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Parks & Rec

PALISADES RECREATION CENTER

5200 Sherier Pl NW
Keely Alexander, Manager
202.282.2186

The Palisades Recreation Center is a hub of activity. The recently renovated park offers a beautiful soccer field, softball field, tennis courts, a children’s playground and splash park, basketball courts, and skating ramps. The rec center runs an after school program, a summer camp, and numerous classes throughout the year. Visit their website for the most recent schedule or call the center for specific details about classes and programs.

HARDY RECREATION CENTER

4500 Q Street, NW
Rodney Brown, Manager
202.282.0585

The Hardy Recreation Center boasts soccer fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a fabulous playground and splash park. Call the center for information on classes and programs.

CAROLINA PARK 

5418 Manning Place, NW

Newly remodeled, Carolina Park was nicknamed "Dinosaur Park" because of the two large plastic dinosaurs for children to climb on. It now features a great play area for children and is a great sledding hill in winter months. The park is located at the bottom of the hill between Manning Place and Macomb Street at the intersection of Carolina Place. The land is maintained by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

BATTERY KEMBLE PARK

3035 Chain Bridge Rd, NW

The main entrance to the park is located off of Chain Bridge Rd, although there are multiple trains that lead to Battery Kemble Park—being bounded by Chain Bridge Rd (to the west), MacArthur Blvd (to the south), 49th St (to the east), and Nebraska Ave (to the north). The park is popular for running, sledding, nature walks and dog walking. The park was originally a Union Army defensive site during the Civil War. Visit the National Park Service (NPS) website to find out more about the park's history (he park is maintained by NPS).

FLETCHER'S BOATHOUSE

4940 Canal Rd, NW

Fletcher’s Boathouse is located on the Potomac River and the C&O Canal National Historic Park, between Chain and Key Bridges. It has been in this location since the 1850s and is renowned as a superb fishing and recreation area. Fletcher’s offers bike, canoe, row boat, and kayak rentals. It is a very picturesque area and has ample parking and picnic areas.

W STREET PARK

48th & W Streets, NW

Located  at the corner of W Street and 48th, this park is a great place to kick around a soccer ball. It also has been newly renovated with park equipment, covered seating, and landscaping. The park is maintained by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

OTHER PARKS CLOSE BY

VOLTA PARK RECREATION CENTER
Volta Place at 33rd St. 

Volta Park is the site of the local public pool, has a popular softball diamond, and is well cared-for by an enthusiastic "friends" group. A fenced, mulched play area with both "younger" and "older" structures—monkey bars and sandbox—and an enclosed concrete area with picnic tables for toys.

GUY MASON RECREATION CENTER
Calvert St. near Wisconsin Ave. 

There is a large play area—tall twisty slide, spring toys, lots of swings, big sandbox—surrounded by grass near Guy Mason recreation center. It's a good place for a picnic, walkable from Whole Foods or Rocklands.

MONTROSE PARK
R St. east of Dumbarton Oaks

Nearby is a fun hedgerow labyrinth. Great lawn for running and woods for hiking.

FRIENDSHIP RECREATION CENTER AND FRIENDSHIP PARK (AKA TURTLE PARK)
Van Ness St. at 45th St. 

The most social playground; almost always crowded. Large fenced area with a variety of activities, centering around a huge sandbox with turtle statues. Wooden trains, play houses, lots of swings.

MACOMB RECREATION CENTER
Macomb St. near 34th St. 

Social, busy, not crowded except when daycare groups are there. It's a good place for exercise. Lots of room (on three levels). Wooden, child-scale structures, a rope climber, wooden train, and creative toys to climb on.