Season guide · Washington, D.C. · United States
Washington, D.C. in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0
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Quick answer
Hot and humid with afternoon thunderstorms, but full of free events such as the Folklife Festival and Fourth of July fireworks; August hotel rates are often lower. Expect highs up to 32°C (90°F) and lows around 19°C (66°F), with about 29 rainy days across June–August.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 19°C (66°F) to 32°C (90°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 29°C (84°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 10 | 14.9 h | 4/5 |
| July | 32°C (90°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 10 | 14.6 h | 4/5 |
| August | 31°C (88°F) | 21°C (70°F) | 9 | 13.7 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 31°C (88°F) against a yearly 20°C (68°F), and 29 of the year's roughly 116 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Capital Pride (usually June)
- June: Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Mall (usually late June to early July)
- July: Independence Day fireworks over the National Mall (4 July)
- July: A Capitol Fourth concert on the Capitol's West Lawn (4 July)
- August: Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week (usually August)
Good choices for summer
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Museum · National Mall
National Air and Space Museum
Pair it with the Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport if you want to see the very large aircraft, including Space Shuttle Discovery.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · National Mall
National Museum of Natural History
Under the rotunda's African bush elephant, the Smithsonian's natural-history museum holds the 45-carat Hope Diamond, the David H.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · National Mall
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Allow at least four hours and do the underground history galleries first while you are fresh; the Sweet Home Café upstairs serves regional African American dishes.
- Time needed
- 4–5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
- Iconic
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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
Museum · National Mall
National Museum of American History
The Star-Spangled Banner is in a dimly lit chamber at the centre of the second floor; start there, then pick one wing.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
Day trips in summer
- Old Town Alexandria (About 20 minutes by Metro) — An 18th-century port town on the Potomac with cobbled lanes, Federal townhouses, King Street's shops and restaurants and the Torpedo Factory Art Center, where artists work in open studios by the river.
- Baltimore (About 40–60 minutes by train) — Maryland's largest city has the National Aquarium on the Inner Harbor, Fort McHenry, whose defence in 1814 inspired the national anthem, the cobbled waterfront of Fells Point and crab houses serving Old Bay-dusted blue crabs.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Washington, D.C.?
It is a trade-off: Hot and humid with afternoon thunderstorms, but full of free events such as the Folklife Festival and Fourth of July fireworks; August hotel rates are often lower. The best months overall are April–May and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Washington, D.C. in summer?
Highs of up to 32°C (90°F) and lows around 19°C (66°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.