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Flowers, birds, and verdant hues announce spring.
Washington, D.C.
Closer to home, the dazzling views of cherry blossoms burgeoning along the Potomac make spring the best time to visit Washington, D.C., too. The pretty pink flowers frame the American capital’s famous national monuments in early April every year – a natural event celebrated with parades and hi-jinks as part of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival (www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org). The mild weather is just the thing for walking the grassy expanse of the National Mall, too; a gravel path encircles all the major sights – the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Jefferson Memorial among them – and a massive greenspace where spring concerts and fairs are often held. Catch a show, picnic on the grass, or just meander from museum to museum . . . There's no shortage of sights to see; the only downside is that droves of seasonal visitors are doing the exactly same thing.
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