5 fun things to do in Washington DC region during the holidays

The holidays are a special time of year and if you're looking to bring a little extra fun or magic into your days this season, there are plenty of things to see and do in the Washington D.C. region. Here are five fun and festive things to do this holiday season.

1. Go see millions of twinkling holiday lights

If Christmas lights and displays are your thing, you'll find plenty of options in the D.C. metro region from drive-through festivals to wandering through pathways in brightly lit parks or at the National Zoo, there is something for everyone at one of the many annual festivals that take place. 

2. See beautifully decorated Christmas trees

The most well-known events in the area are the

White House and Capitol tree lighting ceremonies, which of course, are always an option. However, if you are in the area, there are plenty of other lovely trees to be seen. 

Check out Union Station, Mount Vernon, Old Town Alexandria, National Harbor, Library of Congress and other festive public spots throughout the region for holiday family fun - also be sure to read the well-rounded list DC Curbed has for local Christmas trees.

3. Watch a Christmas parade

One thing I never experienced when I lived in the Northeast part of the U.S. were Christmas parades. That being said, I have no idea if Christmas parades are a regional thing here in the mid-Atlantic or if they are a newer trend across the U.S. Whatever the case, there are many fun parades that brighten up the holidays each year in the DMV (scroll down to the bottom of this post for a list of winter parades in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland). 

4. Go see a show

Once Halloween passes, many holiday-themed productions have their opening nights and last through the New Year. 

Check out the many holiday shows, Destination DC and Kid-Friendly D.C. has some great roundups of the local shows. We saw "A Christmas Carol" at Ford's Theatre on opening weekend 2018 and it was a wonderful show. We plan to see Encore Theatrical Arts Project's annual show coming up in December (this one has become a family tradition in my house). 

5. Visit a holiday market

Holiday markets can be found all throughout the D.C.

region. From small locally organized festivals to large-scale annual events, there is something for everyone to be found. 

TripSavvy has a pretty comprehensive and updated list of where these can be found. I haven't been able to do an updated post yet, but here is a list of previous holiday and craft festivals in Northern Virginia (please keep in mind dates are from an earlier year and not correct but the events themselves are typically recurring each year). 

One of the great things about the D.C. area is there is never a lack of things to see and do in winter or any of the other three seasons. If you know of any other great things to see in the region, please let me know in the comments!

Happy Holidays!