What to pack for Washington DC in April
April is cherry blossom season in Washington DC, and the trees around the Tidal Basin usually peak in late March or early April. It is also the start of spring: afternoons are mild and often sunny, but mornings are cool and spring showers come through every few days.
So the list is built on light layers and very comfortable shoes. The National Mall is two miles long, and most visitors walk it end to end, with miles more inside the museums. Security screening is everywhere, so keep your day bag small and simple.
Checked
The weather
- Daytime high
- 67°F
- 19°C, warming through the month.
- Overnight low
- 48°F
- 9°C. Early mornings at the Tidal Basin are chilly.
- Wet days
- ~10
- Spring showers every few days.
- Daylight
- 13 h
- Sunset around 7:45pm.
The capsule
A long weekend, one traveler, Claret palette. Gray and ivory with burgundy, from the monuments to a nice dinner. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.
Layers
Light trench
V-neck cardigan
Tops
Cotton shirt
Crewneck tee
Merino crewneck
Bottoms
Dark jeans
Tailored pants
Pleated midi skirt
Shoes
Leather sneakers
Ballet flats
Three days from this capsule
Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.
The full list
Clothes
- Light jacket or trench
- Cardigan or light sweater
- Four or five tops
- Jeans and a smarter pair of pants or a skirt
- Something for a nicer dinner
- Sleepwear
- Silk scarf to dress up an outfit
Shoes
- Very comfortable walking shoes
- Smarter flats for the evening
Day bag
- Small bag that is quick to search
- Compact umbrella
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
Documents and tech
- ID or passport
- Timed-entry passes for the museums that use them
- Capitol or White House tour confirmations
- Contactless card or phone for the Metro
- Type A/B plug adapter if visiting from abroad (120V)
- Power bank
Toiletries
- Allergy tablets; spring pollen is heavy
- Blister bandages
- Any prescriptions
Gear worth the space
Cushioned sneakers
You will walk more than on almost any other city trip. Leather keeps them smart enough for dinner.
A light trench
For cool mornings, spring showers and the breeze off the Tidal Basin.
A small crossbody bag
Quick through security, and hands free for photos of the blossoms.
A refillable water bottle
The museums have fountains, and the Mall has little else. Just empty it before the Capitol.
Most visitors walk well over ten miles a day. Packlier packs your April for the miles and the showers.
Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.
One email at launch, nothing else.