Visit the District in April to see the city in full bloom with vibrant theater productions, exciting outdoor sports and the only-in-DC National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Regardless of the season, you're bound to have an unforgettable experience in the nation's capital. Be sure to check out special discounts and packages, from luxurious experiences to budget-friendly options, and after you’ve read through this list, make sure to check out our things to do during the week, must-hit weekend events and accessibility guides to monuments and museums on the National Mall.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival – March 20 – April 11
DC celebrates the blooming of cherry trees with a four-week festival that commemorates the 1912 gift from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city. Check out popular festival events, in addition to the festival guide, for tips on making the most of the celebration, visiting popular blossom spots and finding the best places to snap photos.
Cherry Blossom Peak Bloom
Peak bloom occurs when 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin are open. The timing varies each year based on weather conditions, and the National Park Service announces its forecast closer to spring. The best viewing is usually in the days leading up to peak bloom and up to a week afterward. Please help protect the trees by never picking the blossoms. Plan ahead and read up on the best spots to see the blossoms.
Washington Nationals Baseball
The Washington Nationals, who have four National League East titles, five postseason appearances and a World Series championship since coming to DC in 2005, are one of the city's main attractions throughout the spring and summer. Head to Nationals Park to experience MLB action, plenty of home runs and, of course, Racing Presidents.
Tickets
1500 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Experience a DC Defenders Game at Audi Field
Defenders football has become a springtime tradition at Audi Field in the nation’s capital. Expect hard-hitting action and a rowdy atmosphere as the DC squad looks to defend its home field. Check the schedule for April home games.
Schedule and Tickets
Audi Field, 100 Potomac Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024
Visit the Tidal Basin and Cleveland Park with DC Design Tours
DC Design Tours offers a 90-minute tour around the Tidal Basin to gaze at magnificent cherry blossoms. Stops include the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial and other notable sites. The company also offers an excursion through Cleveland Park, the DC neighborhood with the most cherry trees and a fascinating history. Tour dates depend on the cherry blossoms' peak bloom.
National Cherry Blossom Festival
Petalpalooza® – April 3
Part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, this all-ages spring celebration features outdoor performances, interactive art, food and beverage vendors, hands-on family activities, roaming entertainers and more in Navy Yard. Stay for the official fireworks show over the Anacostia River.
Free Admission
Photo by Greg Hunter Ross
Capital Classic
This legendary annual basketball showcase pits DMV standouts against some of the nation’s top high school talent. Since its inaugural game in 1974, the Capital Classic has been a steppingstone for NBA greats such as LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing. Check the official site for the date, venue and ticket information.
National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade® – April 10
Witness DC's grandest petal procession with the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade® presented by Events DC. Giant helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands and live performances travel along 10 blocks of Constitution Avenue NW. Grandstand seating is ticketed, and viewing along portions of the parade route is free.
11 a.m. – 1 p.m. | More Information
Sakura Matsuri: Japanese Street Festival
Produced by the Japan-America Society of Washington DC, this annual two-day event features Japanese cultural performances, art vendors, food and beverages, handmade crafts and more. The festival takes place along Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd to 7th Streets NW.
More Information
Filmfest DC – April 22 – May 2
The largest and longest-running annual international film festival in Washington, DC, returns with a new lineup of comedies, dramas, thrillers, shorts, documentaries and more.
More Information
DC Emancipation Day – April 16
DC Emancipation Day honors the Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862, which freed more than 3,000 enslaved people in the District nearly nine months before the Emancipation Proclamation. The annual celebration typically features free, family-friendly programming.
More Information
Smithsonian Craft Show – April 22-26
The country's premier showcase for fine American craft returns to the National Building Museum with the theme Artful Design. The juried exhibition and sale features contemporary works spanning basketry, ceramics, decorative fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper, wearable art and wood. Preview Night takes place April 22, followed by general admission from April 23-26.
Tickets & Information
National Building Museum, 401 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Georgetown French Market
Georgetown's Book Hill neighborhood turns into its own version of Paris for an entire weekend each April. The Georgetown French Market features locally owned merchants, restaurants, galleries and salons participating in an open-air shopping celebration, along with entertainment and family-friendly activities.
More Information
Wisconsin Avenue NW, O Street to Reservoir Road, Washington, DC
Go to a Washington Spirit Game
One of the hottest tickets in town during the spring and summer is a Washington Spirit game at Audi Field. Check the club's schedule for April home matches and special theme nights.
Schedule and Tickets
Audi Field, 100 Potomac Avenue SW, Washington, DC
Photo by Gary Staab
Bronze Bison – Ongoing
More than a century ago, bison roamed outside the Smithsonian Castle. The National Museum of Natural History commemorates this history with three larger-than-life bronze bison created by sculptor Gary Staab. The pieces, which are at 125% scale and modeled after taxidermy specimens, stand outside the museum.
Free Admission
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
National Portrait Gallery
The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees – Through June 6, 2027
Timed with the U.S. semiquincentennial, the National Portrait Gallery commemorates the founding of its historic home with The Spirit of Invention: Patent Office and Patentees. The exhibition sketches the early history of the Patent Office – the third oldest building in DC – through works in the museum’s collection.
11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Free Admission
National Portrait Gallery, First Floor, East Galleries, 8th and G Streets NW, Washington, DC 20001
Homelands – Through Aug. 1, 2027
Discover how people and places relate to each other in a new exhibit at the National Gallery of Art’s East Building. Across 20 pieces, see the ways in which artists consider ancestral links, pressures that caused them to move from one place to the next and the larger histories to be found all across the United States.
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Free Admission
National Gallery of Art, 4th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20565
Smithsonian Institution
Reset: Abstraction Embodied in Design – Through June 2028
Running for two years beginning on June 12, this exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) takes a cerebral look at the way thoughtfully shaped furniture shapes our environments and our perspectives. Explore the ways that designers, much like visual artists, harness abstraction as both a technique and a source of inspiration.
Free Admission | Hours & Information (timed passes required)
National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Smithsonian Institution
From These Lands: Sharing Our Natural and Cultural Heritage – Through 2029
As part of Smithsonian’s Our Shared Future: 250 programming, the National Museum of Natural History displays more than 600 artifacts that represent all 50 U.S. states, DC and an additional five U.S. territories. Items range from significant scientific discoveries to cultural keepsakes to ancient fossils like an American mastodon tooth.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Smithsonian Institution
Revelation: A Journey Into Abstraction – Through June 2028
NMAAHC dives even deeper into abstraction with this installation which explores the profound range and depth of abstract art created by African American artists from the mid‑20th century to the present. The exhibit reintroduces key works from the museum's collection and debuts new acquisitions, offering fresh contexts and perspectives.
Free Admission | Hours & Information (timed passes required)
National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
Ruffled Feathers: Creating Whistler’s Peacock Room – Ongoing
One of the most famous rooms in the nation’s capital receives a full in-depth investigation thanks to a new exhibit at the National Museum of Asian Art. The Peacock Room is the museum’s calling card, and this display will be located right next door. The creation of James McNeill Whistler was originally meant for the London home of British businessman Frederick Leyland. Its origin story and tangled history is detailed through paintings, works on paper, decorative art and additional ephemera.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of Asian Art, 1050 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Forces for Change: Mary McLeod Bethune and Black Women’s Activism – Ongoing
Explore the powerful societal impact of local hero, educator and reformer Mary McLeod Bethune at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The exhibit space focuses on Bethune’s incredible work with the National Council of Negro Women as well as the contributions of other women who have fought for social change. In total, the display includes 75 images, 35 artifacts, a multimedia film, an eight-foot-tall plaster sculpture of Bethune and an interactive engagement.
More Info | Free Admission
National Museum of African American History and Culture, 1400 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560
InSight: Photos and Stories from the Archives – Ongoing
Peer into Indigenous lives from across the Western hemisphere over time thanks to a new exhibit at the National Museum of the American Indian. Through this special selection picked from more than 500,000 images, the museum highlights moments of everyday joy, education and familial bonding. Each photo has its own story to tell.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Free Admission
National Museum of the American Indian, 4th Street & Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20560
Places to Stay
The Jefferson
Need some inspiration for a place to stay between events? Washington, DC is filled with hotels to fit a range of needs. Whether you're looking for a specialty boutique hotel or booking your favorite hotel brand, Washington, DC's booking engine has it all. Find your stay today.
Partner Content