Visiting Washington, D.C., in April is a wonderful experience.  The cherry blossoms are blooming, spring is around the corner, and the weather is comfortable, which encourages us to get out and about.  My current trip to D.C. did not pan out how I had expected, at least not initially!

Our bus arrived downtown, close to our rally point (where we would be dropped off and picked up), only to find that we couldn’t get there.  A marathon was occurring, and many roads were blocked off.  We were only about a block away and conveniently located near a Starbucks, so we deboarded and started the day.  On a rainy day, we managed to catch a break as we walked to Starbucks without getting very wet.  After a drink and a snack, we headed toward the Library of Congress…just in time for the torrential rain to come back…and we got soaked.  Upon arriving at the Library, we noticed a sign out front that stated all visitors need to have virtual, timed-entry tickets.  Using the QR code showed two tickets left…for the day!  We hurriedly signed up, got in line, and gained entry in half an hour.  There are no guided tours anymore, as everything is online, but guests were free to walk around as desired.  It also happened to be a Japanese cultural day, which was fun to experience.

Many of the murals are so intricate that they look like beautiful paintings from far away.  The artistry is gorgeous, and the displays are interesting. 

Heading back toward the direction we came, the next stop was the Botanical Gardens.  This was a wonderful place to spend some time.  With indoor and outdoor areas to view, this location showed a variety of plants.  My favorite part was the selection of orchids that were blooming.

Continuing further down the road, our next stop was the National Museum of the American Indian.  This was one of the coolest buildings I have seen.  Walking inside, visitors see a large metal structure in front of them.  After walking around to the other side, you realize that the structure is supposed to look like a partially woven basket that is larger than life.  This outlines a staging area where speakers and performances occur.  The museum has multiple floors and so much to offer, including an amazing gift shop that you can look around for an hour!  On this particular day, the museum was celebrating its Cherokee Days, so many activities and demonstrations were available to see.

Upon leaving the museum and walking toward our bus meeting point, I stumbled across some monuments dedicated to Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34^th President of the US.  Very nicely done and beautifully laid out.

This was only a sliver of the city, but there was so much to see in this one small area.  I need to return for a long weekend to see some of the other museums and monuments at the other end of the city!

Full disclosure…we would have gone to the Air and Space Museum, as that was right across from where our bus picked us up, but not only were all the timed tickets taken for the day, but 2/3 of the museum wasn’t available to view as it is undergoing a major renovation. Needless to say, we will make a return trip when that is done in the future. There is another museum nearby in Virginia where many of the aircraft were taken, so that would be amazing to see in the meantime.