How Crowded Is Ford's Theatre National Historic Site in October?
October runs about 0.9× Ford's Theatre National Historic Site's average month, which makes it an average month here — roughly 7% of the park's yearly visitors come in October.
In a typical October the park sees about 42,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.
That makes October the 6th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the April peak (1.7×) and the January low (0.4×).
On our Best Time to Visit score October rates 55/100 ("Fair"), versus the top-rated January at 78/100 — the best overall balance of crowds and daylight.
Because June, July and August together draw about 28% of annual visitors, choosing October instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.
You'll have about 11 hours of daylight in October to explore — between the 9.3-hour midwinter low and the 14.7-hour summer high.
Park-wide, 2024 drew 457,132 recreation visits, up 16.3% from 393,214 in 2023.
Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 33%, so October may feel a touch quieter than it once did.
Frequently Asked Questions
October is average at Ford's Theatre National Historic Site (about 0.9× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Fair". The single best month overall is January.
The busiest month is April and the quietest is January. October sits at about 0.9× the park's average, or 7% of annual visitation.
A typical October sees about 42,000 recreation visits at Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979–2025.
Where to stay near Ford's Theatre in October
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Top-rated places to stay near Ford's Theatre
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See the full ranking of the best national parks to visit in October.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025). Updated 2026-07-14.