Kenilworth Park

1505 Ancostia Ave NE, Washington, DC 20019, USA

Address:	1505 Ancostia Ave NE, Washington, DC 20019, USA
Phone:	+1 202-692-6080
Site:	nps.gov
Rating:	4.5
Working:	8:30AM–5PM 8:30AM–5PM 8:30AM–5PM 8:30AM–5PM 8:30AM–5PM 8:30AM–5PM 8:30AM–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 15

Austin Graff

Kenilworth Park is the only garden dedicated to the keeping of aquatic plants (lilies). Its on the very northeast end of DC on the Anacostia River. Its in a quiet neighborhood tucked away in the corner. Just off the road, theres a large parking lot. Park and follow the signs down the path to the small visitors center. The visitors center gives you a brief overview of its history focusing on its founders, the Shaws. In two separate rooms, a picture is painted about our history and wildlife found in the park. If you have small kids, note the stuffed beaver and coloring activities for kids. Before you head out and explore, stop by the small gift shop, use the restroom, and write down the times for their weekly seasonal guided bird watching hike on Sundays. Then strap on your books and start exploring. Just to the left of the visitors center when you walk out are several picnic tables to enjoy lunch. Directly in front of the visitors center starts the park with grass walkways. As you explore, venture left to find the boardwalk taking you deep into the marsh. Read the signs as you walk and take note of the places it recommends you snap a photo. Warning: There isnt much color in the off season but its still a great place to escape that city into nature. During the in bloom season, its beautiful!

叶小也

這是一個國家公園,但是輸入不需要付出任何代價。而且這家酒店是唯一的長壽國家公園在整個國家都是這樣,而且它就在華盛頓！你需要一輛車或者坐公共汽車到那裏,因爲它不是地鐵很方便。然而,這是值得的,和它是令人驚訝地看到所有的鮮花和睡蓮的池塘水上漂浮在水面上的主。還有一個令人驚歎的野生動物數量都花園以及蜿蜒的木板路公園周圍,也值得一去。帶上相機,因爲這裏的花很棒和製作很棒的照片。一個建議,在早上很早的時候開放的荷花在涼爽的早晨和上午的時候太陽開始近距離時的溫度和擊敗在夏天的時候去。這是在任何時候都值得一去,但是最好是早晨！

Alice Wang

Nestled in Anacostia, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is a picturesque, unique sanctuary in D.C. I came here for the Lotus and Water Lily Cultural Festival and was pleasantly surprised by how large this park is. There were so many lotus flowers and water lilies, in shades of white, pink, and an ombre of colors in between the two shades. It was quite the sight and an enjoyable departure from the typical D.C. fare. The park has a long boardwalk that stretches over marshes. The ponds that hold the lotuses and water lilies are separate from the marshes. Theres a lot of wildlife here too, from frogs, turtles, dragonflies, to herons. The Lotus and Water Lily Cultural Festival is an annual event put together by the National Park Service to celebrate the full bloom of these pretty flowers and showcase African and Asian culture (as these two continents consider these flowers cultural icons). There are a lot of activities such as dance, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, lotus tea tasting, face painting, origami, music, and educational programs like wildlife talks.

Etzyona Eisenstein

שמורת טבע נפלאה המבוססת על צמחי מים מליחים . אורה של טבע למרות שבמקום מבוצעות עבודות שימור ותחזוקה ממושכות נרחבות ומקצועיות חלקן על ידי מתנדבים. הצימחייה בשיאה בעיקר במאי עד ספטמבר למרות ספטמבר הוא סוף העונה. בחלקו נגיש למתקשים בניידות במקום חנות המוכרת מזכרות שירותים וברזייה.לאוהבי טבע ברמת מאמץ מינימאלית..

kevin Holland

Enjoyed the special evening hours for looking at the flowers. Surprising that only 3 night blooming flowers were available to view- we expected more. The lotus flowers were closed but still lovely as were the views of the marsh. Main recommendation to to have Robert, the lead naturalist for describing the water lilies to talk from the center of the group. Walking between the ponds requires everyone to stretch out. He spoke only to those up front. When asked to speak louder by a Friends group member, he ignored the request. When asked to come to the middle of the group so more could hear, he said to come up to the front. Wrong answer. The standard interpreter practice is to peak to your audience so that all who want to can hear.

Margaret Hwang

Thousands of blossoming lotuses and water lilies with various types and colors. Gifts from different cultures such as Korea, Japan, China, Indonesia, and so on are being sold during festival time. People come to the Festival freely enjoy and express their happiness in cultural folk that represents their own or other ones unique cultural features. The Kenilworth Aquatic Garden supports freely fresh cold water to visitors, provides good security in this Festival, fast responds to emergency cases. This is a great Summer Festival to attend.

Justine Kendall

Amazing! What a cool little gem in a part of the city most people dont get out to. Although you can take the metro we chose to drive and there was plenty of parking. The lilies were GORGEOUS and really unique, the trails were easy and pleasant, and there was really fantastic bird watching - we even saw a pair of bald eagles!! Dont expect a lot out of the visitor center but if you want a break from the city without driving an hour this is definitely a good place to go.

Gustavo Marchesini

I live just a few minutes from the Aquatic Gardens and have to say its a pleasure to run through its waterways and marshes. You have to be careful with the geese and their poop, which can be very difficult during peak season. Great place for bird and animal lovers. Kenilworth Park has recently been improved with paved trails and connecting bridges to the city and the up north at the Arboretum. Great family time or lone nature enthusiast.

A Private User

This is the absolute best place to visit in DC, period. It is real, natural, a nature preserve without the pretensions of our National Parks. Water lilies, lotus taller than Michael Jordan, turtles and muskrat that could not care less about DC politics. The Anacostia is a free natural river, not like the Potomac that is a tamed creek..In the summer, you cannot bring enough film or memory cards to capture the beauty of this park.

Monico Havier

The Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is an interesting place to visit (in Washington, DC) if youre into photographing flowers and wildlife or if you enjoy nature hikes in scenic locations (dont forget to bring some bug repellant). Im a photographer and it offered me plenty of cool things to point my camera at. It wasnt my favorite National Park but it was a complete surprise that such a place existed so close to our nations capital.

Jennifer Jones

We went today (Sunday) it was great, we had a nice tour guide (Becky, I believe Robert was going to but it was Beckys turn). This was the first time that we have been there, just moved here from Oregon. We wanted to go on a picnic and it was a gorgeous day and I thought lets just do something really local. We thoroughly enjoyed the gardens we will definitely go back for walking and for riding bikes . They have great bike routes.

Jessica Rosenberg

We came here in late October on a cold day. It was also overcast. The ground was also muddy. And yet... this place WOWed me. It was gorgeous, peaceful, and really quite intoxicating. We loved walking around the various areas of the gardens, looking at the lotus pod things, admiring the birds... I cannot wait to visit when everything is in bloom. Oh, and its free. FREE.

Bob Villia

Very beautiful. Went there and had Barbara Litman as our guide. She was very intelligent and helpful. We were looking forward to this place for years and with her help, she made it happen. She gave us a tour of the grounds and the indoor water lilies. Barbara went above and beyond to help us in every question we had. Hope she is there when we come back!

Alison Curtis

These aquatic gardens seem like an exotic land, somehow existing within the districts borders. Come here in July to see the amazingly beautiful lotus flowers in bloom (were talking fields, here). Theres also a plethora of wildlife coexisting along the Anacostia River: turtles, dragon flies, and BALD EAGLES. Come here to have your mind blown.

Petra Holden

Stuck behind a very unassuming neighborhood is a lovely national park wetland botanical garden for lotus plants and water lilies. July is the best month to visit - its just spectacular! Easy flat trails make it suitable for relaxed walks. Theres also a restroom and Visitor Center.