Michelle Obama got into the spring spirit by breaking ground on a vegetable garden on the South Lawn of the White House–a practice that hadn’t been visited in decades–but I wonder if she’ll engage in that other D.C. tradition: Stopping to smell the cherry blossoms near D.C’s Tidal Basin.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival (happening through April 12) is expected to see its peak bloom period from April 1 to 4. For those living in Maryland or Virginia or even Delaware, the short trip to D.C. is worth the drive to see the dainty pale pink and white flowers burst into their subtle elegance. And I’d bet you could score a Washington D.C. vacation home on the fly, too.
Just when the Yoshino cherry blossoms gifted by Japan will sprout into beautiful buds depends on Mother Nature and the average date of blooming. In 1990, the grand reveal came as early as March 15.
If you miss D.C.’s celebration this time, consider other petal parades across America. I’m biased, of course, but my vote goes to the Windy City, where you can stay in a Chicago vacation home 10 times the size of a hotel room, and enjoy the Danish tulips dance along Michigan Avenue in shades of fuschia, white and canary.
Oh, and bring your jacket. It snowed on March 29. Mother Nature, cut us some slack–will you please?
