It’s Time for a Day Trip to Washington D.C.

Many people wait for summer to make their trips to Washington D.C., but there are a number of great reasons to go for it in winter and spring. Here are a few great reasons that now is the time to plan your day trip to Washington D.C.!

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

You can certainly visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall any day of the year. This special memorial is the first ever dedicated to a non-president as well as the first to an African American. But there’s something extra special about taking a day trip to Washington D.C. on MLK Jr. Day itself.

(Washington’s tourism bureau has a helpful article about the memorial.)

You can of course walk down the Lincoln Memorial steps where Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. A marker on the steps indicates the very place where King stood to address the thousands gathered around the Reflecting Pool. A wreath will be placed on the steps by the National Park Service.

Stop for some afternoon tea at the historic The Willard InterContinental Hotel where Dr. King finished writing his now-famous “I Have a Dream” speech in his suite the night before.

Take part in the MLK Jr. Celebration at the Baird Auditorium in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

 

The Smithsonian Institution

Speaking of the Smithsonian, you can choose from any of the museum’s 19 locations to spend a day trip in Washington D.C., and it’s an especially great visit in the cooler, less-crowded months.

Most Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are free and open every day. Choose from: African American History and Culture Museum; African Art Museum; Air and Space Museum; Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center; American Art Museum; American History Museum; American Indian Museum; Anacostia Community Museum; Arthur M. Sackler Gallery; Freer Gallery of Art; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; National Zoo; Natural History Museum; Portrait Gallery; Postal Museum; Renwick Gallery; Smithsonian Institution Building; The Castle; Arts and Industries Building.

 

Cherry Blossom Festival

Nothing signifies the arrival of spring in the District quite like the blooming of the cherry blossoms. The three-week-long festival isn’t one of the lesser populated times in D.C. tourism, but it’s well worth planning a day trip in Washington D.C. to coincide with it.

The 3,000-plus trees were given to the United States by Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki in 1912. The festival, full of events that honor both the American and Japanese cultures, represents a close bond forged between the United States and Japan.

The 2016 National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place from March 20 through April 17.

 

Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building

If you’re a bibliophile, you’ll naturally want to spend your day trip in Washington D.C. at the Library of Congress. We suggest visiting the Thomas Jefferson Building, where you can take a free guided tour Monday through Saturday. The artwork throughout the building and the sixth-floor Madison Cafe offer incredible, one-of-a-kind scenes.

 

Located outside the hustle, bustle and traffic of the Capital, The Wayside Inn is the perfect choice for your getaway accommodations. We hope to see you soon!