Tired of people watching all day? Come to the National Zoo and animal watch instead. Open 364 days a year, this 163-acre zoo is set in the heart of D.C. With 2,000 animals of nearly 400 different species, this zoo is huge.

The National Zoo is most known for its famous residents: giant pandas Tian Tian and Mei Xiang. There are plenty of other interesting animals as well, from seals and sea lions to Asian elephants. There are also various programs happening everyday, whether it’s meeting zebras or watching a crazy octopus feeding. The zoo also offers various education programs, from the Wildlife Studies Certificate Program to children’s classes for ages two and older.

The zoo requires at least a few hours to go through all the exhibits and is exciting whether there’s snow on the ground or on a beautiful summer day. And hey, it’s not every day that you get to see an animal roaming around in Washington D.C.