Go visit the National Arboretum for a beautiful day outside to explore plants, trees and gorgeous landscapes.
Check out the Chesapeake Family Life Park Spotlight on the National Arboretum here!
The National Arboretum has are 446 acres and 9.5 miles of trails and features many different types of gardens to explore as well as the original national capitol columns, over 678 identified plants, a library, museum and herbarium.
Our very own Deena Dino was just visiting the National Arboretum. Have you been following her this summer? See where she is this week and enter to win a cool prize package.
It’s a great place for a budding botanist or nature lover. Paved roads, dirt trails and boardwalks snake through different themed plantings such as Fern Valley, Conifers, Dogwoods, and Magnolias, to name a few. Gentle hills, open fields, ponds and creeks dot the landscape and encourage wildlife. The old columns from the original capitol building mark the center of the Arboretum. Dogs and strollers are welcome.
![National Arboretum bonsai](https://wordpress-938214-4066445.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bonsai.jpg)
The Arboretum offers a mobile app (Arboretum Botanical Explorer) to help you navigate the vast grounds, and find and explore the collections. Kids will love the Agents of Discovery Mission app/game, that challenges kids to learn as they go through the National Grove of State Trees and the Washington Youth Garden. Since the Arboretum does not provide WiFi, we recommend you download the free Agents of Discovery game at the app store on your smartphone prior to your visit.
Grounds open daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Check out the National Arboretum website for more information on its collections and visiting.