Cherry Blossom Season in The Capital
A weekend in the Capital during cherry blossom season is one of the best spring trips I’ve ever taken! If you’re a history lover, interested in how our country runs, or visiting to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom, you won’t be disappointed. There is so much to do and see in Washington, it is guaranteed to be a packed weekend! Definitely be prepared to walk a lot as D.C. is very walkable & it’s one of the best ways to see everything!
Day 1 | Tour the Capitol & Library of Congress
On our first day, we started with a visit to Folger Shakespeare Library’s Quill & Crumb cafe. This was some of the best coffee we had on our trip and the cafe is inside The Great Hall, a beautiful & historic space! Try the caramel mocha latte & one of the chocolate pastries! And spend some time walking through the Shakespeare exhibit for the largest collection of books, manuscripts and art from his life.
Our next stop was the Capitol building for a guided tour. This was an incredibly educational experience & a tour everyone should take! The tour guides take you through the Crypt & National Statuary Hall before heading up to the dome. You’ll see the 100 statues of notable historic figures from all 50 states. Each state was able to select 2 people to display within the Capitol building & honor their contributions to the country. Folks like Helen Keller, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Thomas Edison & Harry Truman line the halls. Interested in learning who represents your state? See the full collection of statues all throughout the building and grounds.
After touring the hall of statues, we headed up to the dome. This was easily my favorite part of the trip! The historical artwork hung within the circular room and the dome mural far above our heads (180 ft) are incredibly breathtaking. We learned so much about the construction of the dome built between 1855-1866 as well as the mural known as, The Apotheosis, painted on the ceiling of the Rotunda. Painted in 1865 by Constantino Brumidi, the mural depicts George Washington rising to the heavens surronded by figures representing Liberty & Freedom. Lastly we learned of the figure atop the dome, the Statue of Freedom. Standing 19 feet tall, the bronze statue depicts a female watching over the Capital city with a sword in one hand and the U.S. shield in the other. This was a piece of history I was truly excited to learn about!
There’s so much to see within the Capitol building! Not all of the rooms are included on the general admission tour, however there are speciality tours available. If your objective is to watch the Senate sessions in-person, this will require a Gallery Pass that can only be granted by your state senator. Visit their D.C. office, bring your identification with you & get ready to witness history being written.
Since the Capitol is where the senators work self-guided tours aren’t allowed, so make sure to sign up for a free tour to book the time-slot that works best for you!
After our tour, we used the underground tunnels connecting the Capitol & Library of Congress. This is another beautiful building full of murals and the view from the balcony over the National Mall is stunning! See the architecture, the Gutenberg Bible and & walkthrough the Reading Room (open during select times for 5-minute self-guided tours). Access to the Reading Room is typically limited to library-card holders and researchers.
After our morning tours, we had lunch at Succotash, a southern inspired restaurant in the heart of the city. The chicken & waffles were delicious and the service was a 10 out of 10!
Just up the street from the restaurant is Ford’s Theatre where Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth and across from there is the house Abe died in. This landmark was one we weren’t expecting to see or seeking out, proving that around every corner in D.C. is a historic place or two!
Day 2 | Spot the Ch
erry Blossom & Walk the National Mall
The next morning we had a delicious brunch at Milk & Honey by the Wharf before exploring all of the best cherry blossom spots across the city! Right across the water from the Wharf restaurants is East Potomac Park and Hain’s Point, one of the best places to see a canopy of cherry blossom trees.
My favorite spots to see the cherry blossoms are: Smithsonian Castle Gardens, the Tidal Basin & the Supreme Court grounds. The best way to see a lot of different spots is to walk or bike the National Mall.
We started at the Supreme Court and walked past the Capitol down to the Smithsonian Castle. This was hands down my favorite spot in the city! The garden was full of the Saucer Magnolias trees! While not technically a cherry blossom varietal, the Saucer Magnolias are bigger pink and white blossoms that are very beautiful! This is a great place to walk around and take the perfect spring photos or bring a picnic to enjoy on the garden’s benches.
There are 12 different varieties of cherry blossoms. The two most popular are Yoshino and Kwanzan; with the Yoshino trees making up 70% of the blossoms at the Tidal Basin, the most famous spot to see the cherry blossoms at peak bloom!
After spending some time at the Castle’s garden, we walked to the Washington Monument and on to Lincoln Memorial, where we watched the sun set on the water’s surface of the Memorial Reflecting Pool. Lincoln is a stunning memorial and he is larger than life from atop the 19 foot statue. His most famous speeches are inscribed on the walls on either side of the statue.
Day 3 | Shopping in Georgetown & Walk the Tidal Basin
Starting our day in Georgetown at Call Your Mother, one of the best bakeries in D.C. for bagels and coffee from Coffee Republic across the street. The Deli was packed with people and, as it’s such a small space, overflowing onto the sidewalk. Luckily it was a beautiful sunny day and we grabbed coffees next door while we waited.
The Georgetown area has some of the best stores in the city! We spent a few hours shopping and walking through the neighborhood before grabbing lunch at Filomena. This Italian place was absolutely delicious and right near the water’s edge of the Potomac River.
After lunch we headed over to the Tidal Basin and walked the 2-mile loop to Jefferson’s Memorial. This was the most beautiful spot and lucky for us it wasn’t over-crowded while we were there. The cherry blossoms were in stage 5 of 6 while we were there and the views could not be more perfect! The loop takes you past Martin Luther King’s memorial and is a stunning view of both the Washington Monument and Jefferson’s Memorial.
Once you complete the loop, spend some time at Jefferson. It’s a beautiful monument to honor Thomas Jefferson’s contributions to the country and his quotes inscribed on the walls show how his values shaped our country’s constitution. From the steps of the memorial, you can see the White House and Washington Monument. This was the perfect way to spend an afternoon amongst the beautiful blossoms and walking through a piece of history!
We had the best trip to Washington D.C. and I’d recommend anyone who is interested in visiting to book their trip during the spring!
Tips
Even though many of the museums and monuments are free admission, signing up for time-slot tickets is very important. Don’t get stuck waiting in hour long lines to be admitted to the buildings!
If you’re renting a car or driving in, park at Union Station for a fixed day rate vs. paying hourly.
Download the Metro app ahead of time.
Visit the weekend before the “peak season” dates that the National Park Service posts to avoid the crowds.
Stay
Eat
Things To Do
Walk the Tidal Basin 2-mile loop
Bike the National Mall
Visit the Monuments
Tour the Capital & Library of Congress
Shopping in Georgetown
Grab my free itinerary below and make the most of your trip to D.C.
