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Skip the Tidal Basin: D.C.'s best cherry blossoms are blooming here

This park has a bigger variety, a longer bloom season and space to actually enjoy the splendor.

Things to Do

Hot pink take: The best <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cherry blossoms" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/05/cherry-blossom-peak-bloom-date-2026-march-29-april-1" data-vars-content-id="73275fa6-dd3b-4a01-9207-aaa427fc95af" data-vars-headline="Skip the Tidal Basin: D.C.&#x27;s best cherry blossoms are blooming here" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/03/05/cherry-blossom-peak-bloom-date-2026-march-29-april-1" target="_self">cherry blossoms</a> in D.C. aren&#x27;t at the Tidal Basin.<ul><li>They&#x27;re at the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="National Arboretum" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2022/03/19/guide-dc-cherry-blossoms-2022" data-vars-content-id="73275fa6-dd3b-4a01-9207-aaa427fc95af" data-vars-headline="Skip the Tidal Basin: D.C.&#x27;s best cherry blossoms are blooming here" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2022/03/19/guide-dc-cherry-blossoms-2022" target="_self">National Arboretum</a> — where you can actually enjoy them without the crowds.</li></ul>

Massive parking garages loom in Commanders plans

You don't see many parking decks in D.C., and these approach the Height Act limits.

News

You don&#x27;t see many parking decks in D.C., but the ones at the new Commanders stadium could be up to 110 feet tall.Why it matters: At more than half the height of the stadium itself, the latest designs show the 11-story garages swallowing the skyline.

José Andrés' maximalist, mega bro-tein steakhouse opens in old Trump Hotel

Bazaar Meat lands downtown with $540 suckling pig, wagyu on wagyu and ice-cold martinis.

Food and Drink

D.C. has no shortage of luxe steakhouses — but José Andrés&#x27; new downtown chophouse might be the most over-the-top yet.<ul><li>Welcome to Bazaar Meat, opening today.</li></ul>

A “Situation Room” bar is popping up in downtown D.C

This is the most D.C. thing to happen to a bar.

Polymarket is opening a &quot;Situation Room&quot; pop-up bar near downtown D.C. Friday for a weekend-long run.Why it matters: Forget <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Political Pattie&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/09/13/political-patties-bar-u-street" data-vars-content-id="f9ab0fd2-2e80-4dd5-82f5-5787ca5489e9" data-vars-headline="A “Situation Room” bar is popping up in downtown D.C" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/09/13/political-patties-bar-u-street" target="_self">Political Pattie&#x27;s</a> and the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Bitcoin pub" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/01/13/pubkey-bitcoin-bar-review-trump-penn-quarter" data-vars-content-id="f9ab0fd2-2e80-4dd5-82f5-5787ca5489e9" data-vars-headline="A “Situation Room” bar is popping up in downtown D.C" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2026/01/13/pubkey-bitcoin-bar-review-trump-penn-quarter" target="_self">Bitcoin pub</a> — this is the most D.C. thing to happen to a bar.

Cardinals with D.C. ties are picking the next pope

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="conclave" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/21/how-is-a-new-pope-chosen-francis" data-vars-content-id="e90867ca-047d-4c9d-a244-9803ab58f93b" data-vars-headline="Cardinals with D.C. ties are picking the next pope" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/21/how-is-a-new-pope-chosen-francis" target="_self">conclave</a> to elect a new pope is newly underway, and includes a cadre of cardinals with strong D.C. ties.The big picture: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pope Francis&#x27; death" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/21/pope-francis-dies-easter-monday-vatican" data-vars-content-id="e90867ca-047d-4c9d-a244-9803ab58f93b" data-vars-headline="Cardinals with D.C. ties are picking the next pope" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/21/pope-francis-dies-easter-monday-vatican" target="_self">Pope Francis&#x27; death</a> put into motion a meticulous process that brings cardinals from across the globe to the Vatican for a historic vote on who will lead the Roman Catholic Church.

When Pope Francis visited D.C. in 2015

Pope Francis was the first pontiff to address a joint session of Congress

History

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pope Francis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/21/pope-francis-dies-easter-monday-vatican" data-vars-content-id="2fe9f67b-0127-48f4-86f5-20df0e459fb1" data-vars-headline="When Pope Francis visited D.C. in 2015" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/21/pope-francis-dies-easter-monday-vatican" target="_self">Pope Francis</a>, who died Monday at age 88, last visited D.C. in 2015 during a six-day tour of the U.S.Flashback: Washingtonians welcomed the pontiff at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, two-and-a-half years after he was elected at the Vatican.

Nearly half of DMV adults never or rarely attend religious services

Over three-quarters of Americans say religion's role in public life is shrinking.

Religion

About 48% of DMV adults say they never or seldom attend <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="church or religious services" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/27/church-religious-services-american-attendance-drop" data-vars-content-id="9caa4566-0cb5-49f2-9be9-4ec9c03fb7dc" data-vars-headline="Nearly half of DMV adults never or rarely attend religious services" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/27/church-religious-services-american-attendance-drop" target="_self">church or religious services</a> — just under the national average of 49%, per a new Axios analysis of Household Pulse Survey data.The big picture: More than three-quarters of Americans say religion&#x27;s role in public life is shrinking, per a recent Pew Research Center <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="survey" data-vars-click-url="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/03/15/8-in-10-americans-say-religion-is-losing-influence-in-public-life/" data-vars-content-id="9caa4566-0cb5-49f2-9be9-4ec9c03fb7dc" data-vars-headline="Nearly half of DMV adults never or rarely attend religious services" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/03/15/8-in-10-americans-say-religion-is-losing-influence-in-public-life/" target="_blank">survey</a> — the highest level since the group started tracking such sentiment in 2001.

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