Month guide · Washington, D.C. · United States
Washington, D.C. in November
What November is really like in Washington, D.C.: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Greyfiveys, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
November is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 14°C (57°F), lows of 5°C (41°F), about 9 rainy days and roughly 10 hours of daylight. Cooling and quieter, with lingering autumn leaves early in the month and busy Thanksgiving weekend travel.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 14°C (57°F) / 5°C (41°F)
- Rainy days
- About 9
- Daylight
- About 10 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in November
November is the 9th-warmest month in Washington, D.C.: days average 14°C (57°F) against a yearly average high of 20°C (68°F), and nights fall to about 5°C (41°F). Rain falls on roughly 9 of its 30 days. Compared with October (21°C (70°F)), November is cooler; by December highs drop to around 9°C (48°F).
- Sunrise (15 November)
- About 06:51
- Sunset (15 November)
- About 16:55
- Daylight
- About 10 hours
Autumn (September–November). Warm September days and crisp, colourful October weather make this the most comfortable season for walking the Mall and Georgetown.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, November rates 3 for crowds (the peak is April at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in April). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in November
- Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery (11 November)
- Downtown Holiday Market opens in Penn Quarter (usually late November)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in November
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
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Museum · National Mall
National Museum of Natural History
Go to the Hope Diamond on the second floor first thing; the gem hall gets very crowded by midday.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · National Mall
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Opened in 2016 in a bronze-latticed building by David Adjaye, the museum's history galleries begin several floors underground with the transatlantic slave trade and climb through emancipation, segregation and the civil-rights movement to the present.
- Time needed
- 4–5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Architecture · Capitol Hill
Library of Congress (Jefferson Building)
Head up to the Main Reading Room overlook first, then come back down to the Great Hall for photographs.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
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Gallery · National Mall
National Gallery of Art
The free National Gallery's neoclassical West Building holds Leonardo da Vinci's Ginevra de' Benci, the only painting by Leonardo in the Americas, plus Vermeer, Rembrandt and a superb French Impressionist collection.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Couples
What to pack
For highs near 14°C, lows near 5°C and 9 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is November a good time to visit Washington, D.C.?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–May and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Washington, D.C. in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is November a good time to visit Washington, D.C.?
It is a shoulder-season month. Cooling and quieter, with lingering autumn leaves early in the month and busy Thanksgiving weekend travel.
+How warm is Washington, D.C. in November?
Average highs are around 14°C (57°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Washington, D.C. in November?
Expect rain on about 9 days of the month.