Fall is officially here, but AU’s tree-lined campus is the perfect place to study and relax year round.

If touching grass (the idiom people use online to say, Go outside; enjoy nature!) is an important part of your daily life, or you’ve always preferred to study in outdoor spaces, you’ve come to the right place. An accredited, award-winning arboretum and public garden in a residential district of northwest Washington, DC, American University’s 90-acre campus gives you the advantages of a traditional college setting combined with unparalleled access to the energy, culture, and opportunities of our nation's capital.

We’re also the first university in the U.S. to be fully carbon neutral and #2 on The Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Colleges list, upholding our commitment to sustainability from day one, so our environmentally conscious campus just makes sense.

Keep reading to learn about our favorite scenic green (or orange, or pink, depending on the season) spaces where you can throw down a picnic blanket with friends and study, toss a frisbee, hang a hammock, or simply, well, touch grass (we all need to do it every once in a while).

“The Quad” Eric A. Friedheim Quadrangle

Located at the heart of campus, there’s good reason for the Quad being a community favorite whether the sun is blazing or it’s a crisp autumn day. Through the changing seasons, students will roll out blankets and catch rays, bring hammocks and play lawn games outdoors to enjoy the weather. Some professors will also hold outdoor classes on the Quad, and during our All-American Welcome in August, it’s where many campus-wide events take place, from community picnics, student involvement fairs, Thank Clawed It’s Wednesday, and more. 

The Woods-Brown Amphitheater

One of the most peaceful yet active places on campus, the Woods-Brown Amphitheater is a special green oasis bordered on three sides by large buildings but shaded by massive Tulip Poplars and other large trees, shrubs, and plant life. You can always find something happening in this cherished wooded setting, whether students are quietly reading a book, chatting with friends, listening to a lecture, dancing during a concert, or participating in a ceremony. 

By The Dol Hareubang Statues

Tucked among the greenery by the East Quad and Woods Gate campus entrance along Nebraska Avenue, you’ll find two unassuming but iconic stone statues among the cherry trees. In 2011, Korea donated a pair of dol hareubang, or grandfather, statues—traditional volcanic rock guardians from Jeju island—as additions to this garden. They are meant to protect the public spaces where they’re located and represent strong cultural connections. These are especially a sight to see in the spring when the cherry blossoms overhead are in full bloom—in fact, last year, The Washington Post named AU Park—the campus and the surrounding neighborhood—one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in the DC area. 

Photo credit: AU Community Garden Instagram @i_begyourgarden

The Community Garden

Did you know you can learn about and grow your own food and herbs directly on campus? Run primarily by students with support from Facilities Management and the Office of Sustainability, the AU Community Garden, located behind our Katzen Arts Center, offers a community building experience and even events like outdoor movie nights in the garden. From asparagus to kale to blueberries and bell peppers, creative ideas are always being implemented here and students get to watch the fruits of their labor (literally) come to life. 

The University Labyrinth

The University Labyrinth is a Zen Maze right in front of our Kay Spiritual Life Center on the Quad and serves as a space for reflection, meditation, and rest in the heart of AU's campus. The winding path aims to slow us down yet allows for a physical path (for the restless among us) toward our own centers of intuition and inner strength. In the midst of a busy and stressful academic year, the Labyrinth remains a visible statement of American University’s commitment to wellness and wholeness. 

The Sudama Boulders

Three years ago, the National Geographic Society gifted “Sudama”—then titled “Marabar”, a monumental sculptural installation by American artist Elyn Zimmerman—to American University. Picture it: Five enormous granite boulders and smaller accent rocks, weighing more than 450,000 pounds total, surround a crescent-shaped pool of running water. The tranquil, reflective space along Massachusetts Avenue offers a natural respite for students, faculty, staff, visitors, and the broader DC community, and highlights AU as a convening arts institution in the region. You don’t have to just picture it, you can visit it! 

Campus Beautification Day

Though it’s not a landscape feature, we thought we’d throw in an honorable mention for our annual Campus Beautification Day, a tradition in early spring where student, faculty, staff, and community volunteers come together to lend a helping hand and beautify our campus grounds. On this day, flower beds are planted, mulch is spread, gardens are weeded, trash is collected and properly sorted, and other sustainability-related activities are undertaken. So, while you’re enjoying our beautiful campus spaces, you can be assured that the entire AU community works in tandem with our dedicated Facilities Management team to keep them in the best shape possible.