Best Time to Visit Washington D.C.

Washington D.C., also known as the Nation’s Capital, is filled with places of governmental significance. It serves as the headquarters of the country’s government and is home of the President of the Untied States. Beside government, the city is full of opportunities to explore history and experience a variety of cultural activities like art and theater. For those wishing to see the capital framed in the beauty of the changing colors of leaves the best time to visit is from September to November. Late March and April is also popular when tourists flock to Washington to see the blooms on the cherry trees.

First and foremost, a trip to Washington D.C. must include a visit to the National Mall and Memorial Parks. Highlights include the Washington Monument, a tour of which includes a trip to the memorial’s observation deck 500 feet above the mall. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is a central feature of the National Mall as it reflects the Washington Monument on one end and the Lincoln Memorial monument on the other. Other sights at the mall include memorials to Thomas Jefferson and Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. War memorials commemorate those who fought in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. A stop by The White House, home of the United States president, and the United States Capitol should also be on the itinerary for a trip to Washington.

For those who want their vacation to be a learning experience there are a variety of highly rated museums to see in the nation’s capital. The Smithsonian is a complex of 19 museums and one zoo. The Smithsonian’s Zoo is home to nearly 2,000 animals including several giant pandas. The Smithsonian complex also includes the National Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of American History.

Also located in Washington D.C. is Ford’s Theatre, the theater in which Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States was assassinated. This theater and museum is open for guided tours. Visitors should note that Ford’s Theatre is still a working theater so guests can take in a play or musical at the historical theater. Tours of the theater include a visit to the Petersen House. After he was shot, Lincoln was taken to this house for medical care until he died a few hours later.

Depending on what time of year you decide to visit that nation’s capital you may finds you visit correlates with one of the many annual festivals or events hosted by the city. Perhaps one of the best-known events in Washington is the National Cherry Blossom Festival. In late March and early April tourists can enjoy the significance of the city’s attractions decorated by the beauty of cherry tree blooms. The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is held on the National Mall in late June and early July. Book lovers might get a chance to meet their favorite authors during the Library of Congress Book Festival hosted in Chicago during September.