Make the most of springtime and talk about travelling to Washington DC, as the city comes to life with an array of can’t-miss events over the next several months, with a mix of indoor and outdoor activities that are sure to liven up your calendar.  

DC celebrates the blooming of cherry trees with a month-long festival at the National Cherry Blossom Festival (March 20 – April 14), which commemorates the 1912 gift from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city. The best viewing of the cherry blossom trees typically lasts a few days before and after peak bloom begins, which started on March 17 this year, although the blossoms can last for up to two weeks under ideal conditions. Guests may check out popular festival events, in addition to the guide to the celebration, how to get the most popular blossom spots and the best places to snap photos. 

Apart from the much-awaited festival, the city also comes to life with new art exhibits, activities, and hotel and restaurant openings that are set to make anyone’s trip to the nation’s capital a delight! 

  • ISEKAI: Blooming Parallel Worlds ( March 9 – June 1) ARTECHOUSE welcomes visitors to its seventh annual installation dedicated to celebrating the beauty of the cherry blossoms in DC. The museum treats your eyes to an exhibit inspired by the Isekai genre of Anime, allowing for the exploration of alternate universes stacked with colors, adventures and immersive technologies. Make sure to take advantage of tickets with a 10% discount. 
  • Filmfest DC (April 18-28) The largest and longest-running annual international film festival in Washington, DC, Filmfest DC returns with another varied lineup featuring quite the genre exercise: comedies, dramas, thrillers, shorts and documentaries will all be on display. 
  • Passport DC (May 1-31) A month of programming, including the Around the World Embassy Tour and European Union Open House, highlights DC’s international culture. 
  • Japanese Culture Day at the Library of Congress (March 23) The annual event features family activities, including Japanese drum and traditional dance performances, storytelling, and arts and crafts. 
  • Restaurants: Celebrity restauranters continue to fuel DC’s red-hot culinary scene. Recent openings include Pastis from Stephen Starr and Keith McNally, Moon Rabbit from Kevin Tien, Pascual from the Popal Family and chefs Matt Conroy and Isabel Coss, and a new downtown location of local favorite 2Fifty Texas BBQ. In collaboration with Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, participating restaurants highlight creative spring menus during the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Cherry Picks Program. 
  • Hotels: New hotels include the upscale Royal Sonesta Washington, DC – Capitol Hill and rebranded Westin Washington, DC Downtown, emphasizing wellness. Spring-inspired activations are also available in properties like the Conrad Washington, DC, where the extravagant Concierge experience includes a Sakura Club room with daily gourmet breakfast, dinner and Japanese whiskey tasting, a four-course cherry blossom-inspired dinner with wine pairing at Estuary, one-hour photography session at the cherry blossoms. The Jefferson launches the “Blossoms by Boat” package, where guests can enjoy leisurely, unobstructed views via a private luxury boat tour with Embark DC (March 10-April 30), and the Kimpton Hotel Monaco and Kimpton George unveils their 90-minute DIY “Parfums & Blooms” floral fragrance class for two hosted on-site by B Parfums, two custom fragrance bottles, bottle of Rose bubbly, cherry blossom scented bath salts and travel candle (March 1-April 30). 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist based in Toronto with a focus on tourism, lifestyle, entertainment and community issues. He has written several travel articles and has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He’s willing to take on any assignments of interest, attend parties with free booze, listen to rants, and travel the world in search of the great unknown. He’s eager to discover the new, remember the past, and look into the future.