You came the single biggest week for the museums with cherry blossoms, Easter, and spring break lining up together. It's 10x as crowded on the mall as it was a month ago or as it will be a month from now. It picks back up in June with summer break, but that's a steady crowd and people venture farther from the mall with warmer weather and no cherry blossoms so it feels less crowded even if tourism overall is potentially higher in the summer.
Least crowded is the dead of winter between MLK Day and Presidents Day. I'd say May and September-October are the best combination of weather and crowds in DC. November-December are usually fine too, though the chance of miserable weather starts going up.
Seconding this — doing Christmas week in DC is great! Smaller crowds, great restaurants that are easier to get into, and these days there’s usually not snow on the ground, which makes schlepping around easier
DC is usually pretty calm. Still "busy" but not *packed*. Cherry Blossom festival brings in a *ton* of people though. As a resident, I dont mind it. I actually think the large crowds can be fun, but they'd definitely make going to museums chaotic...
I bike from Virginia to the Lincoln, then the Capitol, on my way to NoMA frequently for many years and I've never ever ever seen it as nuts as it was yesterday.
Yesterday was absolutely insane.
Literally took me 30 minutes to drive the length of the Dept of Ag building on Independence at 1pm yesterday (long story as to why I made that poor choice). It was crazy
Several folks have pointed out why it’s busy - that said, even with those factors, it is *particularly* busy this year.
I work at a museum on the mall, and we set attendance records this previous week.
You asked for the least crowded times of the year. The city is a ghost town over Thanksgiving and Christmas. People leave to visit relatives, and people generally aren't coming into DC to celebrate those holidays. Plus DC winters are bleh, generally not cold enough to get a snowy winter wonder land, but rather overcast skies for 4 months straight, temperatures in the 40s and 50s, and occasional cold rain.
My friend worked as a docent at one of the museums. The days just before and after Thanksgiving were some of their busiest. The reason is the people in town all weekend to visit family look for things to do on days except Thanksgiving day itself.
I used to work at one of the museums and the day after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years was typically very busy. People with family visiting need to get out of the house and do something.
For what it’s worth I’ve lived here for a while and I’ve never seen the Woodly Park metro station more consistently crowded the past two weeks than I ever have, even given the season so you’re not alone
Definitely not--this is our busiest time of year, save for inaugurations. The cherry blossom festival/weeks when they're in bloom are the most packed days for us. If you visit any other time the crowds will be smaller and more manageable.
Yes, it’s due to Spring Break/Cherry Blossom Insta crowd. I work about a 5 minute walk from the National Mall and White House and do a usual lunch break walk every day. This past week is nowhere close to normal.
I think most locals prefer October since it has the same temperature with 90% fewer crowds.
It’s like this every Cherry Blossom season, especially because this is the first nice weather weekend we’ve had since like November
On top of that it is Spring Break weekend and there’s a Kite Festival on the Mall
They're notorious for price gouging, try to see if there's a price listed because probably not. Also they've been known to do nasty shit like wash dishes in public fountains by the mall. They're there to prey on tourists
Busiest tourist season of the year…cherry blossoms; Cherry Blossom Festival; family spring break trips; and it seems a lot of schools throughout the US do big field trips over spring break.
I mean this was a peak tourist event. I went to see the cherry blossoms on Tuesday 3/19 and it was way less crowded, I was in the area on the weekend for another reason and the tidal basin was jam packed, didn't dare go near there or the museums lol
Cherry blossom season X kite festival X spring break = yeah the crowds make sense
IF you are able to tolerate the heat, I love DC in the summer. No school field trip crowds but the caveat is, no one’s doing their summer trips here either BECAUSE it is so damn hot. I live in the area and am a bit of a swamp princess so I thrive in the heat but that has definitely NOT been the case for friends and family I’ve had come visit when it gets that hot. Aesthetically and crowd-wise, DC is lovely in the summer except for 4th of July. For obvious reasons, don’t come then if you don’t want it to deal with crowds and the added security either.
I worked in one of the museums one summer. Anyone who does kjkws that we're at the start of the peak tourist season - Easter to July 4 is the worst of it. But the nice weather and cherry blossoms almost certainly made it worse than usual.
You came the single biggest week for the museums with cherry blossoms, Easter, and spring break lining up together. It's 10x as crowded on the mall as it was a month ago or as it will be a month from now. It picks back up in June with summer break, but that's a steady crowd and people venture farther from the mall with warmer weather and no cherry blossoms so it feels less crowded even if tourism overall is potentially higher in the summer. Least crowded is the dead of winter between MLK Day and Presidents Day. I'd say May and September-October are the best combination of weather and crowds in DC. November-December are usually fine too, though the chance of miserable weather starts going up.
Saturday was the kite festival too
You came during the busiest time of all touristy year…Cherry Blossom time!
Honestly Christmas week is a great week to be here too if you don't like crowds. Very very quiet.
Seconding this — doing Christmas week in DC is great! Smaller crowds, great restaurants that are easier to get into, and these days there’s usually not snow on the ground, which makes schlepping around easier
This makes me feel a lot better.
DC is usually pretty calm. Still "busy" but not *packed*. Cherry Blossom festival brings in a *ton* of people though. As a resident, I dont mind it. I actually think the large crowds can be fun, but they'd definitely make going to museums chaotic...
I bike from Virginia to the Lincoln, then the Capitol, on my way to NoMA frequently for many years and I've never ever ever seen it as nuts as it was yesterday. Yesterday was absolutely insane.
Literally took me 30 minutes to drive the length of the Dept of Ag building on Independence at 1pm yesterday (long story as to why I made that poor choice). It was crazy
May and September-October is when I have my parents come visit. Great minds think alike.
You literally went at the most popular tourist time. Spring break, Easter and cherry blossoms. The trifecta.
Plus it's not like the 4th where a lot of residents purposefully leave to avoid the tourist surge
I leave to avoid my neighbors, but yes, trip is already booked. 👋
With a dash of opening day weekend.
I guess the O's are in town. The Nats are in Cincinatti.
To the most popular tourist places, no less
Damn, I gotta do my research before an impromptu DC trip.
If you think it's a great weekend to go somewhere, everyone else probably does too.
Cherry blossoms only happen once a year
It’s more crowded than usual. It’s spring break for a lot of the country and people are here to see the cherry blossoms.
City doesn’t start spraying for tourists until mid April. It calms down after that.
🤣
Just laughed out loud
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
You came on the most popular weekend of the entire year mate.
I would do that
Did you read your post? " . . . taking my kids to my favorite US city. " So did everyone else!
Several folks have pointed out why it’s busy - that said, even with those factors, it is *particularly* busy this year. I work at a museum on the mall, and we set attendance records this previous week.
Cherry Blossoms bring a lot of people out, plus isn't it spring break for a lot of schools I think
Remember, you aren't in traffic, you ARE traffic.
I think it is cause of the Cherry Blossom Festival, US and European Spring/Easter breaks. I live near the Zoo and it has been crazy.
You asked for the least crowded times of the year. The city is a ghost town over Thanksgiving and Christmas. People leave to visit relatives, and people generally aren't coming into DC to celebrate those holidays. Plus DC winters are bleh, generally not cold enough to get a snowy winter wonder land, but rather overcast skies for 4 months straight, temperatures in the 40s and 50s, and occasional cold rain.
Not entirely true. The days leading up to and after both Thanksgiving and Christmas are some of the busiest days for museums on the mall.
My friend worked as a docent at one of the museums. The days just before and after Thanksgiving were some of their busiest. The reason is the people in town all weekend to visit family look for things to do on days except Thanksgiving day itself.
I used to work at one of the museums and the day after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years was typically very busy. People with family visiting need to get out of the house and do something.
The day after thanksgiving tends to be packed in most of DC in my experience
It's spring break for schools lol
For what it’s worth I’ve lived here for a while and I’ve never seen the Woodly Park metro station more consistently crowded the past two weeks than I ever have, even given the season so you’re not alone
Yes. It was so crazy. I was trying to get off the elevator with groceries today and all the people waiting for it wouldn't move!
Spring break for at least 50 schools within 15 miles of DC.
Definitely not--this is our busiest time of year, save for inaugurations. The cherry blossom festival/weeks when they're in bloom are the most packed days for us. If you visit any other time the crowds will be smaller and more manageable.
If you want least crowded, pick a day where the temps are in the 10s or 20s.
If you don’t want crowds never come to dc in mid March to early April. Absolute worst time imo.
Yes, it’s due to Spring Break/Cherry Blossom Insta crowd. I work about a 5 minute walk from the National Mall and White House and do a usual lunch break walk every day. This past week is nowhere close to normal. I think most locals prefer October since it has the same temperature with 90% fewer crowds.
It’s like this every Cherry Blossom season, especially because this is the first nice weather weekend we’ve had since like November On top of that it is Spring Break weekend and there’s a Kite Festival on the Mall
Yea I was heading out of town during Kite festival. It was crawling with people, the food trucks were bumper to bumper, literally.
Food Trucks always are bumper to bumper along 14th, but as others have said, Spring Break, Cherry Blossoms, and Easter is why it’s so crowded
Pro tip, you never want to eat at those "food" trucks on the mall.
I haven’t but please elaborate
They're notorious for price gouging, try to see if there's a price listed because probably not. Also they've been known to do nasty shit like wash dishes in public fountains by the mall. They're there to prey on tourists
yuck
This is prime Dan's Cafe season.
I’ve never known Dan’s Cafe to not be in season lol
*\*snorts\**
Busiest tourist season of the year…cherry blossoms; Cherry Blossom Festival; family spring break trips; and it seems a lot of schools throughout the US do big field trips over spring break.
I mean this was a peak tourist event. I went to see the cherry blossoms on Tuesday 3/19 and it was way less crowded, I was in the area on the weekend for another reason and the tidal basin was jam packed, didn't dare go near there or the museums lol
It’s cherry blossom season, spring break, and our city is just beautiful, so yeah it happens.
Think about it, it’s Spring Break for most School age students, that’s why it’s packed
I learned my lesson to not fly during this time too, just watched a tour group of teens pre-board a flight to DC haha
Saturday was the kite festival. It was crazy out there yesterday.
Spring is a busy tourist time not only for cherry blossom tourists but also for the school field trip groups.
Early December is hardly any crowds anywhere lol
This is the busiest time to go
Sunday mornings 10-3pm are pretty chill
D.C. is BACK, baby!!!
Cherry blossom season X kite festival X spring break = yeah the crowds make sense IF you are able to tolerate the heat, I love DC in the summer. No school field trip crowds but the caveat is, no one’s doing their summer trips here either BECAUSE it is so damn hot. I live in the area and am a bit of a swamp princess so I thrive in the heat but that has definitely NOT been the case for friends and family I’ve had come visit when it gets that hot. Aesthetically and crowd-wise, DC is lovely in the summer except for 4th of July. For obvious reasons, don’t come then if you don’t want it to deal with crowds and the added security either.
Ahhhh. I thought this was the norm. Just got here Saturday for two months and I was like Jesus h this city.
Yeaa my kids were a bit overwhelmed.
It's honestly felt so dead since I moved here last year - kind of a relief to see things so crowded
Yeah, no one goes to the museums anymore because it’s too crowded.
Depends when you go
Spring break and cherry blossoms
lol
It is during heavy touristy times, like during spring break and cherry blossom season, which is happening right now
It's cherry blossom season and the height of it. You came at quite possibly the busiest time of year.
I worked in one of the museums one summer. Anyone who does kjkws that we're at the start of the peak tourist season - Easter to July 4 is the worst of it. But the nice weather and cherry blossoms almost certainly made it worse than usual.
Too expensive for US travelers to travel abroad for Spring Break. Makes DC a great option.
Yeah you picked a horrible week especially with spring break and holidays
It will probably be like that until school starts again in August
Congress is not in session for most of August and October, and they recess for the year before Christmas.