Our recommendation
Visit World War I Memorial in January
January offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. For comparison, April is the most crowded month (~1.5× the average month) and January is the quietest.
Annual visits
839K
2025
Busiest month
Apr
1.5× avg
Quietest month
Jan
0.4× avg
10-yr trend
steady
—
How crowded is World War I Memorial by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 2021–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| January★ best | Very quiet | 78 Excellent | 9.6 h |
| February | Quiet | 76 Excellent | 10.5 h |
| March | Busy | 28 Poor | 11.7 h |
| April | Busy | 17 Poor | 13.0 h |
| May | Busy | 32 Poor | 14.1 h |
| June | Busy | 37 Poor | 14.7 h |
| July | Average | 55 Fair | 14.5 h |
| August | Average | 62 Good | 13.5 h |
| September | Average | 55 Fair | 12.2 h |
| October | Average | 42 Poor | 11.0 h |
| November | Average | 46 Fair | 9.8 h |
| December | Quiet | 63 Good | 9.3 h |
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About visiting World War I Memorial
World War I Memorial is a unit of the National Park System in DC and a moderately visited park, drawing about 839,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has held fairly steady over the past decade. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: April 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 27% 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. If avoiding people matters most, January offers the thinnest crowds of the year, though you'll trade some warmth and daylight for the solitude. 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 2021–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
A grateful nation honors the service, valor, courage and sacrifice of the 4.7 million American sons and daughters who served in the Great War.
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 World War I Memorial
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near World War I Memorial — live availability and prices to plan your trip. January is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near World War I Memorial
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Getting to World War I Memorial
The nearest airport is Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), about 5 mi (9 min drive) away. Most visitors reach World War I Memorial by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
January offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight at World War I Memorial. The park is busiest in April (about 1.5× the average month) and quietest in January.
April is the busiest month at World War I Memorial, running roughly 1.5 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at World War I Memorial, at about 0.4× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
World War I Memorial recorded about 838,999 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been steady over the past decade.
Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) is the closest airport to World War I Memorial, about 5 mi (9 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near World War I Memorial
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 World War I Memorial
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 (2021–2025). Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.