kenilworth aquatic gardens

Friday morning we took my parents to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens to see the lotus and water lilies in full bloom. This place is truly remarkable and one of my favorite hidden gems in the area. The sea of lotus flowers is so unexpected and seems to go on forever. We wandered around the paths and did our best to stay cool on such a hot morning. At least the heat seemed to keep the crowds away.

This was not the only time during the weekend that my dad was carrying Elsa. He was kind enough to walk with her to the playground near our house one day and Elsa wore shoes that were way too big and Grandpa ended up carrying her the whole way. 

kenilworth aquatic gardens.

It was a weekend for visiting places that have been on our list for a long time. In addition to finally visiting the Air Force Memorial, we went on a Sunday morning stroll at the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens in D.C. We have been passing the sign for this place for years and have always wondered about it. We were completely blown away by what we discovered. The gardens are stunning and unexpected. Water lilies and lotus as far as the eye can see. Thankfully it was slightly overcast and not too hot yet so we were able to enjoy ourselves more. It had rained the whole day before which made everything even more beautiful, especially with the beads of water collected on the giant leaves. I'm already looking forward to a return visit and am interested to see the landscape at other times of year.

Amelia was grumpy when we arrived but I pointed out that the large leaves looked like they could be fairy swimming pools. Her imagination was immediately sparked and she talked nonstop about fairies the rest of the morning.

If ever there was a place for rain boots, it was here. But of course we were all wearing sandals. With all the rain the previous day, the trails were completely muddy. Oliver didn't mind.

There is a nice boardwalk through the marsh and woods. The girls love playing a game with Oliver where he runs to them for hugs and the boardwalk was the perfect place for their game.