Good time to visit D.C.?

Re: Good time to visit D.C.?

• 0225eiluj

  January 2012

  May/June is a lovely time here.  There will be crowds, you just really can't avoid them here.  There are just crowds, and worse crowds.  If you are coming during the week, it shouldn't be too bad.  School groups are here all the time.  May/June is the end of school and it seems that means field trips.  But don't let that deter you.  I'd rather have a tour group than just a random crowd of the same number.  

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• mxolisi member

  

  January 2012

  May/June seems to be the peak for the school groups, but at least the weather might be decent.

  If you wait until July/August everything will be crowded AND the weather will be miserable.

  Personally I think early October is the best time to visit. Usually we have great weather and there are no crowds to speak of. 

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• OUKatie

  January 2012

  We went in mid-June this past summer and the school crowds were minimal. We only saw a few. The weather was warm but not bad.

  

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• bonjourbelle05 member

  

  January 2012

  DH and I went at the end of April (over a weekend) and it was crowded, but not unbearable by any means.  Also, some of the cherry blossoms were coming out, so that was nice to see without the crowds of the cherry blossom festival.
  

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• indylady

  January 2012

  We went in 2009 during the last week of May and it was perfect. The weather wasn't too hot and I didn't think the crowds were bad. We didn't see too many school groups either.

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• MrsA1210

  January 2012

  May and October are the best months - warm and nice to walk around, not the dead heat of summer.  I'd say July is the worst time - the humidity and summer crowds.
  

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• operaghost member

  

  January 2012

  DH and I went in April last year.  It was nice because the cherry blossoms were in bloom, but there were a GAZILLION school tour groups which was really annoying.  We managed though.  One thing I would highly recommend is the tour of the Capitol, try and arrange it through your local Congressperson's office because then you get a much smaller tour group. 

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• Temp536318000001135

  January 2012

  May/June is a nice time of year here. I feel like April is the busy time for school field trips and crowds for the cherry blossoms. By mid-May, schools are wrapping up field trips because they are getting ready for the end of the year. I know when I was in school in Maryland, our DC or Baltimore field trips were in April or early May.

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• babygirlpriest

  January 2012

  Ditto everyone else. May/June you WILL hit school trips but it shouldn't be too bad. I think whoever said early to mid fall was right in terms of low tourist season and good weather.

  Summer is hot and humid and more families vacationing. Plus a few places keep summer hours which are shorter... but you get the bonus of special summer events like free concert series at various landmarks, festivals, etc.

  4th of July and Cherry Blossom Festival are probably the two most crowded times here.

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• Magdala9

  January 2012

  I work in government and have spent way too much time in DC hotels.  There are school groups in town for field trips from March to June.  There are a number of special educational programs that are run for schools during that time.  Spring is also one of the nicest times to visit DC.   It is not too hot and the weather is generally not too rainy.    The students programs seem to end the first week of June but then the tourist families start to arrive.  Early October seems to be the lowest number of people but Congress hasn't yet funded travel for the government professionals and it is too early in the school year for student trips.  You will get the tourists around Columbus day. 

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• WinnieD

  January 2012

  I think fall is best. There will be school trips all spring and early summer and, IMO, it makes things much worse.
  

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• Jenny952

  January 2012

  I have some friends from college who lived in DC, and I used to visit every Memorial Day weekend for several years.  I don't think we ever had bad weather and there's always lots to do.  I also went one year over Labor Day and it was miserably hot.  You'll probably always run into school field trips, except in the summer. 

  

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• koosh ball member

  

  January 2012

  The last time we went was in October and it was lovely. I would NOT GO during the summer. I have been a few times and it is horrible.
  

  

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