Free Things to Do: Fall in DC

National Zoo

Celebrate fall’s crisp “tempurrratures” by spending the day watching animals at the National Zoo. From big cats, to giant pandas (and red ones, too), Asian elephants, apes and exotic birds, you can explore animals from all walks of life in one afternoon. Admission to the zoo is free, but for an additional cost you can enjoy special fall events there: Autumn Conservation Festival, Boo at the Zoo and Night of the Living Zoo.

Rock Creek Park

Become one with nature this fall with a visit to the 2,100 acres that call Rock Creek Park home. Let the kiddos release some pent up energy at one of the many playgrounds found throughout the park, followed up by a refuel with lunch at one of 30 picnic locations. Make sure to snap photos of the color-changing leaves blanketing the area this time of year. For an additional fee, enjoy a horseback ride, rent a bicycle and feel the crisp breeze take over as you coast down one of the paved bike paths or spend an afternoon playing 18 holes at the public golf course.

National Mall

See the National Mall in all of its fall beauty with DC by Foot, a walking tour company that hosts free, kid-friendly tours (gratuity recommended). You’ll enjoy taking in the sights, while learning monument-themed fun facts and trivia. Tours include the Arlington Cemetery Walking Tour, the Lincoln Assassination Walking Tour and the Twilight Washington Bus Tour.

C&O Canal

Fall is the perfect time to lace up your hiking boots and trek down the C&O Canal, which traces the Potomac from Georgetown to Cumberland, Md. The serene trek includes plenty of fall foliage around October and the soothing sounds of nature amidst the beauty of Georgetown.

U.S. National Arboretum

Let DC’s fall foliage surprise you with a visit to the U.S. National Arboretum. Take in the harvest hues on one of the many trails and see the majestic pillars from the original U.S. Capitol. A common misconception many hold is that the pillars were removed in 1814, when the building was burned by the British troops in the War of 1812. In fact, the Corinthian columns were removed in 1958 after a renovation to the U.S. Capitol Building.

Ben’s Chili Bowl

Nothing says fall comfort food like chili – and nothing says chili like Ben’s Chili Bowl. While we can’t promise a free meal, the famous chili half-smoke is happiness for your wallet and your taste buds.

Kennedy Center

When the fall evenings become too cool for late-night outdoor fun, take in a free performance at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. Showtime is 6 p.m. nightly and includes everything from performances by the National Symphony Orchestra to poetry slams.

Eastern Market

Enjoy live music, local farm-fresh produce, handmade arts, jewelry, crafts and more than 100 merchants on weekend mornings at Eastern Market. While taking in the beautiful fall surroundings, warm up with locally made, toasty beverages and baked goods.

Old Stone House

Journey through time at the Old Stone House in Georgetown is the oldest unchanged building in the District. Why it’s still here: In 1791 George Washington met with Pierre L’Enfant to discuss the plans for the new federal city. For decades it was thought that the meeting took place at the Old Stone House, leading to its preservation. However the National Park Service discovered in the 20th century that the meeting actually took place at a tavern at K and 31st. Stroll through Georgetown and consider a stop at cafe Baked & Wired for nibbles and its fall specialty drink: Chaider.

National Gallery of Art

As days get shorter, entertainment becomes more important. Get swept away by live music with the National Gallery of Art’s free Sunday concerts. The concert usually takes place in the West Garden Court, but may also occur in the Sculpture Garden or West Building Rotunda.

Looking for more free (and almost free) things to do in DC? Find them here.

Fall is packed with exhibits, events and performances in the District. Read up!

From performing arts to exciting exhibits and events, there’s so much to see and do!

Museum Exhibits

‘40 Chances’ – Sept. 18-Jan. 3, 2016
Featuring 40 photos by Howard G. Buffett, this powerful Newseum exhibit illustrates the causes and effects of hunger on five continents. The collection, photographed by the son of billionaire Warren Buffet, is a call to action to find a solution to this global challenge.
Tickets
Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001

Source: Howard G. Buffett

‘Gauguin to Picasso: Masterworks from Switzerland’ – Oct. 10-Jan. 10, 2016
A thrilling exhibition from The Phillips Collection, Gauguin to Picasso takes museumgoers through the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections of prominent art enthusiasts Rudolf Staechelin and Karl Im Obersteg, both from Basel. Explore the 20th-century shift in collecting beyond regional artists with modern-art marvels on display from 22 world-renowned artists
Tickets
The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Source: Paul Gauguin 

‘Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty’ – Oct. 23-March 20, 2016
Discover the first retrospective of photographer Irving Penn’s work in almost 20 years, featuring nearly 160 images that chart his fascination with the transitory nature of style. Covering all stages of Penn’s career, the works include street scenes from the 1930s, photos from the American South from the ‘40s, celebrity portraits, fashion photographs, still lifes and a candid Super 8 mm film shot by his wife capturing the artist at work.
Free
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F NW, Washington, DC 20004

‘Marvelous Objects: Surrealist Sculpture from Paris to New York’ – Oct. 29-Feb. 15, 2016
Experience the first major exhibit of Surrealist sculpture only at the Hirshhorn Museum. The exhibit features 100-plus works by more than 20 artists between the 1920s and ‘50s, including luminaries like Duchamp, Man Ray and Salvador Dalí.
Free
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

‘Wonder’ Renwick Gallery Reopening Exhibit – Nov. 13-July 10, 2016
Following a two-year, $30 million reimaging, the Renwick Gallery, the Smithsonian’s museum of craft and decorative art, reopens with Wonder. The exhibit is composed of nine site-specific works located throughout the gallery, each large-scale installation from a different artist and using unexpected materials to create an immersive, awe-inspiring experience.
Free
Renwick Gallery, 1661 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006

Theater

Women’s Voices Theater Festival – Sept.-Oct. 28
Highlighting only plays written or adapted by women, the Women’s Voices Theater Festival makes history as the largest organized presentation of world-premieres from female playwrights. Running between Labor Day and Halloween, the festival features plays from more than 50 DC metro area theaters to support the work of women playwrights.
Tickets
Citywide

‘Destiny of Desire’ – Sept. 11-Oct. 18
Helen Hayes Award-winning playwright Karen Zacarías infuses a Latin American telenovela with music, high drama and burning passion in this fast-paced modern comedy. Watch the action unfold in this Women’s Voices Theater Festival-supported play as two baby girls, one from wealth and the other from poverty, are swapped at birth.
Tickets
Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street, SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20024

‘The Guard’ – Sept. 25-Oct. 18
When a guard at a modern art museum decides to touch a famous Rembrandt painting, a remarkable journey across the ages ensues in this world-premiere comedy and Women’s Voices Theater Festival production. Spanning centuries of human experience, The Guard movingly explores the power of creative expression and the sacrifices we make in the pursuit of love and beauty.
Tickets
Ford's Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004

‘Beautiful – The Carole King Musical’ – Oct. 6-25
Follow the inspiring true story of Carole King’s rise to stardom, from being a hit songwriting team with her husband to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Revel in this touring Broadway musical featuring stunning performances and see why it took home two Tony Awards in 2014.
Tickets
The Kennedy Center, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566

‘Salomé’ – Oct. 6-Nov. 8
Shakespeare Theatre Company acclaimed director Yaël Farber (Mies Julie) premieres her adaption of the New Testament tale that exemplifies the power of seduction. Rife with drama and intrigue, the Women’s Voices Theater Festival selection tells the story of the Princess of Judaea, who danced for Herod Antipas and asked for the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter.
Tickets
Shakespeare Theatre Company, 610 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004

‘A Christmas Carol’ – Nov. 19-Dec. 31
Get into the holiday spirit early with this timeless Christmas tale adapted from Dickens by Michael Baron. Filled with music, a miser and fun for the whole family, the production promises to capture Scrooge’s journey of transformation and redemption.
Tickets
Ford's Theatre, 511 10th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004

Events

Art All Night: Nuit Blanche – Sept. 26
Five of DC’s most vibrant neighborhoods, Dupont Circle, Shaw, North Capitol, H Street NE and Congress Heights, will partake in Art All Night (7 p.m.-3 a.m.), the all-night art event organized by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Now in its fifth year, Art All Night activates vacant spaces throughout the city with art exhibits, music and more. It was inspired by the early morning art fetes from Paris.
Free
Citywide

Landmark Music Festival – Sept. 26-27
With 40-plus bands on five stages, this only-in-DC event brings Drake, The Strokes and alt-J together to West Potomac Park for a two-day concert for the ages. Aside from the performances, you can also delight in a gourmet food village curated by Jose Andres, free admission for kids 10 and under accompanied by a ticket-holding parent and incredible views in the shadow of the monuments.
Tickets
West Potomac Park, West Basin Drive SW, Washington, DC 20024

Source facebook.com/LandmarkFestDC

Craft2Wear Show – Oct. 1-3
Step inside the Great Hall of the National Building Museum between Oct. 1-3, and enter a world of wearable artworks. This popular event put on by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee offers clothing, jewelry and accessories created by artisans from all around the country.
Tickets
National Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001

Source: flickr/usdagov

Taste of DC 2015 – Oct. 10-11
Featuring local restaurants and breweries to artisanal doughnut shops, this two-day culinary festival will surely satisfy all of your inner-foodie cravings. Held on the heart of Pennsylvania Avenue, the event is an enormous block party (four fun-filled blocks to be exact) with a soundtrack of lively music and entertainment acts. A ticket gets you access to a free drink, more than 40 restaurants, any of 50 beers and 50 wines to taste and a free dish from ShopHouse up to a month after the event.
Tickets
Taste of DC, 675 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004

The Smithsonian Food History Weekend – Oct. 22-24
Be here for this exciting inaugural culinary event from the Smithsonian, featuring a weekend’s worth of food-related entertainment, including appearances by Alton Brown, Daniel Boulud, local cocktail buff Derek Brown and Julia Child Award recipient chef Jacques Pépin. Events include the Food History Gala (Oct. 22, $250), roundtable (Oct. 23, free) the Smithsonian Food History Festival (Oct. 24, free) and an after-hours brewing history event (Oct. 24, $40).
Free with Select Paid Events
National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001

FotoWeek DC – Nov. 6-15
This annual festival presents dynamic photography-based exhibitions, workshops and events, and brings together local and international collaborators to show world-class photography in DC. Be on hand for the opening night celebration (Nov. 6, $40-$60) at the former Spanish ambassador’s residence for photo exhibitions, small bites, open bars, photo booths, music and more. Otherwise, open your shutter for the FotoWeek DC competition covering three categories: photojournalism, fine art and photographer’s choice.
Citywide

Downtown Holiday Market – Nov. 27-Dec. 23
Bringing a festive shopping “village” to the heart of downtown DC, the Downtown Holiday Market (12-8 p.m.) features more than 150 regional artisans, crafters and boutiques of ethically produced goods. Get your gift shopping done, then enjoy sweet treats and musical entertainment at this enchanting bazaar.
Free
8th & F Streets NW, Washington, DC 20001

Come to DC and explore the nation's capital in fall.

Changing leaves on the National Mall, Redskins fans at FedEx Field and new performing arts productions are just a few signs that autumn has arrived in Washington, DC. From September through November, there are plenty of fun fall activities for everyone. - See more at: http://washington.org/topics/fall#sthash.PLLb0MSZ.dpuf

Wondering where to have some free fun this fall? Look no further than the nation's capital.

10 Free (And Almost Free) Things to Do in DC: Fall Edition