Skate, Swim, and Score While You Soak in the Sun!

This is a fun, cool playground with kid-friendly climbing structures and a number of activities to keep your kids occupied. Banneker Recreation Center is the perfect place to play outdoors on a beautiful day at any time of year.

Located near Howard University, this DC space offers a fabulous playground with tons of climbing equipment, a small skate plaza perfect for a child learning the ropes, and a large DC public pool, which can be very crowded on the weekends when it is open in the summer (pool is closed on Thursdays).

The playground is great for young to old kids and the skate plaza has small ramps and benches perfect for parents watching their kids learn. 

The rec center also has free fitness classes for adults that a great way to get moving. 

The Banneker are also features eight lighted tennis and basketball courts, and during summer Saturday mornings there is a free tennis club! There is also a baseball diamond that is great for kickball, throwing a frisbee around, or practicing baseball. During the day, there is hardly any shade on the tennis courts, so prepare accordingly with hats, sunscreen, and water. 

It's a great spot to bring a picnic. Be prepared to walk a distance to access the restrooms, they are at the pool building. 

Need to grab a bite to eat after playing?

Restaurants like Subway, Chipotle, and McDonald’s are the closest food sources, but there are many foodie-friendly choices on U Street as well as 14th Street. 

Sweetgreen is 0.7 miles, and Matchbox, Ted's Bulletin, and Ice Cream Jubilee are all just around a mile away around 14th and T Street in Cardozo, (just past Harrison Playground and Sprayground).