The United States National Arboretum is a burst of color and a treasure trove of nature’s most beautiful specimens. This garden (also a park and a research institution) is home to world-famous botanical collections that span 446 acres! From azaleas and bonsai plants to dwarf conifers, there’s just so much to see and admire. Whether you’re a nature-lover, an artist, or someone who just wants a quiet stroll, the arboretum is the perfect place to visit.

Be transported to other parts of the world as you step into the Japanese Woodland and traverse the Korean Hillside, both a part of the Asian Collections. Don’t forget to snap pictures of the Classical Chinese Garden, and to gaze at the vibrant blossoms in the Flowering Tree Collection. Of course, it’s not just nature you can admire here - the Arboretum features a number of public artworks, including the “Split Ritual”. These vertical pieces are not the only standing structures: here you can find the National Capitol Columns, whose reflections are mirrors almost perfectly in the deep blue waters before them. While you’re in Washington D.C., you definitely can’t miss out this treasure!