Roosevelt Island is an 88-acre natural area dedicated to the 26th president of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt was a major advocate for nature conservation and added almost 230 million acres of protected land during his term in office. It is very fitting that the monument to his legacy is a nature preserve.

The Island, accessible only by foot, is made up of two and a half-miles of trails that wind through three major ecological zones: upland forest, swamp, and tidal marsh. The trails are very easy and kid-friendly.

The island gets pretty busy on the weekends and the small parking lot fills up quickly. If you don’t have a car, you can take the Metro to Rosslyn station and walk from there. If you’re up for a long walk, I would recommend starting in Georgetown, walking along the waterfront, crossing the Key Bridge, and then making your way to the Island.