Best Time to Visit Washington DC

Short answer: late September to early November is our favourite time. The heat has gone, the school groups have thinned and the trees along the Mall and in Rock Creek Park turn colour. Spring is lovelier but busier.

The cherry blossoms are Washington's big moment. The Japanese cherry trees around the Tidal Basin, a gift from Tokyo in 1912, usually peak in late March or early April, and the National Park Service publishes a forecast in early March. The National Cherry Blossom Festival runs for several weeks around it. Go at sunrise if you want photos without thousands of people in them. Spring also brings school trips from across the country, so the museums on the Mall are at their busiest from March to May.

Summer is hot and humid. July and August often reach the low 30s °C (around 90°F) with heavy air and afternoon thunderstorms. The museums are air-conditioned, which helps, but the Mall has little shade. Do the memorials early or late. Independence Day on 4 July brings a parade and fireworks over the Mall, with enormous crowds and security.

Winter is cold but rarely brutal, with a few snowy days most years. It's the quietest and cheapest time to visit, and the museums are calm. The National Christmas Tree near the White House is lit in early December. Every four years, the presidential inauguration in January fills every hotel in the city.

Season at a glance

• March to May: blossom, mild weather, school groups, busy museums.
• June to August: hot, humid, thunderstorms, long evenings.
• September to November: warm then crisp, autumn colour, fewer crowds.
• December to February: cold, quiet, cheapest hotels.

Hotel prices also rise when Congress is in session and during big conferences, and fall at weekends in business areas. Check our what to wear guide for the humidity, and plan indoor days with our Smithsonian guide.