Trees burst with pink cherry blossoms in front of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.

Cherry blossoms in spring, Washington, DC

Running of the Preakness, Baltimore, Maryland

Roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Family fun at Busch Gardens, Virginia

Ocean City, Maryland

Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia

Family at Wintergreen Resort in Virginia

Hitting the slopes, Virginia

Trees burst with pink cherry blossoms in front of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.

Cherry blossoms in spring, Washington, DC

Running of the Preakness, Baltimore, Maryland

Roller coaster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Family fun at Busch Gardens, Virginia

Ocean City, Maryland

Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia

Family at Wintergreen Resort in Virginia

Hitting the slopes, Virginia

Top Capital Region USA Trip Ideas By Season

Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC are four-season destinations, with outdoor and indoor activities, exciting events and natural beauty all year long.

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SPRING IN THE CAPITAL REGION

Washington, DC

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual two-week event happening late March through early April that boasts more than 90 events and more than 150 daily cultural performances by local, national and international entertainers. The event commemorates the 1912 gift of the cherry blossom trees from the people of Japan to the U.S.

Maryland

Preakness is the mid-Atlantic’s largest single-day annual sporting event taking place each May at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course. The Preakness Stakes is the second race in the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.

Virginia

Historic Garden Week has been welcoming visitors during “America’s Largest Open House” for more than 80 years. Step through the gates of more than 250 of Virginia’s most beautiful gardens, homes and historic landmarks each April.

SUMMER IN THE CAPITAL REGION

Washington, DC

Nowhere is there greater excitement as America celebrates its independence than in the nation's capital, Washington, DC. The days leading up to July 4 are filled with summertime fun such as the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall, celebrating cultural diversity. Other DC events include America’s National Independence Day Parade and a spectacular display of fireworks over the Washington Monument.

Maryland

Six Flags America just outside Washington, DC, features more than 100 rides, shows and attractions, including nine thrilling roller coasters. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor boasts rides, slides and activities for all ages.

Maryland’s most popular family beach is Ocean City. Enjoy 17 golf courses, world-famous sport fishing, the boardwalk, 10 miles of beaches, outlet shopping and restaurants serving everything from seafood to down-home cooking to haute cuisine.

Virginia

Kings Dominion is a 400-acre amusement and water park with one of the largest coaster collections on the East Coast. Entrance to WaterWorks, a 20-acre water park, is included with admission. Take a journey to the unexpected at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Voted the "World's Most Beautiful Theme Park," Busch Gardens boasts more than 50 thrilling rides and attractions.

Live the life in Virginia Beach, offering 28 miles of public beaches and a three-mile boardwalk. Take advantage of sport fishing charters, snorkelling, surfing, sailing and kayaking, visit the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, or just hang out at the oceanfront.

FALL IN THE CAPITAL REGION

Washington, DC

Each September, The Kennedy Center kicks off the city’s cultural calendar with its annual Prelude Festival, a monthlong preview of the new season. Fall visitors can also take part in neighbourhood festivals such as Adams Morgan Day and Taste of Georgetown. If you're yearning to see autumn colour, check out Rock Creek Park, Theodore Roosevelt Island or the National Arboretum.

Maryland

Maryland hosts dozens of fall festivals from one end of the state to the other. Experience early farm life, take a hay ride, pick a pumpkin, watch apple-pressing and the making of apple butter, make a scarecrow, find your way through corn mazes and enjoy farm animals at petting zoos.

Virginia

Hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive and spend the weekend taking in the breathtaking fall scenery of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Breathe in the cool, crisp autumn air, pick some apples and tour one of Virginia’s 250-plus wineries

WINTER IN THE CAPITAL REGION

Washington, DC

Winter in Washington means joining in holiday traditions like shopping in Georgetown, ice skating in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and admiring the National Christmas Tree on the White House Ellipse. December is simply magical in DC, with magnificent landmarks like Union Station, the National Gallery of Art and the U.S. Botanic Gardens dressed in holiday style and a cultural calendar packed with festive seasonal performances like "The Nutcracker." Sample the menus of the city’s top tables during the winter edition of Restaurant Week. Escape the cold and enjoy the impressive lineup of touring and permanent exhibitions that winter brings to DC’s museums and galleries.

Maryland

Western Maryland is a winter sports wonderland. There's excellent skiing and ample snow during most of the winter season. A short three-hour drive from Washington, DC puts you in the heart of Maryland’s high country. Hit the groomed cross-country trails at New Germany State Park, or don snow shoes and explore the countryside at Herrington Manor State Park. More than 20 downhill slopes and 14 miles of trails are available at Wisp Resort.

Virginia

Winter sports fanatics will get their fill at Virginia’s four mountain resorts: Massanutten Resort in the Shenandoah Valley, Wintergreen Resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Homestead Resort in Virginia's Allegheny Mountains and Bryce Resort, just two hours outside of DC.

After a day on the slopes, wind down at one of Virginia’s world-class luxury spas and resorts. From the warm water springs of the Homestead to the new Spa of Colonial Williamsburg, where treatments are inspired by Powhatan Indian women, many Virginia spas offer a historic take on pampering.

For more things to do in winter in the Capital Region, visit our Winter Wonderland page.

Looking to extend your holiday? Here are more seasonal trip ideas to explore!