April is one of the busiest months of the entire year for tourism. Early April is usually when we get the perfect storm of cherry blossoms in bloom and school spring break. The weekend of peak cherry blossom bloom is always the busiest and most crowded weekend of the entire year on the National Mall and Tidal Basin. April is also right in the middle of 8th grade field trip season so be aware that when you’re visiting you’re going to share the sites with a lot of teenagers. Here is what else to expect when you visit in Washington DC in April.

Tips for Visiting Washington DC in April

Cherry blossoms

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is in full swing by April and there are several signature events and smaller events that are worth checking out. These include the parade, kite festival, and fireworks display. The most important thing you need to know about the cherry blossoms is that they are notoriously difficult to time. Do not try to plan your trip around seeing the peak bloom. Instead, just to come to enjoy spring and be pleasantly surprised if you do see the blossoms.  

Washington DC April weather

April is when we start to get pretty reliable spring weather. However, there is always a chance of a cold snap or a mini heatwave. The average daily high is 67 degrees and the average daily low is 44 degrees. It is actually a pretty tough month of the year for planning outdoor activities because temperature swings can happen throughout the day.  

The key to packing for April is to think in terms of layers. You would not want to bring your winter coat during April. But, you might want to bring some sweatshirts and light jackets that you can layer up depending on the temperature. The day before you leave for your DC trip, check the forecast for the next few days to see what the temperatures might be like; that way you can decide how many sweatshirts and jackets you might want to bring. You should probably plan to pack an umbrella, regardless of what the forecast says. Rain is not uncommon in Washington DC in April.

April holidays

There are no government holidays during April. There are a few unofficial ones to keep an eye on. April Fool’s Day is on April 1st – try not to get pranked! Tax day is on the 15th. Patriots Day is on the third Monday of April. Earth Day is on the 22nd. There are no official events for any of these holidays but people do occasionally use them for rallies, protests and other political events. So, when you’re down on the National Mall, you might find some people trying to get your attention about some issue or cause depending on the calendar.  

We could also potentially have religious holidays such as Passover, Good Friday and Easter. However, as a visitor, unless you’re specifically looking for a religious event, you’re probably not going to notice much happening for these holidays.

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Trip Hacks DC was founded by Rob, a veteran tour guide in the Nation’s Capital. Trip Hacks DC provides tips,  tricks and travel hacks for planning your trip; and guided tours to show you around once you get here. Our tours are family and school group friendly and our guides specialize in the major Washington, DC sites.  Click here to check out the upcoming tour options and to book your tour here today!Feel free to contact us if you have any tour questions.