Stead Park

Stead Park is the kind of place DC families keep on repeat — not a destination you visit once, but a neighborhood park you come back to week after week. Tucked into Dupont Circle at 1625 P St NW, it's a well-maintained community space that combines a solid outdoor playground with a recreation center building, giving families options regardless of weather.

The Friends of Stead Park organization makes this park stand out from generic city green spaces. They run active programming: youth sports leagues, summer camps, after-school activities, and community events that fill the calendar. If you're visiting DC for a week or relocating to the area, it's worth checking their website before your trip — you might arrive during an event that makes the visit even better.

For the basics: the playground is free, accessible, and suitable for toddlers through early teens. The fields are used for organized sports during programs but are generally open for pickup use outside of scheduled times. The recreation center provides indoor space when DC's weather turns unpredictable.

Dupont Circle's location is a genuine asset here. The Metro stop is a 5-minute walk, so you don't need a car. And the neighborhood around the park has excellent family dining — Pizzeria Paradiso on P St NW, Sweetgreen, and a handful of other options make post-playground lunch easy to solve.

Note that the park closes on Sundays and the rec center has varying seasonal hours — confirm timing on the Friends of Stead Park website before you go. The playground itself is accessible during park hours (9AM-9PM weekdays, 9AM-5PM Saturday).