I’m walking around Washington D.C's National Mall. The sky is slate gray and the air feels penetratingly chilly. Nature’s fall foliage display is over; mostly brown grass and practically bare trees signify that winter is imminent. (Yes, branches bereft of leaves have a stark beauty, but they’re still bare.) Puddles of muddy water splotch the gravel walkways. Am I going to spend the afternoon wandering around the Washington Monument or jogging up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial while shivering? Heck, no—I’m heading straight for the exotic indoor displays of greenery at the United States Botanic Garden.

This conservatory has always been a great place to relax, and it’s usually not very crowded. Usually. But when holiday season is starting to rev up you really can’t expect to have any of The Mall’s tourist attractions to yourself. I walked in only to discover a sea of moms, dads and young kids. Fortunately most of them were standing in lines waiting to see special seasonal exhibits like the miniature train and Santa’s Village, affording me the opportunity to escape to the relative peace and quiet of the Jungle.

The Jungle is the largest of the Botanic Garden’s indoor display areas. The glass-walled dome is 93 feet tall, allowing plenty of room for lofty palms and other tropical trees to flourish. A relatively new feature here is the Canopy Walk. Climb the stairway to the mezzanine level, where you can walk around while gazing down at the lush vegetation below. There are all kinds of beautiful vines and potted plants tucked into every available corner along this walkway—a cluster of orchids here, a silver-spotted angel wing begonia there—beauty that encourages lingering. You’ll also feel the greenhouse warmth and humidity, but it’s not overly oppressive.

I like to sit and relax for awhile when I come here. The wooden benches in the Garden Court are particularly nice because of the lovely backdrop. Trees, flowers and potted plants make it a little oasis, and sometimes soothing classical music is playing. If you like orchids, the conservatory maintains an impressive collection. And I always stroll through the sections featuring ferns, cycads and other ancient plants (it’s like a Twilight Zone trip back to the Jurassic period) and bizarre-looking cacti and succulents. For the benefit of budding botanists and amateur gardeners seeking inspiration, everything is labeled.

For the last several years the U.S. Botanic Garden’s annual holiday display has included replicas of Washington’s monuments and iconic buildings, ingeniously constructed out of dried plant material that’s applied to acrylic foam boards. The stone “blocks” on the Washington Monument are actually dried leaves; the U.S. Capitol columns are small willow branches; the seated likeness of Abraham Lincoln within the Lincoln Memorial has a beard made out of lichen. Together with the potted poinsettias and an ornament-bedecked Christmas tree, they create an atmosphere guaranteed to put you in a festive mood.

And here’s a tip that will come in handy regardless of the time of year: Restrooms are located in the South Lobby.