Formerly a campsite for the homeless, the city completely revitalized this park, bringing in new grass, seating, play areas, accessible sidewalks, trees, fountains, and seasonal decor. The downtown officegoer crowd spends lunches here, and it's a great spot to stroll with pets or push a stroller. It's a huge improvement to an area of downtown DC that woefully needed attention. read more

See all

Peaceful and relaxing environment. Perfect for picnic or evening walk. There is also music bands sometime and it's close to the metro station. read more

See all

This is a really cute spot to sit and enjoy the ambience of the city. I think they also host events periodically on weekends. read more

Franklin Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

While walking from the White House to Planet Word Museum, we came across Franklin Park. As we were just passing through, I didn't spend much time in the park, but I immediately noticed how lovely and well maintained the park was and stopped to take some photos. Opened in 1832, the park reopened in September 2021 after a year-long closure and a $18 million renovation. Well, money well spent; the park is absolutely gorgeous, and I'd like to explore it some more the next time I am DC. When travelling, my husband and I like to just walk around, because you never know what you will discover! The park also has washrooms, although I didn't use them, so I can't vouch for the cleanliness. However, knowing where there are washrooms is alway very important! [Yelp collections: East Coast 2022; Washington, DC 2022; Parks and Gardens; Pee for free!] read more

See all

First time I've been here since they redid the Square. I think they were trying to make it more appealing to people, and reduce the number of homeless people living here. At any rate, to accomplish this, they cut down a lot of the mature trees. So if you're looking for a shady spot to sit, this may not be the place for another 20 years. It now has a small fountain in the center, and visually it is a more interesting place than it was before. read more

Franklin Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I think this park was much better when it had trees. Sure it was somewhat rundown before, but that never stopped me from passing thru. Granted I never went to this park to hang out. I was around when they were reconstructing the park, and I felt they were doing the park an injustice. The park could have still been remodeled with new lights, sidewalks, and park benches. Eliminating nearly all of the 100+ year old trees was detrimental in my opinion. Other big cities don't go around ripping all of the trees down when they remodel their parks in the city. Mexico City is a perfect example of that. I was there for their 6 month remodel of their Central Park called Alameda. What they did was prune the trees not get rid of them. Needless to say Alameda has several hundred more years of existence than this Franklin Park. I guess some cities care more than others when it comes to the quality of their parks. read more

Franklin Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

On September 24, 2021, Mayor Bowser, The National Park Service and Downtown DC (the BID) staff had a ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovated, new Franklin Park. It took approximately 13 months to complete. It is beautiful. There are lovely benches, a nice walking space and a great outdoors area for concerts and events. @downtowndc or the DowntownDC Facebook page will have event listings. There are plans for a restaurant and children's garden. The location is convenient. Planet Word is half a block away. read more

Franklin Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

This great greenspace reopened after a renovation in 2021, and it's a great place to stop and enjoy a meal, a snack, a coffee, your favorite book outside in the fresh air and sunlight if the weather is nice! We were in the neighborhood to visit the recently reopened museum just down the street and decided to stop and relax in the park for a bit. It has great seating, so we sat down at a table and chairs near the fountain, where I read my book and finished my coffee for a few minutes. A great spot for relaxing for a bit if you're having a busy day of touristing around DC! A lovely park. read more

Nicely renovated park with lots of grassy areas and benches for seating. There is also a small fountain in the center and a status of John Berry (I've never heard of him either) on one side of the park. I think they have events there sometimes, but I haven't been there to check any of those out. This place is worth checking out if you're in the area and looking for a place to walk or relax. read more

Franklin Park - John Barry Statue (No, I'd never heard of him either) - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

A nice open space in the city. Decorated for Christmas so even better at night with all the lights. Great spot to sit and relax or just walk around. read more

lovely city park. excellent place to sit on a sunny day. lots of seating. not enough shade.

Franklin Park is a small park in downtown DC and it has a nice walking path. It's surrounded by beautiful old buildings, highly recommend! read more

Franklin Park - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Five stars the staff here keeps the grounds very clean bathrooms are always clean as well. This is a great spot to each lunch on a nice day, during the week parking here isn't too bad but love parking here when it's free because who doesn't love saving a coin. I met the love of my life in this newly renovated park and it will forever hold a special place in my heart! read more

As usual the park is very clean and we'll monitored. Park kept clean&beggar free to enhance enjoyment of local plants/flowers. read more

I had to kill 30 minutes around here to join an event this evening. First I was window shopping but all sudden I longed for a peaceful time. It was super noisy there in a rush hour but I got relaxed. I focused the greens. Trees, weeds, sounds of birds, people passing by in front of me,... Cost: Free. Parking: Garage or street. If you park on a street, you must be careful. Many streets say free after18:30 but some are not. I ended up getting s ticket. $50?! I did not know the rule because most streets around here say free after 18:00. So I caught the man checking tickets and asked about it. He told me that I should take some pictures of signs and called their office. The street has a big sign mentioned about it. I heard even many local people do not know the rule. read more

See all

Franklin Square Park is a park caught between two worlds. The first world is one where the largest homeless population of DC live. Dozens and dozens of men and women who all have a fascinating story and who know our city better than anyone, call Franklin Square Park their home. With all their belongings, they occupy many of the benches of the park. They are good people. I recommend grabbing two lunches and joining one for a bite to eat to hear their stories. The other world is the elite of DC. With buildings nearby that house DC's finest like The Washington Post, Franklin Square Par attracts a dozen food trucks for lunch during the week day. The city provides free wifi, meeting space, and even picnic blankets for people to enjoy by the large fountain in the middle of the park. It's a world caught between two places, but it's worth venturing out into. read more

So this park is very similar to Farragut, except it does not have as much grass, but instead makes up for that with trees providing shade everywhere! On a hot day it's rather refreshing to enjoy that coolness, and the fountain that I haven't actually seen on in a while. Plenty of food trucks line up on K St and 13th Street everyday to provide ample options to eat. It's nice that there is a huge cluster of tables to sit at as well -- but good luck finding a seat during peak lunch time; it gets so crowded! McPherson Square metro station is also right across the street, and aside from the trucks there are plenty of restaurants around like Toro Toro, Five Guys, a buffet spot, and many more. But if I do decide to eat on the square, I have one huge issue: bugs. Whenever I try to eat lunch here, I'm always dealing with either nagging flies or bees, it's the worst! Not only will you see a bunch of 9-5(30) workers from the surrounding buildings walking around or sitting out there, but you will also see plenty of homeless folks -- way more than in Farragut Square. I bet it's the shade that's appealing to them. Don't let them deter you though, they won't bother ya. read more

This grass-covered square is notable for two things. One, it's a huge bus hub, especially for the Circulators. Two, it's apparently home for half the city's homeless population. I don't begrudge people for taking the public space available to them, but it is a reminder that no matter how much the city is "revitalized", some people are being left behind. We really need to give them better options. read more

This is a crazy little nook in DC. Crazy because it brings all worlds together. The poor, the rich, the homeless. What I mean is that there are a lot and I stress, a lot of homeless people who live in this park. It's utterly heartbreaking to me. But, I spoke with a few Park residents who seemed genuinely happy even if this wasn't the life they had planned for themselves. So in addition to the homeless you'll see 9-5 types and everyday folks popping through heading to their next destination. It's a park so it has benches, trees, some greenery. Just what you'd expect to see in a city neighborhood park. read more

Franklin Square Park is a great place to catch the food truck line-up at lunch time. There's plenty of park benches and lawn space to sit. The Downtown DC BID staff are there cleaning the park pretty often, so you won't see much litter and trash lying around. You'll see all sorts of people at this park; worker bees, homeless people, joggers and people just waiting to catch the next bus. Good place to people-watch, too. read more

The Location/Food: This is a great place to stop by for lunch because there will be a wide selection of food trucks that will line the sides of this park. Some great food trucks that frequent the park would be Ball or Nothing, Dangerously Delicious Pie, and El Fuego. There is also a fountain in the middle with lots of seating for people to grab lunch and sit and enjoy the weather. However, the seating is limited to 4 per table, so if you have a larger group you may need to navigate some tables together. It is in a high traffic area, so it is a great place to people watch, grab some good food, and enjoy eating outside. read more

On December 4, 2011 In Franklin Square, Washington DC I found a picture propped up on the statue of Commodore John Barry. It's painted on a 6 x 8 canvas board. Mostly a study in blue with a "broken" red heart, and two eyes. Depending on how you squint .... it looks a bit like a sheep dog's face ... or has a crow flying. I've post a photo of the picture in the photos section here. read more

Franklin Park - Picture found in Franklin Park, Washington DC. December 4, 2011. - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I eat lunch in this park almost every day because it's like watching a one hour sitcom on your lunch hour. It's like an adventure every day to try to find a bench without bum scum on it -- or a bum themselves. Today alone, I witnessed an old man doing tai chi (he's there almost every day.) He has a cane and wears the same clothes every day with this big floppy fishing hat. But, he is out there, EVERY day, finding his chi or whatever the eff you do with tai chi. Then, there came the crazy bums. Today, one man decided to walk around in a black blazer with no shirt on and a white trucker hat. Oh, right, white tube socks and orthopedic shoes as well. At one point, he apparently was so hot that he decided to take off his blazer and run around preaching (to himself) about God only knows what (probably God...or his imaginary girlfriend Priscilla the Pigeon.) Also -- pigeons. Yes, they are everywhere. Do not throw one peice of food on the ground, or they will become your new best friends forever. I suggest trying to kick one of them to show them who's boss. They take the hint most of the time. And last, but certainly not least, the SEGWAY TOURISTAS! There is the segway tour headquarters across from the park. Before our lovely tourists venture out to the White House and the National Mall to *hopefully* accidentally wheel into uncoming traffic, they come to practice--in Franklin Square Park. Imagine: your 70 year old grandmother on a motorized stand-up scooter with a futuristic helmet on following a crowd of 20 other Segwayers. Imagine...for a moment. You will not want to miss it. If I'm accompanied by someone at lunch and we're observing them, we usually take bets on who is going to fall first straight into the fountain. Usually, it's the hawaiian shirt dude or the fanny pack mom. That is the CliffNotes version of the one hour season premiere of Franklin Square Park. Next week: the crazy homeless woman who tries to start fights with everyone and the church groups who feed everyone--just 'cause they love Jesus. read more

Nice park, had a sandwich here in peace and quiet and just watched the marvelous trees. Not that many homeless people around but the ones that were there seemed nice enough. Cool place to just sit tight and relax for a bit when you are hustling and bustling in the downtown area. read more

Franklin Park - Really nice to place to sit and think for a second - Parks Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

There were a lot of homeless people, sunning themselves on the lunch hour, a couple weeks ago in Franklin Square Park. I was watching from a sidewalk cafe on 13th street, and It looked so pleasant that I decided to cross the street and join them (not like I actually talked to them--I just followed suit). Anyway, it is a great park, described by the national register of historic places as "A bustling square in the heart of DC". I know it as a place where I can throw a football over lunch break or just take my shirt off and lay in the sun, putting off the afternoon work shift for another five or ten minutes. The fountain there is shaded by some tall trees, and on a sunny day it seems like an oasis in the middle of the concrete jungle... read more

I ate lunch here yesterday with my friend and it was a beautiful day to be eating outside. It took a bit of wandering around before we found a perfectly shaded bench free of napping homeless people. If I worked downtown, I could totally see myself eating lunch here in the afternoon. Thankfully there were very few pigeons that came near me to "beg" for food, but I was constantly swatting flies away from my bulgogi. read more

A well maintained park located in the heart of D.C. that is perfect for jogs, walks, and grabbing a bite to eat. Everyday around lunch time the park is home to a line of food trucks that are organized and delicious, with prices ~ $10. However, this park has unfortunately becoming the home and breeding ground of the homeless. Not to be rude, but they do disrupt the aura of the park as you will constantly be haggled for spare change. Its not a huge problem, its just something you may possibly encounter. Great place to take a break from stressful work and get away from the city life of D.C., I personally love to eat my lunch here on a pleasant weathered day. There is a good amount of shades and benches but the grass is lush enough to sit on. Try to avoid visiting the park during the evening and nighttime hours as light is minimal and unfriendly people start to become visible. read more

Lots of food trucks, and plenty of space. Great place to grab a seat, read a book or munch on your lunch. Lovely park.

A welcome splash of green in an otherwise busy part of the city, and right next to my office to boot. Every day at lunch you'll be able to see a great variety of food trucks for lunch. Each day is different and many trucks come back on the same weekday. You'll be able to see local birds and squirrels as well as historial statues. The metro is close by and there are spaces for your motorcycle/scooters. The street parking for cars is in high demand though. The park is fairly well maintained with very little trash littering the ground. However as the weather gets warmer, you will see more and more homeless people occupying the park. The grass leaves a little to be desired, but with the amount of visitors and the shade provided by the trees, I bet it would be hard to grow grass as fast as it disappears read more

I wasn't a huge fan of this park. It's not the nicest and there are homeless people literally taking up every bench. I don't even see how someone could possibly go and grab a seat. The wife and I cut through this park one night on the walk back to our hotel and it was pretty sketchy, to say the least. There are much nicer places in DC to go on a nice, sunny day than here. read more

Great idea to have parks in the city but ot attracts homeless people, especially at night. Makes the area feel dingy, especially if you are walking alone & people come up to you asking for money.. read more

Stayed in a hotel nearby for 5 days and walked by daily. Yes there were some homeless people hanging around all the time but they were just chilling and minding their own business. On my way home this evening I saw two fairly large rodents fighting over a fast food takeout bag next to a trash can. I thought they were squirrels at first and tried to take a picture of them with my phone. As I got closer I realized that I was actually attempting to photo two big rats. So that was the encounter that landed Franklin Square the fifth star for this review. read more

Great place to relax and have lunch among the trees! I enjoy the fresh air and sunshine and a chance to get out of the office for a break!

i've been living in this city since 2003. WHY have i never been here?? my square burger and mini-golf compadres all asked themselves the same thing. is it because it's off the beaten path? is it because it's normally littered with children? whatever the reason, i've now pushed this park ahead of rittenhouse square any day... or at least a non-kid-overrun weeknight. in a short bike ride we were magically whisked away to a small patch of the city that was out of mary poppins: lovely center fountain, lush grass, carousel, food and gift stands, sculptures, and minigolf! arriving somewhat late, we snatched up our comfort foods and shakes from square burger and pulled up chairs next to the fountain. thinking we could squeeze in a minigolf game at 8:30 we asked the girls if we could stay past closing hours at 9:00 to finish our game if need be. the owner said that we can play for free if we are sure to finish by 9. in a light-hearted game of putt-putt, we raced through all 18 holes that featured different philadelphia landmarks. having worked at elfreth's alley, i took issue with it's rendering... not historically accurate. ;) clean and carved out with waterways and familiar toy-sized figures, this minigolf course was fun fun fun! i'll be back to actually play for real now that i have the ins on the course. ;) a great way to have some good clean fun with friends! read more

I walked through the park in the middle of the night. The respect that I received there was very noticable. Never insult the homeless people in this park. Take nothing for granted in this park. Be polite to everyone no matter how crazy they look. Nothing is as it seems here. read more