Cherry Blossoms In DC

If you're planning on going to DC sometime in your life to see the cherry blossoms, let me offer some advice.

1. Never go on a weekend. Never. Ever. Evvvvver.

2. Never go on a weekend that happens to be Easter weekend. Never. Ever. Evvvvver.

3. Never go on a weekend that happens to be Easter weekend and spring break. Never. Ever. Evvvvver.

Now that I've established that, here are some other tips in case you decide to go on a weekend that happens to be Easter weekend and spring break...like moi.

1. Go with a friend. A good friend. A good friend like my friend Tatiana. You can't have her because she's already mine, but you get the point. You will need someone steady, not easily prone to claustrophobia. Someone with a sense of direction. Someone who will gripe with you about people not knowing how to walk on a sidewalk and then laugh at a little kid the next second. You will need that person to help keep you sane.

2. If you don't know how to ride the metro, this really is not the weekend to figure it out.

3. Leave your dog at home. If you want to take your dog for a walk, take it for a walk around your neighborhood, not around tens of thousands of people. Your dog will get stepped on...like I saw happen to one woman's dog. Seriously. For your dog's safety, leave it at home.

4. Yes, the trees are lovely. That's what you're here for. But for the love of Pete and all that's holy, KEEP MOVING. If you want to take a picture, step off on to the grass. Do not stop in the middle of the sidewalk.

5. The tidal basin is 1.81 miles long. You do not have to stop at the first tree you see to take a picture. You also don't need to take a picture of every tree. It's tempting. But really.

And there you have it. Those are my 5 simple rules on how to survive the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC. It was packed, but taking in the cherry blossoms is worth it. Everything looked gorgeous, the memorials and monuments look just that more majestic and impressive surrounded by the blossoming trees, and I got to spend time with my friend Tatiana. Happiness! More photos after the jump...