The smartest tourists come to Washington in late March-early April for the cherry blossoms. I was reminded of it the other day when driving across the Tidal Basin area where tourists flock to see the trees bloom. I snapped off a few photos from my car to post that actually aren't half bad.

Mostly, Washington is an outdoor town. Oh, you can visit the museums and government buildings (for free), but the outside monuments are what makes this town special. And, the cherry blossoms ring the tourist area with a pink hue when blossoming for about a week each spring. A gift from Japan in the early 20th century, the 1,000 or so trees are spectacular. People come from around the world, though the Japanese especially seem fond of them. It's too bad the blossoms don't last longer and are rather unpredictable to time.

When coming to town, spend the day down the mall by the trees. You'll also see the Washington Monument, World War II memorial, Vietnam War wall, Korean War memorial, Lincoln and Jefferson memorials and the FDR memorial. They're all next to each other, although you'll log a few miles in the end. There's not much parking so take metro and walk.

This isn't an extensive travel story because the trees are meant to be experienced, not analyzed. Stand among them and you'll understand.