As a Washington, D.C. Metro area native, one of my favorite times of year has always been the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The city blooms in beautiful hues of pink along the Potomac River, and it seems hundreds of thousands of people are united by these Japanese trees.
My friends and I drove down to Washington on April 4 to see the nation’s capital and the very trees that draw in masses of tourists each year. While in the district, we learned how to navigate the Metro system, wandered seemingly endless museum wings and ate overpriced, yet delicious, food. Here are the highlights of my 48-hour trip to Washington.
- National Archives Museum
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After arriving in the district, our first official stop was the National Archives Museum, known for housing the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. In addition to these founding documents, the Emancipation Proclamation and the 19th Amendment sit in the very same room.
While there, I, of course, had to make the most of the moment and make copious “National Treasure” jokes about stealing the declaration. This museum was a good starting point, as I feel it eased us into the massive amount of historical information we were about to encounter throughout the district.
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
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This museum has been a long-time favorite of mine, familiar to me from years of visiting on field trips throughout elementary school. While I do already have the Hope Diamond ingrained in my memory forever, walking back through the expansive wings of this museum was endlessly fascinating.
Home to the largest natural history collection in the world, this museum’s National Fossil Hall and mammals exhibit were particularly interesting to me. Seeing the skeleton of “Lucy,” the Australopithecus hominid that proved the timeline of human bipedalism, the ability to walk on two feet, was truly striking.
- National Gallery of Art
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While my friends and I spent the least amount of time in the National Gallery of Art, the wings that we did get to walk through were unbelievably stunning and interesting. After hours of walking through the heat, it was relaxing to be able to slow down and examine some of the world’s best art.
Unknowingly, I nearly walked right by numerous original paintings by Claude Monet, my favorite painter. His paintings had large crowds surrounding each work, and I was stopped in my tracks by the sheer beauty in each of them. Being able to see the artwork that I adore up close was such a spectacular experience, and I’d encourage everybody else to seek their favorite works out as well.
- Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe
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For breakfast on our second day, we found a donut chain location near our next stop, and it was one of the best meals I’ve had to date. I ordered a chai latte, which is my go-to order, and it was the perfect balance of chai and milk, which is difficult to achieve.
While it may seem like a simple enough breakfast, the maple donut I ate was better than any other I’ve ever had — no exaggeration. While it was a bit pricey, it was 100% worth it. If you ever take a trip to the Washington area, I highly suggest stopping here.
- Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
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In the midst of the Artemis II space launch and orbit, our visit to the Air and Space Museum could not have come at a better time. Walking through exhibits on Jackie Cochran’s record-breaking aviation speeds, seeing the real Wright Brothers’ first plane and standing in front of Neil Armstrong’s actual astronaut suit were all surreal experiences.
The museum offers $10 ticketed showings at their in-house Planetarium, about 25-minutes long each. My friends and I all really wanted to enjoy the showing we attended, but ultimately ended up paying to take a half-hour nap.
Everything in this museum was so impressive and cool, I literally couldn’t stop saying “woah” out loud at every new display I saw.
- Petalpalooza
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The main event that we had traveled to Washington for, Petalpalooza, was everything it promised to be and more. The streets of the Navy Yard were lined with activities like costume karaoke, painting and photo opportunities, as well as small-business vendors. My favorite part was the energetic dance battle held by one of the performing DJs.
There was live music throughout the entire afternoon, featuring local, Washington-based artists. At the end of the night, there was a stunning fireworks show over the Anacostia River, closing out what had been a day filled to the brim with excitement and fun.
Washington, D.C., is, in my opinion, one of the best cities in the country, and I’m only a little biased. Getting to share my favorite city with my friends — the people who I love the most — was such an incredible way to spend my weekend. I’d highly recommend visiting for the 2027 Cherry Blossom Festival; you won’t want to miss it.