Floral Library with Washington Monument (April 2025)
My partner and I had one more day in D.C. following a day spent in Virginia. We had planned to take it easy before our flight back to Los Angeles that evening, but we ended up having a whirlwind of a time walking all over the capital to see the major landmarks, which we had not gotten to during our previous days in town. It was busy, but fun all the same.
We opted to pay extra for a late check-out from our hotel room, and then we headed out to grab breakfast at a nearby café. Sadly, breakfast was very-mediocre, but it did the trick to fuel us for all the walking we would be doing throughout the National Mall and its surroundings.
Coffees for breakfast
The National Mall is not a shopping mall, by any means, but rather a large park with many of the major historic monuments of the United States. We walked through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and headed up the marble steps to the Lincoln Memorial to see the 19-foot statue of the 16th US President looming over us, as well as overseeing the nation’s capital from the top.
Lincoln Memorial
Statue of Abraham Lincoln
In addition, my partner and I also got lovely views of the Washington Monument obelisk and its reflection from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Another iconic landmark of the nation!
Washington Monument with the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Washington, D.C. is known for its cherry blossoms that bloom in the springtime, a notable tradition since 1912 as a gift of friendship from Japan. The National Mall is especially known for an abundance of the pink flower, but unfortunately, we did not see many during our visit, as a storm a few days prior had blown most of them away. However, we did check out the Floral Library nearby filled with colorful tulips which made for a beautiful sight.
Tulips at the Floral Library
Although we did not see many cherry blossoms at The National Mall, we managed to see a good handful of them on our way to the National Portrait Gallery. There were a few trees next to the National Museum of African American History and Culture that were flourishing, and they were absolutely stunning. You can bet that I took tons of photos of them!
We made a 20 to 30-minute walk to the National Portrait Gallery, a Smithsonian museum known for portraits of important people in history. As it is a Smithsonian, admission was free, and we spent almost two hours checking it out. It is a fairly-large museum, and I enjoyed coming across famous portraits of historical figures that I had only previously seen in textbooks. Some of my personal favorites include portrait of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Barack Obama.
Inside the National Portrait Gallery
The Great Hall
Benjamin Franklin
George Washington
Barack Obama (portrait by Kehinde Wiley)
After visiting The National Portrait Gallery, we got lunch nearby (sadly, also mediocre) before heading back to our hotel, packing up and checking out, and taking an Uber over to the airport. Our flight left at 18h00 and we landed in LAX early around 20h30 local time.
Goodbye, D.C.!
Overall, it was a brief, but fun trip to D.C. with my partner. I had not visited D.C. since I was a teenager, and it was great returning as an adult. Not only that, but I also got to see two new US states: Maryland and Virginia! Despite everything going on in politics these days, I have hope that the country will turn itself around and that things will get better.
Thanks for reading, and more adventures are coming soon! 🙂
— Rebecca
Rebecca Goes Rendezvous 
Looks so lovely in the spring! I have to go back and hit up more museums here, for sure.
Bummer that your breakfast was disappointing- that coffee looks great!
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To be honest, we had a lackluster dining experience in DC, with the exception of the Ethiopian food on our second night. A shame, really, as we’d heard the DC’s food scene is really good. All the same, the sites were lovely to visit in spring!
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Beautiful pictures; my experience there other than official visits was to see the Smithsonian which is top, very memorable. Cheers
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Yes, the Smithsonian was a real treat! I’m glad you have fond memories of your visit to DC way back when 😊
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Yes memories forever. Thanks
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Lovely Rebecca, and how nice to be in DC in springtime with all the tulips in flower.
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I agree! DC is lovely in the spring, and the tulips were a joy to experience 😊
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The National Mall is also another place in D.C. that I want to visit. It’s nice that you got to see more cherry blossoms, but from the meals you had on your last day in the city, it sounds like D.C. really needs to step up its dining scene.
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Indeed! It was a busy, but lovely final day in DC, doing the touristy stuff at the National Mall and (luckily) seeing the last of the cherry blossoms! I admit, I was disappointed in DC’s food scene, bar the Ethiopian food we had on our second night. Guess we’re spoiled for good food in LA! 😅
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I hope so too, this too shall pass
Beautiful journey, Rebecca
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Thank you, Milena! We’ll see what happens in the next few years…
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Best of luck discovering new places
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Always something fun to see and do in DC and it’s so cool you got to see those lovely tulips. 🌷 Congratulations on visiting two new states on this trip – keep going!
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Thanks, Darlene! Spring in DC is truly something, and I loved how everything was in bloom! I was happy I got to see two more US states during our short time there, and I plan to see more in due course!
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Lovely spring photos from Washington
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Yes, indeed! Thank you, Tanja 🙂
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Such a nice trip! I would love to wander around DC in the spring checking out at the beautiful blooms and national monuments. I hope this country turns around too, maybe it’ll start this November.
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I hope so, too! The cherry blossoms were such a delight in DC, and we were fortunate to catch the last of it on our trip. We’ll have to see what happens soon in this country…hopefully, things will look up!
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Absolutely stunning! The level of detail in this shot is incredible.
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There’s so much to do and see along the mall. I particularly like the portrait of President Obama; he’s a wonderful person. Here’s hoping and praying that the midterms will bring change.
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I agree with you, Tricia! The portrait of President Obama by Kehinde Wiley is such a unique and refreshing take on the usual, stiff images we see otherwise. We’ll have to see where the next few years take us in this country…
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I didn’t know the national portrait gallery existed. Guess I have another thing to add to my list for next time. There’s just so much to see in DC. Sounds like you guys managed quite a bit and even got to see some cherry blossoms! Yay!
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Indeed! The National Portrait Gallery was a highlight of our time in DC; I saw so many portrait of iconic historic figures who I’d only seen in textbooks! We got lucky with the last of the cherry blossoms, and overall, it was a good time in the country’s capital 🙂
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It looks like spring is a beautiful time to visit Washington DC, especially as the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the weather is mild, and there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy. I love the stunning and relaxing courtyard of the National Portrait Gallery and the Barack Obama portrait by Kehinde Wiley. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Thanks, Aiva! Spring in DC is a lovely time, with everything in full bloom! Barack Obama’s portrait by Wiley is a good one, unique compared to the otherwise stuffy portraits from other iconic figures. Have a wonderful day 😊
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Sorry to hear about the lackluster meals, but the flowers and museum were fantastic!
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The DC food scene disappointed us, but everything else in town was excellent! Guess we’re spoiled for good food in LA 😆
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