Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens District of Columbia

Pink lotus flower blooms in a pond.

Aquatic ponds during the fall with trees displaying orange and yellow colors.

Turtles basking in the sun.

A woman taking a photo of lotus flowers

Great Blue Heron in flight over the ponds during the fall.

Deep within Kenilworth lies an oasis, hidden behind trees and cattails. It's a place where beavers build their homes and turtles sleep on logs. Lotus blooms rise from the muck and lilies sit on the water. The wind dances with the dragonflies, rustling through the trees, carrying the song of the birds until it brushes across your face, fading to a whisper, saying "come join."

Lotus flowers bloom in many ponds during the hot humid summer months.
NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez

As the seasons change, so do the colors around the ponds which can be seen as reflections on the water.
NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez.

As the temperatures warm up during spring and summer months many reptiles including turtles can be seen basking in the sun on logs, tree stumps or the banks of the ponds.
NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez.

The summer blooms in and around the ponds attract many photographers and artist from around the world.
NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez

The wetlands and marsh habitat many shore birds and they can be seen wading in and around the ponds for food.
NPS Photo/Miguel A. Marquez

A young girl in a pink dress and floral headband dances as Bethlehem Bekele Belatchew teaches.

Immerse yourself in two days of art, wellness, music, and cultural expression surrounded by the peak bloom of lotuses and water lilies.

Two National Park Service interns show their passport stamp collection at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Start your stamp collection and celebrate every park you visit!

A bee sits on a flower at Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens

No matter the season, plants and wildlife in the park are ever-changing. Check the current conditions before you visit!

Two Junior Rangers display their Junior Ranger badge collections at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Become a Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Junior Ranger! Explore, complete a booklet, and earn badges and certificates along the way.

Pink water lilies in the pond

Explore the many different varieties of water lilies at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Birds

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens has over 250 species of birds

A bee flies near a lotus flower

Discover the dazzling varieties of lotus flowers that bring Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to life each summer.

Last updated: July 13, 2026

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1550 Anacostia Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20019

Phone:

771-208-1571

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