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Tips for families who look at the cherry blossoms

[Note: This was originally written in 2011 (hence, the now verrry outdated Lost reference) and has been updated every year since. But because the tips always apply, I’m re-posting yet again, just with a few minor revisions applicable to this year’s bloom.]

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Bringing the family into the National Mall to see some pretty flowers sounds light enough. If only. Cherry Blossom Peak required by the National Park Service is one of the best times to visit DC. The city is most beautiful, and the National Cherry Blossom Festival offers many fun activities to enjoy everything. Looking at the famous flowers can also be a bit challenging without being aware of things. Here are seven recommendations that you should consider whether the cherry blossoms are on your family's spring agenda. Have fun looking at!

The summit brings the crowd

1. Don't drive If you appreciate your mental health. Take the U -Bahn, ride the city bus, bike, the walk, the jet pack. Come here as you can, just leave the car at home. Traffic is more than frustrating during Cherry Blossom Peak, and its chances of finding decent parking spaces Is hard). The masses descend in Washington, DC, at this time of year and do so far too many in their vehicles. Children also love the U -Bahn – it is like an urban version of Hogwarts Express. The Smithsonian Stop on the blue/orange line is only a few minutes away from the entire flower campaign, but it is probably overcrowded. Consider going on blue/orange or even in the city center or in the Penn district to L'Enfant and taking a nice walk to the tidal pool in the city center or even in the Penn district The Flower scene. Another good option is Metrobus with lines and stops all over the city, including many in the National Mall near the Washington Monument.

*If you absolutely have to drive and need parking spaces You Miiight Find a place in Hain's point where there are free and measured parking spaces, and then go to Thomas Jefferson Memorial in the tidal pool. There are also garage parking spaces on the L'Enfant Plaza, which is also a short walk to the flowers. However, you can best find a garage in the city center or in the Penn district and then go to the National Mall or go the U -Bahn. You can ensure a place with Spot Hero, an online parking service service with which you can search for and reserve garage rooms in advance.

Beautiful light and hardly any on a weekday morning

2. Visit a day of the week If you have flexibility. The crowds are significantly smaller from Monday to Friday, so you can walk through the tidal pool at a nice pace, and public transport will not be nearly as full (although it will probably still be overcrowded than usual). But when the children are at school or in the daycare center during the week, think about it Go later a day. The National Mall and monuments look beautiful at sunset, and the flowers make it even more sublime. Even better if you can Go very earlyWhen the morning light in the shopping center is a fairly picturesque backdrop.

A baby that enjoys the flowers

3 .. Consider using a childbear instead of a stroller For little ones. This is particularly true if you take the subway because the elevator lines can be very long and slow. I learned my lesson in my children's baby days On a day of the week And took my daughter out of the stroller and wore both escalators, which was probably as insecure as difficult. Even if you do not take a metro, a carrier is still a clever option. Navigating overcrowded walkways while pressing a stroller focuses on, and they could spend more time to focus on not rolling the paragraphs of others than enjoying the sights they can be seen. It is also a bonus for little ones – on your back, your baby will get a better view of the flowers.

Kite and flowers (and crowds) during the annual kite festival

4. Take a look at the schedule for the National Cherry Blossom FestivalYou can plan your visit accordingly. Some of the most expected events in the city are part of the annual celebration, which takes place from March 20th to 13th. The Blossom Kite Festival, the National Cherry Blossom Parade and Sakura Matsuri belong to them, and there are also some non-official festival celebrations for families to help them plan the season. Most events take place near the flowers or a simple U -Bahn ride. Peak Bloom is expected to take place right after the festival starts, so that you can enjoy some of the blooming activities and the flowering trees at the same time.

See the flowers out of the water

5. Get a new view of the flowers And Enjoy a fun activity. Several companies offer boat trips along the river, many of which bloom especially for the season in which the cherry trees bloom. Potomac water taxi, city cruises and boomerang boat tours must be checked. You can also choose a paddle trip and navigate yourself through the water. Or do a bicycle trip to cover more floor and experience the flowers from two wheels.

Cherry blossoms in the National Arboreum

6. Search for other places To see the cherry blossoms if you don't want to deal with human crowds and chaos around the tidal pool and the National Mall. Several places around the DC Metro area are known for their annual cherry blossom displays. When I worked in Bethesda many years ago, it was an annual tradition for my colleagues and me to drive a trip through Kenwood, a beautiful neighborhood between Little Falls Parkway and River Road with streets lined with cherry trees. The National Arboretum also has a beautiful collection of the trees and offers a beautiful surroundings in which they are blooming. Dumbarton Oak's Gardens is one of the most beautiful places in DC and its annual cherry blossoms only contribute to this. Stanton Park on Capitol Hill shines with the pink and white trees at this time of year. The congress cemetery has some beautiful paths lined with cherry trees (which were already blossoming) and a couple around the large area scheme. President Lincoln's cottage in Petworth has cherry trees on the site. And Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, also has a nice collection of the trees.

Fly in the middle of the flowers

7. Hold your camera ready To use some of the best photo ops offers. The Peak Colors Plus The monuments are about as iconic as possible when taking pictures of Washington, DC. Let your children sit still – or let them run and play for an entertaining awe – and you have this year's Christmas card.

I can't surpass the blossom background for photos