The fall season in Washington DC is one of the prettiest times of the year, and there are wonderful spots for family photos with lots of colorful fall foliage. Below are the most popular locations that I highly recommend for their accessibility to fall colors, and places to sit, stand, and move around. Peak fall colors in DC are late October through mid-November. Depending on the weather, late November may still have pretty colors in some spots. From hidden spots along the water to the iconic DC skyline, DC has a wide range of locations for fall family portraits no matter what your vision.
Enjoy!
Washington National Cathedral :: The Bishop’s Garden
One of my absolute favorite locations for fall family portraits. Parking is easy, it’s enclosed so kids can run around, and it’s pretty in every direction. There are lush trees, stunning flower beds, quaint benches, brick pathways throughout, and a stone gazebo in the middle. The Bishop’s Garden at the National Cathedral is modeled after a walled medieval garden, so you don’t readily see it from the street. It’s on the south side of the National Cathedral, sandwiched between Pilgrim Rd and South Rd in the northwest quadrant of DC. You can access it from either road.
It’s also dog-friendly!
We’ll want to meet a little earlier than we would in other locations because the high trees will block the sun as it gets closer to sunset. For beautiful, golden-hour photos, we’ll meet here about an hour and 45 minutes prior to sunset. This time of year that means meeting around 3 pm - 3:30 pm.
Pierce Mill in Rock Creek Park, NW DC
Another of my top favorite spots for taking family photos with autumn colors is Pierce Mill in Rock Creek Park (northwest quadrant of DC). It’s peaceful, has easy parking, and there are several great spots that allow for a variety of backgrounds all keeping with the fall color theme. Near the mill there’s a bridge next to water to stand or sit on, and the mill has stone walls that also photograph well. Across the street is a wide open park for kids to run around.
Dumbarton Oaks & Montrose Park in Georgetown
Another spectacular location for fall family portraits with autumn colors in Washington DC is Dumbarton Oaks (the public park, not the private garden). The entrance is a pathway next to Montrose Park called “Lover’s Lane”. Street parking isn’t usually difficult, and once we’re down the pathway you’ll encounter trails, stone bridges, and stunning colorful leaves for a dreamy autumn background. It’s also dog friendly!
We’ll want to meet earlier than usual - two hours before sunset - to ensure enough light in the trees.
Rock Creek Park
For outdoorsy families, look no further than Rock Creek Park! There are lots of great spots along the water to interact together, climb rocks and fallen logs, and have fun throwing around colorful leaves.
The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool
For families who want to highlight their time living in DC (many families come here temporarily for work or military assignment), the National Mall, specifically the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool area, is a great location that provides fall colors against the classic DC skyline. There are a lot of good spots to sit, stand, and walk, and we’ll have the option of taking photos with a greenery background without the city. We can also go up into the Lincoln Memorial for varied views and backdrops.
Parking can be very difficult; plan to arrive 45 minutes to an hour early to look for parking and walk several blocks.
Meridian Hill Park
A beautiful park with a cascading waterfall (check construction in advance), Meridian Hill Park in northwest Washington DC offers a beautiful, easy-to-access location for fall family portraits with autumn colors. There are pathways winding through the trees, and it’s spacious and peaceful enough that crowds aren’t an issue.
Street parking is available, and on really nice days around rush hour you should plan to arrive about 30 minutes before the start of your session in case you end up circling.
Constitution Island
One of my favorite hidden gems in Washington DC, Constitution Island on the National Mall is gorgeous in fall. The water reflects the golden sunset and colorful trees surrounding it, and the island has several weeping willows. It’s great for golden-hour, fall portraits with changing colors and pretty easy to access once you find parking (parking around the National Mall can take up to 30 minutes on nice days). There’s a bridge crossing the water that photographs well, and you have the option of including the Washington Monument in photos.
Washington National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
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DC War Memorial on the National Mall
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Smithsonian Institution’s Enid A Haupt Garden
Many locals have never even been to this spectacular gated garden. It’s on the Independence Ave side of the Smithsonian Castle (Smithsonian Institution) on 1000 Jefferson Dr SW. There are quaint benches, granite archways, and greenery and floral in every direction. We can also easily run out to the National Mall for views of the Capitol Building and Washington Monument.
The Tidal Basin on the National Mall
The Tidal Basin is another popular location for fall family portraits for those who wish to highlight the city they live in. There are benches along the water, stones to sit on, and views of the Jefferson Memorial. A good meeting point is the MLK Jr Memorial. Parking should be available on Ohio Drive along the west side of the Tidal Basin. It’s about a 15 minute walk to MLK Jr depending on how far south you park.
Outside of Washington DC
If you’d like to venture further outside DC for an afternoon outing, or if you live within an hour of the city, here are a few places that are beautiful all year-round.
Old Town Alexandria Waterfront
Founder’s Park just off Queen Street in Old Town Alexandria is a beautiful location in the heart of a city for fall family photos. We’ll have the option of waterfront views with boats, or colorful trees and bushes. It’s not a very big area overall, but it provides several diverse spots for varied backdrops and well-lit places for kids’ portraits.
Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis
A must-see if you’ve never been! Quiet Waters Park is a nature preserve in Annapolis, so fall colors are bound to be plentiful. La Glorieta is the location with the gazebo pictured below, a spectacular spot to watch the sunset after your session. Quiet Waters Park has easy parking in several spots, and a small per-vehicle fee to enter.
Glyndon Park in Vienna, VA
A small but gorgeous park in Vienna, Virginia that has yielded stunning fall colors five years every year I go. There’s a playground as well for after your portrait session if you want to stay and let your kiddos play.
The National Portrait Gallery in Chinatown
My go-to indoor location for rainy or cold days is the National Portrait Gallery in Chinatown. Since we’ll be using a combination of natural light and the lights in the museum, we’d meet a little earlier than planned to ensure we can take bright enough photos. The National Portrait Gallery is open from 11 am to 7 pm every day of the week. Parking in Chinatown is usually difficult, so plan to arrive 45 minutes early to circle and find parking, and potentially walk a couple blocks.
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