Nestled in a residential corner of NE DC near Catholic University, the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America is one of the most beautiful local spots to visit in the spring. The upper grounds are carpeted in tulips of all colors with and redbuds, dogwoods, and Kwanzaan cherry trees dotted between the cloister walls. Follow the curving path down into the lower garden and you’re surrounded by azaleas…

A few days before the famous cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin were due to hit peak bloom, we headed to the National Arboretum to see what was in bloom there. The arboretum covers more than 450 acres in northeast DC and isn’t a big tourist spot, so we knew that it wouldn’t be as crowded as the Mall on a beautiful spring day. Even though the parking lot was full, we had plenty of room to run!