National Zoological Park

The zoo sits between two Metro stations, Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan and Cleveland Park, with the main pedestrian entrance roughly halfway along; cars can drop off at that same entrance on Connecticut Avenue. Once inside, the day can run on your own picnic, since visitors may bring their own food and non-alcoholic drinks (alcohol stays outside), or on the cafes and shops scattered through the park. Restrooms at the Visitor Center, Panda Plaza, Elephant Outpost and the Conservation Pavilion all have baby changing stations, and there is a lactation space in the Think Tank exhibit. Strollers and wagons can be rented on site, and so can manual wheelchairs and an electric scooter, but every rental needs a photo ID or driving licence — passports are not accepted. The trade-off is the ground itself: the terrain is hilly, and on the busiest days strollers may not be allowed inside the animal buildings, where designated stroller parking is usually set up by each building entrance instead. Labor Day through Easter, leaving aside Thanksgiving to New Year’s, is typically the quieter half of the calendar. Pets of any kind stay home, and the zoo opens every day, rain or shine, bar one holiday closure.