Washington D.C has plenty of attractions and more than 20 million visitors come to the nation’s capital to see them every year. If you are planning to visit Washington D.C, it’s important to know the best time to visit Washington D.C. Keep reading this guide, and then you will able to plan your tour perfectly.
Best Time of Year
Firstly we are going discuss the best time of year to visit Washington D.C. If you visit Washington D.C. between September and November, you will experience optimal weather conditions. Many tourists don’t come to Washington this season. But it gives some advantages. You don’t have to line up for hours to visit museums.
Also, there won’t be many people fighting for access to restaurants, hotels, and other attractions. We advise visiting Washington during the fall because of this. It also offers many free things to do for visitors. You will have free access to visit the U.S. National Arboretum to ogle nature’s breathtaking colors. The Art All Night festival is held on towards the end of September and it’s free.
Cheapest Time
Next, we are going to discuss the cheapest time to visit Washington D.C through our guide of the best time to visit Washington D.C. You might wanna know the cheapest time to visit here because everyone knows that traveling is expensive. If you avoid traveling during the high season, it will help your wallets. The spring is the season most people come to Washington D.C. Therefore the cheapest time to visit here is winter season. But you will have to face frigid temperatures. The lows drop to the 20s and the highs only reach into the 40s. Also, you may have to face being hit with a snow squall.
But it gives more benefits than these disadvantages. You don’t have to push through the crowds to get a good look at the Lincoln Monument. Also, shops that are rushing to fill their tables, galleries, and rooms will offer you good discounts. You can spend your time visiting indoors at the area’s best museums during this season. Also, Washington D.C. has been named one of the best places to visit during the winter season.
Best Month
Our guide to the best time to visit Washington D.C. won’t be completed without telling the best month to visit here. We recommend October as the best month to visit. It gives many benefits. You don’t have to worry about trudging through snowbanks or sweating through your shirt. Because Washington D.C has fantastic weather during this month. The lows were in the 60s and the highs were in the 70s.
You don’t have to worry about missing the cherry blossoms. Spectacular foliage is another benefit of autumn. The city’s trees feature stunning red, orange, and yellow hues. Many visitors come here from March through June. That means you will see fewer visitors this season. Then you will able to get a room in a great hotel and get a seat in the best restaurants at a cheaper price. Also, there won’t be many crowds at museums.
Best Time to Avoid Crowds
If you don’t like to visit Washington D.C. while it’s crowded or hates waiting in line, keep reading our guide to the best time to visit Washington D.C. to find the best season that suits you. Millions of tourists come to the nation’s capital between March and June. It’s hard to enjoy Washington’s attractive places during this season. Also, everything is expensive. If you want to walk straight into Washington’s popular attractions and peacefully walk through quiet streets, we recommend visiting here during July and August.
You won’t have to face many crowds in these summer months. Many people don’t come during this month because of oppressive heat and humidity. Most visitors travel to beach areas during this time. The streets will be empty because kids return to school and congress is out during mid-August. If you don’t like to sweat in your travel clothes, you can come during the winter. Because it won’t be much crowded.
Best Time to Cherry Blossoms
Many people visit Washington D.C. specifically to see cherry blossoms. Therefore it’s our job to say the best time to cherry blossom through our guide of the best time to visit Washington D.C. If you visit any time in mid-spring, you can see this amazing scenery. It also provides a beautiful background for photos.
We recommend you visit between late March and early April. Washington D.C receives a large number of visitors at this time. More than 1.5 million visitors come nation’s capital to see this amazing scenery. Conveniently, this takes place during the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which honors the beauty of nature.
Worst Time
Next, our guide to the best time to visit Washington D.C. is going to tell you the worst time to visit here. Every season offers unique things to do and there are plenty of attractions to see. Therefore it’s hard to choose the worst Time to visit here. But we choose the summer, especially during July as the worst time to visit Washington, D.C. The beginning of the summer season is the worst for crowds because children are out of school. Therefore you will have to fight crowds to reach the city’s top tourist attractions.
Also this season, July and August is really hot. Therefore you won’t be able to escape from sweating. It doesn’t matter whether you head out in the early morning. You won’t be able to escape from the heat. But you can enjoy the air-conditioning at one of the city’s museums or paddle-boating through the Tidal Basin. Also, you can have delicious food from the city’s top restaurants and enjoy outdoor concerts during the summer.
Festivals in Washington
It doesn’t matter when you visit Washington. You will easily find something interesting to do. Bring your kids too. Because Washington D.C. is filled with plenty of family-friendly things to do at all times of the year. Here are some festivals you can participate in in Washington D.C.
- January: Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week held during a week in mid-January offers visitors three-course and prix-fixe meals at more than 200 restaurants.
- Late January through early February: Washington Auto Show, one of the most well-attended events in Washington D.C. is held over one week at the end of January at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. You can see more than 600 cars from 35 manufacturers. Visitors will receive a preview of upcoming vehicles that aren’t yet available on the market.
- Late March through early April: The National Cherry Blossom Festival, which lasts for two weeks, is a celebration of the flowering cherry blossom trees that Yukio Ozaki, the mayor of Tokyo, gave the area in 1912. This festival honor both American and Japanese culture.
- April: The annual White House Easter Egg Roll is held in April. This free event is dating back to 1878 and is held on the South Lawn of the White House.
- May: Passport DC is held in May. It is a month-long festival featuring free access to international embassies along Embassy Row. Many embassies open their doors to allow visitors to see their varied cultures during the first two Saturdays of May. You can also catch international live music, dancing displays, art presentations, and food and drink samples. Memorial Day is another festival that celebrates during May. It was held with the National Memorial Day Parade, Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally, and National Memorial Day Concert.
- June: DC Jazz festival is held over two weeks in early to mid-June. This festival hosts concerts by jazz musicians from around the world. Many shows are free and they it held in multiple places throughout the city. Capital Pride is also held in June and it features a flamboyant Pride Parade and lively concert. By The People, Festival is a free modern art celebration that is held in mid-June.
- Late June to Early July: The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is held more than two weeks every summer. It take place on the National Mall and offers family-friendly concerts, kid-centric programs and foods.
- July: Independence Day held on 4th of July. You can see a fireworks show on the National Mall alongside the A Capitol Fourth concert.
- July and August: Citi Open takes place at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center and it gives visitors a close-up view of some of the best players in the globe.
- Labor Day Weekend: The National Book Festival that hosted by the Library of Congress, is one of Washington’s popular events. It takes place over Labor Day weekend. This free affair offers many things that book lovers like such as book recommendations, author talks, and many books for sale.
- September: The H Street Festival takes place in September and it features live music, performers of all sorts, and fantastic international foods.
- Late November to Early December: The city opens the holiday season with the National Tree Lighting. It is held in President’s Park at the White House and you can enjoy a concert after the tree is lit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I stay in DC?
You should visit Washington, DC, for at least a week. If that’s not possible, we advise allowing at least three days for your visit to Washington, DC. There is enough to do here to keep you busy for several days, including fun activities, museums, tours, delicious food, music, and artwork.
When is it most cheap to stay in Washington, DC?
There are many factors which impact hotel room costs, but staying on a Friday is probably when you’ll find the best hotel deals in Washington, D.C. Tuesday, which is often the most expensive day, is the exact opposite. To get the lowest rate on your Washington, D.C. hotel, make your reservation more than 90 days before your stay starts.
When is a vacation to Washington, DC most expensive?
Traveling outside of peak season is the greatest way to get a great discount. Therefore the least expensive season to travel to Washington, D.C. is in the winter rather than the busy spring.
When is the ideal time of year to visit Washington?
The greatest time for warm, dry days is during the peak season of July to September. The hottest and driest months in Washington are July and August, and it’s high season, so even residents of Seattle can enjoy some sunshine. The peak tourist seasons are the summer and early fall (July through September).
