Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or Laura@GuidingYourMove.com.
Peak cherry blossom viewing is underway in D.C., which means lots of visitors and no parking.
If you’re thinking of visiting the blossoms, here are some tips to help make the visit enjoyable and easy.
Go early. Crowds start to form throughout the day, especially on weekends, so early birds get to see the sunrise along with the blossoms.
You can book parking in advance using the SpotHero site. It will tell you the price and distance in advance. Be prepared for traffic though.
You can take the metro, a fun bonus if you have kids who haven’t taken the metro in years or ever due to COVID. You can get off at the Smithsonian or L’Enfant Plaza stops and walk.
Another easy way is to valet park at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. I believe it’s $39 and cash only, but they have an easy access that’s 1 block to the Tidal Basin.
If you’re looking to avoid the crowd, don’t forget that Meadowlark Botanical Garden also has cherry blossoms that bloom a few days after the D.C. ones.
Other events if you’re really into the Cherry Blossom Festival:
- The Parade is April 9th at 10 a.m.
- Petalpalooza is a full day of music and activities on April 16
Do you have another insider tip? Please share it below!

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Explore your creative side this fall at Art House 7 with our Fall 2 Session of art classes beginning October 30th. Whether you’re a budding artist or looking to unleash your artistic potential with something new, there’s a class for everyone!
Short and Drop-In Classes:
Dive into creativity with our short-term offerings, including a 3-week still-life painting course, a 3-week knitting class, a 5-week Painting the Portrait and Figure workshop led by acclaimed local artist Danni Dawson, and a mesmerizing 4-week exploration of Japanese Suminagashi and modern paper marbling. Plus, we have a drop-in class specially designed for parents and toddlers (2-4 years old) to introduce them to the world of art.

Public invited: “Fur-th Birthday” brunch celebration for Woofie’s of South Riding-Aldie, Sunday, October 8 at The Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar
Woofie’s of South Riding-Aldie, providing premium mobile pet services throughout Aldie, Middleburg, South Riding is celebrating its fourth anniversary with expansion to Centreville and Chantilly and its fourth Woofie’s pet grooming van. The franchise, owned and operated by Loudoun County residents, husband/wife team Sebaot Gebre and Teferi Dejene, has grown by 900% since its first full year in business.
Services include:
• Mobile pet spa grooming
• Dog walking
• Pet sitting
• In-home or overnight pet sitting
• Customizable services
STEM Fest
We invite you to join us at STEAMOLOGY’s annual FREE STEM Fest for elementary and middle school students, taking place on Saturday, October 14th at South County High School, 8501 Silverbrook Rd, Lorton, VA 22079.
STEM Fest is an exciting
Arlington Metaphysical Chapel Presents Metaphest, October 14-15, 2023
Workshops on: ~ Meditation ~ Intro to Tarot: The Aces and Major Arcana
~ Ageless Aging ~ Past Life Regression ~ Animal Communication and Healing
~ Psychometry ~ Spiritual Healing ~ Self Soul Love ~ Consciously Clearing Clutter ~ Awareness/Mindfulness/Consciousness.