Top Things to Do in the Capital Region Each Season
The Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC area is brimming with activities and events every season of the year.
The Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC area is brimming with activities and events every season of the year.
Plan your Washington, DC trip to coincide with the annual cherry blossom bloom, and watch the city turn pink.
Cycle down the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia for stunning views of the changing autumn leaves.
Skate around the Ice Rink at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, and marvel at the surrounding monuments and art installations.
Plan your Washington, DC trip to coincide with the annual cherry blossom bloom, and watch the city turn pink.
Cycle down the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia for stunning views of the changing autumn leaves.
Skate around the Ice Rink at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, and marvel at the surrounding monuments and art installations.
Here are some of the Capital Region’s best seasonal activities.
Cherry Blossoms in Spring
Visitors and locals flock to the Washington, DC area in the spring to marvel at cherry trees in bloom. It’s a sublime experience to see nearly 4,000 pink and white trees bursting with flowers. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival occurs in late March and early April and commemorates the 1912 gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Japan to the city of Washington, DC. Time your visit to coincide with the dozens of events and performances that take place during the festival. Don’t miss a walking or cycling tour of the blossoms.
Surf, Sand and Sun in Summer
View Colourful Foliage in Autumn
As the days turn crisp and cool, the Capital Region takes on the honey-coloured hues of fall foliage. Enjoy a leisurely hike at Rock Creek Park in DC, an urban national park with 52 kilometres of hiking trails. Skyline Drive in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park and, further south, the Blue Ridge Parkway are two quintessential autumn drives. With an endless tree-lined road winding ahead of you and colourful leaves swirling all around, it’s a scene straight out of a film. In Maryland, bike or hike the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal towpath as autumn's warm tones are reflected on the waters of the Potomac River.
Ski, Snowboard & Ice Skate in Winter
Within a few hours’ drive of Washington, DC are many destinations for winter sports. At the mountain resorts of Virginia, you’ll find some of the best snow tubing, skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling in the region. Wisp Resort in Maryland has all of these activities, along with ice fishing, sleigh rides, snowshoeing and the thrilling Mountain Coaster — a self-navigated "roller coaster meets sled ride" that zips you down the mountain. Experience the magic of ice-skating while surrounded by historic monuments and modern outdoor sculptures at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, located on the National Mall in the heart of Washington, DC.
For more winter activities indoors and out, read Winter Wonderland: Enjoy the Season in the Capital Region.
GETTING HERE: Just 26 miles west of Washington, DC, Washington Dulles International Airport is centrally located in the Capital Region USA and convenient to all destinations and activities across Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland. Non-stop flights to Washington Dulles International Airport from major destinations worldwide make getting here easy.