Enjoy A Self-Guided DC Holiday Tree Walk in Washington, DC

This DC holiday tree walk connects Washington DC’s most accessible Christmas trees—indoors and outdoors—through Capitol Hill, downtown, and President’s Park. The route works well after dark, stays mostly flat, and pairs architecture with seasonal displays rather than crowds or ticketed events.

There is something special about an evening walk in Washington, DC, during the holidays. On this excursion, I took an evening walk to six iconic locations (the Library of Congress, U.S. Capitol, Canadian Embassy, CityCenterDC, Willard Continental Hotel, and President’s Park), to see the festive indoor and outdoor holiday trees. 

My evening DC holiday tree walk offers two miles of holiday magic and exercise! Washington, DC is famous for its abundant Christmas activities.

In this post, I share what it’s like to experience our nation’s capital during the holidays, including architectural insights on the buildings and walking directions—written in the walk-at-your-own-pace spirit of FemaleSoloTrek.

Total distance: ~2.3 miles

Total walking time (not including stops): ~45–50 minutes

Best time: After sunset, ideally between 5:30 and 8:30 pm

 — Indoor Holiday Tree

My DC holiday tree walk starts at 4 p.m. as the Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress closes at 5 pm (except Thursday nights). You will need to reserve a free timed ticket. On Thursday nights, the Jefferson Building stays open to 8 p.m. Reserve early! (The building is closed on Mondays.)

Completed in 1897, the Jefferson Building is a showcase of Beaux-Art architecture. Marble staircases, mosaics, and allegorical murals frame the Great Hall. The Library of Congress’s holiday tree stands beneath a richly decorated ceiling on the second floor. The historic building is the ideal starting point for your holiday walk.

Walking directions to the next stop:

Exit onto First Street SE and walk west along Independence Avenue SE toward the Capitol.

Location: 10 First Street SE

Distance: ~0.4 miles

Time: ~8 minutes

 — Capitol Christmas Tree (West Lawn)

The Capitol’s neoclassical design—columns, symmetry, and the central dome—anchors the city visually and politically. The Christmas tree on the West Lawn adds a temporary counterpoint to that permanence, drawing people into a space usually viewed from a distance.

I love watching parents lining up their kids to snap a picture. “Don’t move. Stay still. Don’t pull your sister’s braid.” There is always a crowd on the weekends to take a holiday photo in this iconic location. 

Walking directions to the next stop:

Walk north from the West Lawn toward Constitution Avenue NW, then head west.

Distance: ~0.3 miles

Time: ~6 minutes

 — Outdoor Christmas Tree

The Canadian Embassy combines limestone and glass with references to landscape and light. Its outdoor Christmas tree feels integrated into the architecture rather than staged, offering a quieter stop that contrasts with the Capitol’s scale.

The outdoor Christmas tree is displayed in the Rotunda of the Provinces and Territories so pedestrians and drivers can see it on Pennsylvania Avenue. 

“ … allows us to infuse our corner of Pennsylvania Avenue with a little home-grown holiday spirit.“—Government of Canada 

The balsam fir tree has been gifted to the community for the past three decades by the Christmas Tree Council of Nova Scotia (CTCNS) and the Delong Family Farm in New Germany, NS. The color scheme is red and white, mirroring the Canadian flag. 

Walking directions to the next stop:

Continue west briefly, then head north toward downtown along Pennsylvania Avenue NW

• Location: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Distance: ~0.5 miles

Time: ~10 minutes

 — 78-Foot Outdoor Tree

CityCenterDC represents modern Washington: open plazas, pedestrian corridors, and contemporary glass buildings. The 78-foot-tall Christmas tree and two resident 25-foot-tall reindeer sit at the Park at CityCenter. They create a pause point in an area designed for movement rather than ceremony.

For more than a decade, CityCenter DC has organized an annual Holiday Tree Lighting. In 2025, this ceremony occurred over Thanksgiving weekend. Grammy Award-winning singer Michelle Williams performed.

Walking directions to the next stop:

Walk south toward Pennsylvania Avenue NW and continue east.

Location: The Park at CityCenter, 1098 New York Ave. NW

Distance: ~0.4 miles

Time: ~8 minutes

The exterior of the Willard Intercontinental Hotel features a grand Doric entrance, French mansard roof and dormers, and iron balconies. 

Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed it. The Beaux-Arts architecture embodies the grandeur of early 20th-century American hotel design. 

Step inside the lobby and see the formal Christmas tree. It features the entire collection of official White House Christmas ornaments since 1981. 

Nightly holiday caroling takes place at 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm from December 1–22. There is no requirement to purchase beverages or food. But you should arrive early if you want to sit down on the sofa or chairs.

After you depart the hotel, you can stop at Willard Center to see the magnificent outdoor holiday tree.

Walking directions to the next stop:

Walk west along Pennsylvania Avenue NW toward the White House area.

Location: 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Distance: ~0.3 miles

Time: ~6 minutes

 — National Christmas Tree (The Ellipse)

The National Christmas Tree stands on the Ellipse, an open space framed by the White House and the Washington Monument. This year’s National Christmas Tree is a 35-foot red spruce from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Virginia.

According to the National Park Service, the beloved tradition of the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony began on Christmas Eve in 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge lit a 48-foot Balsam Fir from Vermont. It was decorated with 2,500 red, white, and green electric bulbs. 

“The 45-minute program, replete with angel figures in white robes, nativity tableaux, carols, and Boy Scouts waving American flags, was modeled largely on community celebrations in other cities.”

Surrounding the National Christmas Tree are 58 smaller trees. Each is decorated with handmade ornaments and a sign recognizing the school or organization that created them. This stop emphasizes participation rather than display, closing the walk on a communal note.

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This route works because it moves between civic interiors and open public space, showing how Washington marks the season without gates or tickets. The trees are encountered the same way the city itself is best experienced—on foot, at night, and without rushing.

If you are like me, you want to bring your dog on holiday excursions. My DC Holiday Tree Walk works perfectly for dog owners if you are willing to skip the indoor stops at the Library of Congress and the Willard Hotel. Luckily, the Willard Center stop offers an outdoor holiday tree so you can pose with your favorite furry friend.

If you don’t have time for all the stops, I recommend visiting the National Christmas Tree with your dog. You’ll both enjoy a vigorous walk to see the 58 different little trees.

This walk connects with my collection of self-guided Washington DC neighborhood walks, where each area is explored on foot.