should be on the leash.
Picnic area
Few benches for the picnic area.

This was a very fun trip there is not much in terms of what to see during the time of year I wrote this review but there were lots of lily pads and tadpoles I would say don't take young kids unless you have a stroller because this is a good walking place

Beautiful place... quiet, serene, and just amazing beauty. Wonderful opportunity for nature photos. Easy to get to and it's free! The lollies are past peak now but still plenty to enjoy in their different stages from buds to full flower to seed pods.

Beautiful space tucked away in the city. The wildlife is always visiting and the flowers are gorgeous when blooming. A great escape to get your outdoor time when you've just been sitting for too long. Great history and great science involved here

Beautiful!! Stunning!!!! I will start going regularly. The Anacostia bike trail passes through it, so next time I’ll go in my bike. There’s a big area with picnic tables. When I went on Saturday almost all tables were empty. Highly recommended!!!

Absolutely fantastic to see during the lotus festival, hundreds of lotuses and water lilies in bloom, beautiful place to walk and enjoy the different varieties of blossoms. Highly recommended. Thank you National Park Service & park volunteers!

Great place to hide from DC heat during summer. Fabulous flowers and benches in shadow. Spacious parking lot with additional space within walking distance. Nice and knowledgeable staff. Bookstore with interesting selection of botanical guides.

I have been to this park for 2 consecutive years for the lotus blisson festival. It's the time of the year there are most blossoms spotted in the park. It's vast expanses of lotus fields where I as surprised to see lotus leaves and buds

Beautiful lotus flowers and water lilies. Board walk brings you to the wild field of the busy city. Best time of the year now.... July. Still there are a lot of beautiful lotus and lily flowers. But less than other years. It's a great

As of about two weeks ago (7/17), the lotus and lilies were about 60% bloomed and I’d say all of them should be good for viewing now until mid-August. Beautiful flower blooms all around, so don't miss your chance this summer! …

This place is a hidden gem, whether or not the lotus are blooming. The gardens are enchantingl at any time of year and the boardwalk in the back leads to some playground overlooking huge and beautiful wetlands teeming with birds.

This is a wonderful place to see and be in nature. The water lilies make this a photographers dream. And did I mention the spoonbills? A must go to spot.
Dog-friendliness
As long as you keep your dog on a leash it’s cool.

Came here for the lotus and water lily festival, but we made it on the last day and not as many we're in bloom anymore. Hoping to come back again when everything's more lively and to see some of the other festival attractions!

Beautiful gardens with blooming water lilies and lotus flowers. Trails can be muddy at times, with some of the interior ones flooded. We even saw a family of beavers! Remember to get your national park passport stamp here.

Really great park with some beautiful gardens. It changes throughout the year with different flowers in bloom. Knowledgeable Rangers and a junior ranger program for kids. Lotus festival is a great event despite the rain.

A lovely space near DC. Enjoyed the visit. I wish the greenhouse was open for viewing and would love to see a slightly elevated boardwalk system for the trail areas but I know how funding is for areas like this.

Idyllic place lost in the hustle of DC. It's metro accessible and the views are astonishing! Go when the water lilies are in bloom in the spring and then again when the lotus blossoms take your breath away.

It took us back to the old country side of Cambodia with large lily pads and fragrant flowers. Very peaceful nature walk with my 10 and 7 yr old kids. They enjoyed the sites and sounds of frogs and turtles.

Kenilworth Park has a HUGE aquatic garden. Tons of lotus and water lilies. This is also a pretty good place to see wildlife, with lots of turtles, fish, frogs, and birds. Definitely worth a stroll.

This is a good spot for a nice walk, get good pictures and enjoy the view. Bring flip flops or shoes that you won’t mind to get soaked. There will be parts where the water will be unavoidable.

What lovely gem of a place. Beautiful water lilies as far as the eye can see, along with lotus flowers and other beautiful flora. Fun to watch the turtles and spot a blue heron, too!

Kenilworth Park is so wonderful. We are really lucky to have such a nice park in Washington DC. I have visited each year for the water lilies and lotus flowers and it's magnificent.

Love love love this garden. It's beautiful, can be anything from a short still to a long walk and is pup friendly.
Dog-friendliness
Must stay on leash no longer than 6 feet

It was a nice winter/early spring walk along the ponds and boardwalk. Nothing was blooming, but we saw turtles, frogs, and fish. Seems like summer is the time for the flowers.

Beautiful gardens, even in the winter. Can't wait to see it in spring. Stroller accessible.
Picnic area
There are picnic benches and other outdoor seating areas.

Beautiful free park. Come pain plain air or just enjoy looking at all the aquatic flowers or wildlife. Benches and picnic area available. Bathrooms at visitor center.

The aquatic garden was amazing: peaceful, tranquil, breathtaking! Definitely worth the visit. Went again and had a great time! Love the Anacostia Trail connector.

Absolutely gorgeous! Our toddler had an amazing time exploring and seeing all the flowers and frogs and lizards and turtles!!!! Will definitely be back!

It is best to come in the morning fewer people for a nice walk & photos. The month of July is when these beautiful lotus flowers are in full bloom.

Amazing place for walking on trails. I have more pics from previous visits. This particular trip we went to go play tennis and run on the track.

Beautiful lotus and lily blooms. Not much else to do here. I would allocate about 30-1 hour at these gardens. We did spot a little garden snake!

This place is a local gem. We always have a great time exploring and looking for turtles and frogs. Bring a hat and bug spray for hot days.

Great place to enjoy nature. The waterlillies and Lotus flowers were stunning. Lots of wildlife as well. Beautifully preserved marshes.

This beautiful water garden is managed by national park service. So No fees. Not too far to see all those beautiful plants and flowers.

Love this place. So peaceful and quiet it's hard to believe it is in DC. The giant lotus blossoms are breathtaking. I visit every year

Small and quiet love nature have to come out here in the summertime and spring. Came out here with my sister foe a nice fall walk

Great frlirst walk around this marshland. Definitely wasn't what I was expecting to find in Maryland, but absolutely glad I did!

Very beautiful and serene. Thank you to the older gentlemen who was walking the trails for imparting your wisdom upon us.

A gorgeous aquatic garden full of lotus and water lilies in the middle of the city. We went during peak bloom.

I enjoyed a nice morning at the park. The boardwalk is well maintained and the Park rangers were friendly.

Beautiful aquatic gardens and plants. Great story of community organization and reinvigoration.

Interesting park. Be prepared to walk in the sun. Great tours by the National Park Service

They have the biggest and most varied lotus garden I have ever seen. It was gorgeous!

You can enjoy beautiful lotus and nature marsh land in this time of year. (July)

Nice oasis on the edge of the city. Better ride share than walk from the Metro.

It was unbearably hot, but so beautiful that we walked thru looking at it all

Waterlily and Lotus Festival is so amazing! Too beautiful to be true. …

Great hidden gem. Wonderful walk and seeing everything in bloom was lovely.

Very exciting and natural place for wonderful Lillies and Lotuses …

Very beautiful here. Can't wait to come back when everything is in bloom

This is a wonderful collection of Aquatic Gardens & walking paths.

We try to go every summer. Absolutely stunning. And very peaceful.