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Springtime is a pretty time almost everywhere, but it is especially appealing in Washington, D.C. when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. There are also museums, theater, monuments, and fine restaurants to enjoy during a spring visit. Weekends are the best time to go, because hotel occupancy rates run lower on weekends, and most of the hotels in the city offer money-saving weekend and family package plans.

To help plan your trip, the Hotel Association of Washington, D.C., offers two free brochures. One lists 50 hotels with information on their holiday and weekend package plans, and the other gives information on the professional theaters in Washington. You can obtain them from the Hotel Association of Washington, D.C., 1219 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 300, Department R3, Washington, D.C. 20036.

This year the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, which marks the beginning of spring in Washington, begins on April 4 with the lighting of the Japanese lantern on the Ellipse and ends with a parade on April 9th at 11 a.m. on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets. The 48th Annual Spring Flower Show at the U.S. Botanical Gardens, 1st Street and Maryland Avenue, S.W. is March 22 nd through April 9th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is free.