Springtime in Washington D.C. is one of the best times to visit the city. The weather is warm enough that you can get away with a sweater or light jacket and it’s just before the southern heat kicks in. The city is also filled with so many great outdoor spaces to see the flowers bloom.

First and foremost, of course, one cannot talk about springtime in D.C. without the famous cherry blossoms that line the Tidal Basin. Starting any time from late March to early April, the cherry blossom trees reach peak bloom and surround the Tidal Basin in various shades of pink. You can view them on your own, or you can participate in the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place from mid to late March through mid April every year.

Located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C. is Dumbarton Oaks. Presently, it is a Harvard University research institute with a library, museum, and garden as part of the grounds. The research institute is dedicated to supporting scholarship in the fields of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian studies. The Dumbarton Oaks Museum features collections of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art, as well as European artworks and furnishings. And the Dumbarton Oaks Garden features walking trails, acres of lawn, and hundreds of blooming flowers in the springtime. If you go in early April, you may be able to catch blooming tulips, azaleas, and cherry blossoms. There are also an abundance of beautiful stone benches to take a break and read a book.

And lastly, a few short minutes from the Capitol Building, is the United States National Arboretum. Visited by over 650,000 flower-lovers annually, the Arboretum features over 446 acres of trees, scrubs, plants, and flowers. My first visit was in early April, which gave us the perfect weather for a very leisurely walk around the grounds. If you visit during the springtime, specifically around April, you can catch the Azalea bloom!