Spring is the best time to visit DC. The weather is nice but hasn’t yet devolved into the notorious summer swelter. People are out on the Mall or shopping in Georgetown, and from March through mid-April, cherry blossoms flower along the Tidal Basin and at the National Arboretum. But they’re not the only reason to visit now: DC is blossoming with dynamic dining, sites, and hotels.
Start at the National Museum of African American History & Culture, where lines have been consistently long since its 2016 opening to tour exhibits that touch on everything from slavery and the origins of blackface to jazz, hip-hop, and Oprah. (Admission is free but requires timed-entry reservations on weekends and weekday mornings.) Afterward, check into the hip LINE DC (from $268/night), housed in a Neoclassical church in Adams Morgan, where an infusion of restaurants and cool boutiques is revitalizing the neighborhood.
LINE DC
Think dining in DC is all power suits and porterhouses? Think again: There’s fantastic Filipino at Bad Saint, fiery Thai at Little Serow, and pickle-brined fried chicken (and long queues) at Rose’s Luxury. Book in advance at one of Bon Appetit’s best new restaurants, Maydan, where the Middle Eastern and North African dishes are cooked over the showstopping central hearth.
