Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Washington Monument
District of Columbia
Best month to visit
October
69°F / 52°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Washington Monument in October
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, August is the most crowded month (~1.3× the average month) and February is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 247K
- 2024
- Busiest month
- Aug
- 1.3× avg
- Quietest month
- Feb
- 0.7× avg
- 10-yr trend
- falling
- -38.5%
How crowded is Washington Monument by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Washington Monument weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Quiet | 37 Poor | 45°F / 30°F | 9.6 h |
| February | Quiet | 45 Fair | 48°F / 32°F | 10.5 h |
| March | Average | 42 Poor | 57°F / 39°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Average | 60 Good | 68°F / 48°F | 13.0 h |
| May | Average | 65 Good | 77°F / 58°F | 14.1 h |
| June | Busy | 50 Fair | 85°F / 68°F | 14.7 h |
| July | Busy | 33 Poor | 90°F / 72°F | 14.5 h |
| August | Busy | 32 Poor | 88°F / 71°F | 13.5 h |
| September | Average | 63 Good | 81°F / 64°F | 12.2 h |
| Octoberour pick | Average | 61 Good | 69°F / 52°F | 11.0 h |
| November | Average | 48 Fair | 58°F / 42°F | 9.8 h |
| December | Quiet | 45 Fair | 49°F / 35°F | 9.3 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USW00013743, ~2.9 mi away).
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About visiting Washington Monument
Washington Monument is a unit of the National Park System in DC and a relatively quiet park, drawing about 247,000 recreation visits in 2024. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 38.5%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: August is the busiest month at about 1.3× the park's average month, while February is the calmest at roughly 0.7× — a 2-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 31% 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 81°F in July down to about 38°F in January, with the wettest stretch in July and meaningful snowfall around February. 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 October: 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 August 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. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $1, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 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
Built to honor George Washington, the United States' first president, the 555-foot marble obelisk towers over Washington, D.C.
Weather & conditions
Washington, DC experiences 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 Washington Monument
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Washington Monument — live availability and prices to plan your trip. October 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 Washington Monument
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.
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Getting to Washington Monument
The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), about 5 mi (10 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Washington Monument by car.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $1, typically valid for several days.
What takes a reservation at Washington Monument
From National Park Service records read on October 11, 2026. Timed-entry and permit rules change from season to season; the official Washington Monument page has this year's.
Activities the park marks as needing a reservation
Frequently Asked Questions
October offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Washington Monument. The park is busiest in August (about 1.3× the average month) and quietest in February.
August is the busiest month at Washington Monument, running roughly 1.3 times the park's average monthly visitation.
February is the quietest month at Washington Monument, at about 0.7× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Washington Monument recorded about 247,208 recreation visits in 2024. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-38.5%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Washington Monument averages about 81°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) is the closest airport to Washington Monument, about 5 mi (10 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
0 mi away · best in September
0 mi away · best in September
0 mi away · best in September
1 mi away · best in September
1 mi away · best in September
1 mi away · best in September
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Washington Monument
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.
- Beaverdam Creek Reservior Lake water qualityGrade A · 28 mi · VA
- Goose Creek Reservoir water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · VA
- Beaverdam Creek Reservoir water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · VA
- Smith Lake water qualityGrade A · 34 mi · VA
- Burke Lake water qualityGrade C · 17 mi · VA
Beach water quality near Washington Monument
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- 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
- Highland Beach water qualityGrade A · 31 mi · MD
- Mountain Point At Gibson Island water qualityGrade A · 34 mi · MD
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.