Lafayette Square
Lafayette Square is a seven-acre (28,327 m2) public park located within President's Park in Washington, D.C., directly north of the White House on H Street, bounded by Jackson Place on the west, Madison Place on the east and Pennsylvania Avenue on the south. Its story as a place to visit starts in 1821. Close by, White House is 0.1 mi away.
A garden inside Washington
You can stay in Washington
Lafayette Square is inside Washington, which has 247 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 36 miles northeast (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Established in 1821
Lafayette Square dates from 1821. About ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Sep and Oct
April, May, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 67–80°. When to go ↓
An airport 3 miles away
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) has airline service, about 3 miles from Lafayette Square.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather through the year
A visit to Lafayette Square can follow the seasons below.
Lafayette Square
Lafayette Square is a seven-acre (28,327 m2) public park located within President's Park in Washington, D.C., directly north of the White House on H Street, bounded by Jackson Place on the west, Madison Place on the east and Pennsylvania Avenue on the south. It is named for the general, the Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat, and hero of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783).
The square includes several statues of revolutionary heroes from Europe, including Lafayette. At its center is a famous statue of early 19th century U.S. president and general Andrew Jackson on horseback with both of the horse's front hooves raised.
- Type
- Garden
- Established
- 1821
- Area
- 7.0 acres
- Wikipedia readers
- 27K a year
Where to base yourself for Lafayette Square
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Washington (247) and Arlington (58).
- 1White House
- 2Washington Monument
- 3Smithsonian Institution
- 4United States Triumphal Arch
- 5Arlington National Cemetery
- 6Lincoln Memorial
- 7Ford's Theatre
- 8National Mall
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Lafayette Square | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | in town | — | 247 201 hotels · 2 motels · 24 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 12 hostels · 2 campgrounds | 693,645 | $737K | D− |
| Arlington | 4 mi southwest | 5 min | 58 54 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 236,254 | $895K | — |
| Alexandria | 6 mi southwest | 10 min | 44 41 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 160,662 | $735K | C |
| Bethesda | 8 mi northwest | 10 min | 26 23 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 69,397 | $1,170K | — |
| Tysons | 10 mi west | 15 min | 25 25 hotels | 28,936 | $640K | — |
| College Park | 9 mi northeast | 15 min | 17 16 hotels · 1 motel | 35,418 | $438K | — |
| National Harbor | 8 mi south | 10 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 4,454 | $473K | — |
| North Bethesda | 11 mi northwest | 15 min | 13 13 hotels | 49,677 | $732K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Next door to Lafayette Square
These well-known places are within 3 miles.
Big draw1in town National park siteWhite House311K visitors a year
Big draw2in town National MemorialWashington Monument204K visitors a year
Big draw3in town MuseumSmithsonian Institution30.0M visitors a year
Big draw42 mi LandmarkUnited States Triumphal Arch
Big draw52 mi LandmarkArlington National Cemetery
Big draw6in town National MemorialLincoln Memorial7.7M visitors a year
Big draw7in town National Historic SiteFord's Theatre National Historic Site394K visitors a year
Big draw8in town National park siteNational MallPhoto credits
White House: This image or media was taken or created by Matt H. Wade. To see his entire port, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Washington Monument: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Smithsonian Institution: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946-, photographer, Public domain · United States Triumphal Arch: Hstoops, CC0 · Arlington National Cemetery: Protoant, Public domain · Lincoln Memorial: Aerial_view_of_Lincoln_Memorial_-_east_side.jpg: Carol M. Highsmith derivative w, Public domain · Ford's Theatre National Historic Site: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mall: Raul654 at en.wikipedia. Later version(s) were uploaded by Michael Shields at e, CC BY-SA 3.0
Know before you visit Lafayette Square
Is Lafayette Square in Washington?
Yes. It’s inside Washington, DC.
When is the best time to visit Lafayette Square?
April, May, September and October, with highs of 67–80°.
How far is Lafayette Square from Baltimore?
About 36 miles northeast of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Lafayette Square?
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 3 miles away.
Where should I stay near Lafayette Square?
Washington (in town, 247 places to stay), Arlington (4 mi, 58 places to stay) and Alexandria (6 mi, 44 places to stay).
Local know-how from Washington
Tips will appear here once someone posts in Washington’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.