A Guide to Visiting Washington, D.C. in the Spring

“Look around, look around, at how lucky we are to be alive right now.” –That Would Be Enough from Hamilton

‣ Hello, happy spring! I visited Washington, D.C. at the beginning of April and had a wonderful time exploring the nation’s capital and seeing the cherry blossoms in full bloom. The latter has been on my bucket list for years, and I am so excited that I was able to cross it off. In this post, I’ll share some ideas for what to see and do in Washington, D.C. as well as tips for your stay.

What to See & Do

Attend the National Cherry Blossom Festival at Tidal Basin

• 

• 

• 

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is held in late March and early April, roughly coinciding with the peak bloom date of the trees, which occurs when 70% of the blossoms are open. The trees are located around Tidal Basin and on the grounds of the Washington Monument. It is free to attend, and the flowers are truly beautiful. Keep in mind that there will likely be heavy crowds, particularly on weekends. The crowds were compounded by the fact that I visited during the COVID-19 pandemic (counter-intuitive, right?), since most of the museums and indoor attractions were closed. If you are planning a trip to Washington, D.C. in the spring, I would definitely recommend walking around Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms.

It’s about a 2-mile walk and brings you to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and Thomas Jefferson Memorial. The Tidal Basin Welcome Area (seen on this map) is more crowded, so I’d stop at the other side for photos.

Visit the Smithsonian Museums

It is no surprise that the nation’s capital has some of the best museums around. From art to history to space, the Smithsonian Institution—the world’s largest museum and education complex—offers something for everyone, for free! While the museums are currently closed because of the pandemic, the outdoor Smithsonian Gardens are open for you to walk through. According to the Smithsonian Visitor Stats page, the most popular museums in 2019 (when they was last open for the full year) were the National Museum of Natural History, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and National Museum of African American History and Culture.

…And Other Museums

The Smithsonians aren’t the only museums in Washington, D.C. If you want to see the real Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, you have to check out the National Archives. When they reopen, I’d recommend reserving a spot in advance so you can bypass the line (which is usually filed with students on field trips). The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum “strives to broaden public understanding of the history of the Holocaust” through exhibits, artifacts, art, and more, which is critically important given the recent surge in anti-Semitic incidents.

Bike Around the National Mall

One of my favorite parts about my trip was biking around the National Mall, from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument. We rented bikes using Capital Bikeshare, Washington, D.C.’s bikeshare service. There are a few stations around the area, and it’s fairly easy to figure out—you just download the app and sign in, scan the bike’s barcode to unlock it, ride for as long as you’d like ($2 per 30 minutes, or $8 per day), and return it to any station. Capital Bikeshare’s website lists some other popular rides if you’re looking to explore more.

Plant Yourself at the United States Botanic Garden (get it?)

If you’re a fan of flowers, the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) will definitely be your cup of tea—especially in the spring. It’s America’s oldest continuously operating botanic garden and has both outdoor exhibits in the National Garden and indoor gardens in the Conservatory.

Check Out the Library of Congress (okay, I’ll stop with the puns now!)

The Library of Congress, located on Capitol Hill, houses more than 164 million items, from books to photos to maps. If that’s not impressive enough, the architecture may be—it’s bursting with red and gold Gilded Age architecture that truly makes for a magnificent sight. There are rotating exhibitions, and past ones include “1492: An Ongoing Voyage” (highlighting early contact between Native American peoples and European conquerors), “Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: 50 Years Cultural Ambassador to the World” (showcasing American modern dance), and “Baseball Americana” (discussing America’s favorite pastime and its roots, traditions, and contemporary nature).

Take a Trip to Georgetown

While Georgetown is best known for the university, it is truly a neighborhood that stands on its own. You can walk around the Georgetown Waterfront, check out the many upscale boutiques and shops, and take advantage of the vibrant food scene. The buildings themselves are also really cute, with colorful facades and double shutter windows.

Where to Eat

As a major metropolitan area, Washington, D.C. has tons of great restaurants and places to eat. Here are a couple that you may want to check out:

– Falafel Inc.: Voted the #1 new restaurant in Washington, D.C., Falafel Inc. is “the world’s first falafel fast casual food social enterprise”—every time you order from their restaurant, you help a refugee in need via their partnership with the World Food Programme. In addition to using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, no item on their menu costs more than $4. We got the falafel bowl (if you’re vegan, order it without the sauce!), Zaatar fries, cucumber salad, and a side of hummus and pita bread. After you place your order, you can choose from a variety of sauces, including a vegan garlic sauce, a spicy red sauce, and a tahini-based falafel sauce. We got there a few minutes before they opened on a Sunday and had to wait a bit, so I’d recommend getting there early or being prepared for a crowd. There are three locations in Washington, D.C.: one in Georgetown, one at The Wharf, and one in Tyson’s Corner.

• 

• 

– Chopsmith: We stayed near The Wharf, and Chopsmith provided a quick and easy meal. Self-described as a “hand-crafted, gourmet salad, bowl, and sandwich restaurant,” the shop has a wide selection of menu items as well as customizable options. I chose to build my own salad and topped it off with a delicious maple tahini dressing.

• 

• 

– Food Trucks: The street in front of the National Mall is lined with food trucks every day, selling everything from ice cream to burritos to gyros to burgers. You can grab a bite of food, then sit on the grass of the National Mall or on one of the benches surrounding the green area.

– Georgetown Cupcake and/or Baked & Wired: You probably know Georgetown Cupcake from the show on TLC, and it has since become one of the nation’s most famous cupcakeries. Whether or not it is a tourist trap remains TBD, but the cupcakes are cute and of high-quality, and they even have a vegan apple cinnamon cupcake and a gluten-free strawberry lava cupcake. Another famous D.C. bakery is Baked & Wired, which calls itself an “authentic, hole-in-the-wall” shop but is always busy. In addition to their normal “cakecups,” they have a gluten-free cherry blossom cupcake (chocolate w/ cherries) and a vegan Oreo cupcake.

How to Get Around

The main attractions in Washington, D.C. are located in a sort of elongated “t” shape, with the U.S. Capitol, White House, and Lincoln Memorial at the ends. The Smithsonian Museums, Washington Monument, and most of the memorials lie within that. If you want to walk, you can—none of the places are more than 2.5 miles away from each other. My mom and I walked nearly everywhere when we were in Washington, D.C. because we’ve been hesitant to use public transportation during the pandemic. (The only time we took Lyft was when we were going from our hotel to Georgetown University, but even then, we ended up walking back).

Another popular option is biking. I already mentioned Capital Bikeshare above, but the service is relatively cheap and convenient, and there are stations near all of the major landmarks and sights.

Finally, Washington, D.C. has a few public transit systems that you can use. The Metrorail has six lines that service most of the city and major surrounding suburbs. You can also ride the Metrobus. If you’re taking multiple trips, you might want to consider buying a reusable SmarTrip card, which can be used as a physical card or on your mobile device. Check out this link for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s SmarTrip overview.

Final Thoughts

My visit in April was my second trip to Washington, D.C., and although many attractions were closed due to COVID-19, I still really enjoyed exploring the city. It has such a rich blend of history and modernity, is fairly walkable, and has no shortage of things to do. I think that the best season to visit is the spring, as the weather is moderate and the cherry blossoms are in full-bloom.