Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Pennsylvania Avenue
District of Columbia
Best month to visit
September
82°F / 62°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Pennsylvania Avenue in September
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.5× the average month) and January is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 142K
- 2024
- Busiest month
- Jul
- 1.5× avg
- Quietest month
- Jan
- 0.4× avg
- 10-yr trend
- falling
- -38.8%
How crowded is Pennsylvania Avenue by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1986–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Pennsylvania Avenue weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 43 Poor | 45°F / 28°F | 9.6 h |
| February | Very quiet | 46 Fair | 48°F / 30°F | 10.5 h |
| March | Average | 34 Poor | 56°F / 37°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Busy | 41 Poor | 68°F / 46°F | 13.0 h |
| May | Busy | 59 Fair | 77°F / 57°F | 14.1 h |
| June | Busy | 46 Fair | 85°F / 66°F | 14.7 h |
| July | Busy | 26 Poor | 90°F / 71°F | 14.5 h |
| August | Busy | 37 Poor | 88°F / 69°F | 13.5 h |
| Septemberour pick | Quiet | 68 Good | 82°F / 62°F | 12.2 h |
| October | Average | 57 Fair | 70°F / 49°F | 11.0 h |
| November | Quiet | 53 Fair | 58°F / 39°F | 9.8 h |
| December | Quiet | 45 Fair | 49°F / 32°F | 9.3 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00186350, ~3.2 mi away).
Email me when Pennsylvania Avenue's crowd forecast updates
Get an email when new NPS visitation data changes the best time to visit Pennsylvania Avenue or its month-by-month crowd levels. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
About visiting Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue is a unit of the National Park System in DC and a relatively quiet park, drawing about 142,000 recreation visits in 2024. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 38.8%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.5× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.4× — a 4-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 36% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 80°F in July down to about 36°F in January, with the wettest stretch in June. About 6 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is September: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.3 hours in midwinter to 14.7 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1986–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
A street unlike any other. It is known the world over as the heart of the Nation's Capital. America's history has marched, paraded, promenaded, and protested its way along the Avenue.
Weather & conditions
Washington DC gets to see all four seasons. Humidity will make the temps feel hotter in summer and colder in winter. Spring (March - May) Temp: Average high is 65.5 degrees with a low of 46.5 degrees Summer (June - August) Temp: Average high is 86 degrees with a low of 68.5 degrees Fall (September - November) Temp: Average high is 68 degrees with a low of 51.5 degrees Winter (December - February) Temp: Average high is 45 degrees with a low of 30 degrees (Source: www.usclimatedata.com)
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Pennsylvania Avenue
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Pennsylvania Avenue — live availability and prices to plan your trip. September is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather. Full lodging guide: when to book, gateway vs in-park, and the crowd calendar that drives room rates.
Top-rated places to stay near Pennsylvania Avenue
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Pennsylvania Avenue?
Get the best time to visit Pennsylvania Avenue plus lodging deals near the park by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Getting to Pennsylvania Avenue
The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), about 5 mi (10 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Pennsylvania Avenue by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
September offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Pennsylvania Avenue. The park is busiest in July (about 1.5× the average month) and quietest in January.
July is the busiest month at Pennsylvania Avenue, running roughly 1.5 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Pennsylvania Avenue, at about 0.4× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Pennsylvania Avenue recorded about 141,840 recreation visits in 2024. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-38.8%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Pennsylvania Avenue averages about 80°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) is the closest airport to Pennsylvania Avenue, about 5 mi (10 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Pennsylvania Avenue
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Goose Creek Reservoir water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · VA
- Beaverdam Creek Reservior Lake water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · VA
- Beaverdam Creek Reservoir water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · VA
- Smith Lake water qualityGrade A · 35 mi · VA
- Burke Lake water qualityGrade C · 17 mi · VA
Beach water quality near Pennsylvania Avenue
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- Highland Beach water qualityGrade A · 30 mi · MD
- Chesapeake Station water qualityGrade A · 30 mi · MD
- Bay Ridge At River Dr. water qualityGrade A · 31 mi · MD
- Bay Ridge At Bay Dr. water qualityGrade A · 31 mi · MD
- Mountain Point At Gibson Island water qualityGrade A · 34 mi · MD
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1986–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.