By Ryan T. Uy
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A trip to this US capital which lies along the banks of the Potomac River is best paired with a visit to the Big Apple here in the east coast.
Other than the Easter break, many will agree that the month March or April is also famous for the Sakura Festival (cherry blossoms) that symbolizes the start of spring.
More often than not, majority of your friends have been sharing their most beautiful pictures of Sakura either in Japan or in Korea. Unbeknownst to many, the Sakura Festival is also celebrated here in D.C. — which is simply amazing, especially if you are able to plan your activities around it well enough.
Mind you, Americans do take their Sakura Festival seriously, as can be seen with their dedicated websites that monitor the date of the full bloom (on cherryblossomwatch.com).
One might wonder how Washington D.C. managed to have these beautiful Cherry Blossom trees right here when D.C. is thousands of miles away from Japan. A brief history: It all started in 1885 when Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore returned from her first trip to Japan. She came up with the idea of planting Cherry Blossom trees along the reclaimed waterfront of the Potomac River. As fate would have it, she met the botanist David Fairchild during the 1905 Cherry Blossom viewing tea party, prompting him to order 1,000 Cherry Blossom trees from the Yokohoma Nursery Company to be planted on his own property here; the rest is history.
Depending on which side of New York or New Jersery you are coming from, travel time to Washington D.C. would normally take about 3.5 to four hours. Here are my simple travel tips:
Day 1. Have an early breakfast, and target to leave the Big Apple or New Jersey around 7:30 in the morning, driving southwest on I-95 towards Washington D.C. You might want to make a pitstop in Maryland before you cross a bridge to D.C.
Our first stop is the Arlington National Cemetery to visit the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame. Do note that due to heightened security measures, you can no longer drive up to the grave site of President JFK, and you have to undergo security check in their visitor center before going up.
The stroll up the hill is quite a tranquil experience; it was also during this uphill climb when I realized that the magnolia tree is actually beautiful. (I personally now find magnolias more appealing than the sakura.)
Once you reach the eternal flame site, set your sight up the hill, and ensure that you take time to visit the Custis-Lee Mansion, a memorial for George Washington that was built by his adopted grandson George Washington Parke Custis. Not a few visitors miss this part as they tend to head back down immediately after reaching the hill.
Our next stop was Georgetown where we spent the mid-afternoon exploring the place — from their design districts, the waterfront, and more importantly, their culinary haven.
After Georgetown, we then went to the White House for some pictures, then we checked-in the hotel for some quick rest, and finally, we went to the National Harbor Waterfront for dinner. The place is worth visiting if you love the ambience of being in the bay area. End of Day 1; prepare for long Day 2.
Must eat at Yellow, a Levantine cafe: Wood-fired Pitas. Also try their Hummus Classic, BBQ Lamb Shoulder, and Batata Tots slathered with butter and shawarma, and cut into cubes. (Batata is Arabic for potatoes.) If you have time, and might want to try, do drop by D.C. Cupcakes (although I must admit it is not the best cupcake you’ll ever try).
Day 2. Start your day early once again, and wear your best walking shoes because this will be your walking marathon.
The best area to enjoy the Cherry Blossom of Washington D.C. is at the Tidal Basin area. Afterwards, you may visit the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, followed by a visit to the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. Some simply opt to completely walk to explore these places; I opted to drive it in the interest of time. Then insert brunch after exploring the Tidal Basin.
Post-brunch, we proceeded to the National Gallery of Art to view their collections. (Entrance is free, and no prior reservations needed).
On the other hand, kindly note that all Smithsonian Museums now require prior bookings, and they do not accept any requests for walk-in visitors.
My pick is for you to visit their National Air & Space Museum, and the National Museum of Natural History.
Once you’re done exploring the museums, it is time to rest your feet; the best way to do this is to drive by the Capital for some photo op. Then drive along Constitution Avenue until you reach the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway to drive along the Potomac River, up until you reach Lincoln Memorial for another photo op.
Then you can have a filling merienda prior to your four-hour drive back to New York.
Must-eat places: Bread Furst for brunch. Must-try are their signature Messy Egg Sandwich, Ham & Cheese Biscuit, Baguette and just ask for some butter to pair it with.
For our heavy snack, I took my wife and three kids to Washington’s one and only Ben’s Chili Bowl, well known for its half smoke and chilis.
Our next stop is “the birthplace of America”.
