When we saw that the National Parks Service had tweeted that the cherry blossoms were officially in peak bloom, we got on the road in Charleston, West Virginia and settled in for the drive. I’d been wanting to take Luna to the cherry blossoms and the nation’s capital forever. This would be the year.
We got in right at sunset. Gridlocked traffic would make it so that we were trapped in our car for most of what remained of daylight, but it would also ensure that I gave up on any attempt to rush to find parking and get daytime photos. As such, we were able to mark Luna’s arrive without my being anxious.
When we did find parking, we made our way directly to the mall and enjoyed a leisurely stroll down the mall toward the Capitol in the waning minutes of daylight. By night, we’d arrive at the Capitol and relished in the sense of achievement.
Anticipating rain the next couple of days, I wanted to make sure Luna got some opportunity to be out and about around the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial before the weather would have a chance to dictate our itinerary. We found parking near the Jefferson Memorial and spent a couple of hours walking around and enjoying nighttime views of D.C.
I knew we wanted to be back early in the morning so when we left for the night, we didn’t go far. We parked near the Mall and rested till it was time to abandon our bivouac and relocate to the Basin for our first full day of cherry blossoms.
Washington, District of Columbia | 26 March 2026