United States Botanic Garden, Washington DC

Since we were next to the Garden on our first day in Washington and also had half-a-day left, we thought of visiting the Botanic Garden. Also, the entry is free, so there was no reason to not visit!

The garden is divided into 3 sections – Conservatory, National Garden, and Bartholdi Park. It is a great indoor facility if you want to beat the heat and explore the nature. There are many breathtaking exhibits, which makes for a perfect photo-op. I particularly liked the Orchids.

I suggest spending at least an hour inside the conservatory – read the names of plants and flowers, take a few stops to inhale the whiff around; if you have kids, it is a great opportunity to teach them about the varieties of plants from across the globe.

Once you are done indoors, there is much to see outdoors too. We avoided it being a hot day.

Here are a few sections I recommend covering overall:

• Take a walk around the tropical rainforest, and also have a view of the jungle canopy.
• Have a look at the huge collection of ever blooming orchids.
• The desert section gives an arid feel; but at the same time, you are spellbound by the beauty of plants.
• There is a fountain and multiple gardens outside, which should not be missed.

The plants and seeds available at their store are reasonably priced – do buy them!