When it comes to learning English, practice makes perfect. The more you study (or practice) English, the better you will be at communicating using it. For those students attending language schools in Washington DC, the summer weather makes studying more enjoyable. In May, the average temperature in DC is 76 degrees Fahrenheit. From June-August, the temperature rises about ten degrees with highs in the mid-to-high eighties.
Whether you are practicing listening, speaking, writing, or reading in English or preparing for the IELTS or TOEFL, trekking outdoors will be a nice change of pace. Gather up your friends from your English class in DC, your laptop or mobile device with a fully charged battery, sunscreen, and a bottle of water, and you are ready for a full day of studying English in the sunshine.
If you need help finding a place to study outdoors this summer in DC, here are fifteen excellent spots that students attending language schools in DC will enjoy.
Any coffee shop or café with a patio
There are countless coffee shops and cafes that offer patios or outdoor seating. These spots are excellent places to study – especially for those studying the English language. This is because they provide ample people-watching opportunities. Busboys and Poets is one of the most popular study spots in this category. Note –If you plan to study at one of these locations, you should plan to make a purchase.
Technically, this is an indoor study spot located inside the National Portrait Gallery. However, with a stunning glass-ceiling, you still get to enjoy the brilliant summer sunshine – without the heat. This free study spot offers several tables.
You can explore the Kennedy Center Roof Terrace for free from 10 am to midnight. In addition to the amazing views of DC, the roof terrace is also home to two restaurants: The Roof Terrace Restaurant and the KC Cafe.
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is the largest urban park located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. This historic park is a quintessential part of DC making it a great study spot for students studying abroad to take an English class in DC.
Students can visit the National Arboretum for free daily from 8 am to 5 pm. This outstanding arboretum is home to beautiful landscaping, plants, gardens, and exhibits. If the idea of taking a study break to stop and smell the roses sounds ideal, then this is the perfect study spot for you.
Tregaron Estate at Rock Creek Park
Located within Rock Creek Park, the historic Tregaron Estate contains the original mansion, greenhouse, dacha, gardener’s cottage, and carriage house. The unique setting and scenery, including lily ponds and several small waterfalls, making it a neat place to escape and study.
Located within the National Mall by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, this is another piece of DC that is a perfect study spot for students calling DC home for a short time. While there are some benches, plan to pack a blanket and study under the shade of the trees.
Home at the National Cathedral, students will be delighted to discover the beautifully hidden Bishop’s Garden. The beautiful garden is open to visitors and is a quiet place to study or reflect.
The magnificent historic Dumbarton Oaks Garden is open to public Tuesdays – Sundays for a fee. While you may not make this a regular study spot because of the fee and the crowds, it will still make for a wonderful outdoor space to visit on at least one study occasion.
As a part of the National Park Service and Rock Creek Park, Meridian Hill Park is a historic landmark that is free to the public. Known for its unique statues and fountain, this 12-acre park is a favorite by many.
Offering quiet respite from the busyness of the district, Theodore Roosevelt Island is located 88 acres on the Potomac River with trails, forests, and kayaking opportunities. Students attending a Washington language school will enjoy visiting this park whether for study or pleasure. With the kayaking programs, Theodore Roosevelt Island is also a popular spot for summer aquatic activities.
This man-made lake in Columbia, Maryland is worth the trip for an afternoon of study. In the heart of downtown Columbia, there is plenty to see and do. After picking up a bite to eat, students can sit and enjoy the lake views while they study.
Canal Park is a newer DC-area park on Capitol Riverfront that offers green space in the middle of an urban area. What makes Canal Park a great study spot is that it offers benches with electric outlets so you can charge or recharge batteries for laptops and mobile devices.
It won’t take long for students new to DC to discover their favorite memorial or spot along the National Mall. Since it is free and open to the public, students can meander the National Mall at their leisure to find which monument steps or which park tree is their favorite study spot. Just be prepared to fight a tourist over your special spot on occasion or kindly offer to take their photo so you can get back to studying.
Study English in Washington DC This Summer
Students attending the Washington language school inlingua will be happy to learn their classes are across the street from Gateway Park. Gateway Park has an amphitheater, garden, paved trails, and fountains. In other words, this is the perfect study spot for you to gather with your inlingua classmates to continue practicing English after you leave the classroom. Along these same lines, inlingua also hosts a social activities program that makes it easy to extend your English studies beyond the classroom to out and about around DC.
