Every Spring Washington DC is invaded by tourists who come in droves for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. This year the cherry blossoms are set to bloom between March 20 – April 18, so if you’re lucky enough to schedule a trip to DC at this time you will see this city when its at its most beautiful.
A few years ago I was lucky enough to visit DC in the spring and in honor of the upcoming Cherry Blossom Festival have pulled together our week long DC travel itinerary. I had such a good time and highly recommend visiting DC in the spring! If you’re a flower and garden lover like me you won’t be disappointed.
Day 1
National Mall
Spend the day wandering the gorgeous National mall. This is the main reason to visit DC so of course you should go see it first ! Once you go to DC you gain a deep appreciation for urban planning. One of my favorite things to do is sit on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and gaze out onto the reflecting pool. It’s beautiful. Other notable stops include:
- Lincoln Memorial
- Jefferson memorial
- WWII Memorial
- Washington Monument
White House Tour
If you can fit it in, doing a White House Tour is a must. To book you have to go through your local congressional representative. Believe it or not they have a whole staff dedicated to setting up visits to the White house for their constituents. The caveat is you don’t get to pick the date and time. Instead, you get an assigned date and time slot, so make sure you book this early. Once you find out your date and time you can plan your other activities around this.
Day 2
Georgetown
Have breakfast at Kafe Leopold and wander the quaint streets of Georgetown. It’s a chic and famous neighborhood home to Georgetown university, many embassies, and boutique shops. Famous residents include Thomas Jefferson, John F. Kennedy, and Elizabeth Taylor.
Dumbarton Oaks
In the afternoon wander the gardens of Dumbarton Oaks – a 19th century historic estate. When we visited, the garden was in full bloom and the pictures I got to take were stunning. It’s a place that most tourists don’t visit so you can spend some quiet time away from the crowds here.
Day 3
Mt Vernon Day Cruise
Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and take a round trip day cruise to George Washington’s famous home: Mt Vernon. You’ll get there via the Potomac River and spend a relaxing day touring the historic home and walking through the gardens.
Day 4
Monticello Day Trip
Rent a car and drive through gorgeous Virginia country side on your way to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. This is a full day trip that gives you plenty of time to tour his famous home and the beautiful gardens that surround it.
Day 5
Capitol Hill Tour
If you want to see where laws are made take a Capital Tour! Just like the White House tour – you will need to book this Capital tour with your local congressional representative. After they get your details they’ll let you know when you can visit. Once inside you’ll see the Crypt, the Rotunda, and National Statuary Hall.
Library of Congress
Just across the street from the Capitol building is the Library of Congress. Now some of you may be thinking why would I visit a library on my vacation – well this is 1. The largest library in the world and 2. One of the most beautiful buildings in the world. You have to see it. Tours are even every hour (10:30, 11:30, etc) and are free!
So that’s it! Washington DC is a perfect location for a spring time getaway and this itinerary gets you a lot of outdoor time in some of our country’s oldest and most historic gardens! Enjoy and happy Spring !
