While leaf peeping tourism is popular in New England during the fall season, Washington, DC, has the greatest cherry blossom celebration outside of Japan during the spring season. This is owed to the then-mayor of Tokyo presenting sakura trees to the people of the United States in 1912. This centennial year is jam-packed with cherry blossom-themed events (including a parade, concerts, block parties, art installations, walks, and talks) between now and April 17, when the historic National Mall is typically covered in a confetti of pink petals, making it a picture-perfect time to pay a visit to Washington. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
Outstanding in the Field, a self-proclaimed ‘roving restaurant without walls’ that covers 50 states in the United States and 16 nations, may be of interest to those who have accumulated spare cash during the epidemic. This organization was founded in 1999 by Jim Denevan, who made the decision to forego sourcing ingredients for restaurants in favor of bringing restaurants to the source, i.e. hosting site-specific banquets in locations such as vineyards, meadows, orchards, woodlands, beaches, and urban farms to showcase local produce and producers in a unique way. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, with tickets beginning at USD $365 per person (€333), with glamping alternatives available in select locations. There are no Irish locations at the moment, but with our diverse range of amazing farmers, food and drink purveyors, it’s only a matter of time until we have one… outstandinginthefield.com
