National Arboretum

"Nature's Bounty Showcased to Perfection"

A few minutes' drive from downtown Washington, D.C. is a sprawling garden that pays homage to nature's bounty within the United States and around the world. Each season brings its own unique reasons to visit the Arboretum, fall colors and the cherry blossoms of the spring being the most attractive. The exhibit my kids enjoyed the most is their extensive bonsai collection. Room after room is filled with mind-bogglingly creative interpretations of trees.

Somehow the miniature sizes of the trees that they've seen only in massive sizes in real life seems to draw the kids. The thrill of seeing a pint-sized oak never seems to wane.

If you find yourself having to deal with a rainy day and you're all museumed-out, the bonsai exhibit at the National Arboretum is the place to go!