Season guide · Washington, D.C. · United States
Washington, D.C. in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Cold with occasional snow, festive lights in December and the quietest museums and lowest hotel rates of the year. Expect highs up to 9°C (48°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F), with about 29 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -1°C (30°F) to 9°C (48°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 29
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C (45°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 10 | 9.7 h | 2/5 |
| February | 9°C (48°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 9 | 10.7 h | 2/5 |
| December | 9°C (48°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 10 | 9.4 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 8°C (46°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 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorations (third Monday)
- January: Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week (usually January)
- February: Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown (January or February)
- December: National Christmas Tree lighting near the White House (usually early December)
- December: ZooLights at the National Zoo (usually late November to late December)
Good choices for winter
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
Museum · National Mall
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The museum's permanent exhibition tells the history of the Holocaust over three floors, through personal artefacts, film and testimony, starting with an identification card of a real person whose fate you follow.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
Museum · Chantilly, Virginia
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
It is easiest by car or ride-hailing; combine it with a flight in or out of Dulles to save a separate trip.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
- History
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Historic site · Penn Quarter
Ford's Theatre
Abraham Lincoln was shot in the presidential box here on 14 April 1865.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Penn Quarter
National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum
Go up to the third-floor Lunder Conservation Center, where you can watch conservators at work through the glass.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- Architecture
Day trips in winter
- Annapolis (About 45 minutes by car) — Maryland's sailing capital on the Chesapeake Bay has brick colonial streets, the Maryland State House and the US Naval Academy, where visitors can join guided walking tours of the grounds.
- Shenandoah National Park (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car to Front Royal) — Skyline Drive runs along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the park, with dozens of overlooks and trailheads for waterfall hikes and sections of the Appalachian Trail.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Washington, D.C.?
It is a trade-off: Cold with occasional snow, festive lights in December and the quietest museums and lowest hotel rates of the year. The best months overall are April–May and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Washington, D.C. in winter?
Highs of up to 9°C (48°F) and lows around -1°C (30°F), with about 29 rainy days over the season.