One of our tweens' favorite annual events in Washington is the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This year it runs from March 26 to April 10, and it will be especially poignant given the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan (the Festival highlights our historic friendship with the Japanese people). There will be a Stand With Japan Walk planned for 630pm on March 24, and all donations will benefit the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund.

Here are our tweens' picks for the best activities to do during this event:

* View the cherry blossoms from a unique vantage point: by paddle boat in the Tidal Basin. During this busy season, you can reserve a paddle boat in advance online, and some of the best photos are those taken from the water. Tip: bring sunscreen, sunglasses and water - it can get really hot out on the water on a sunny day.
* Visit the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery for a unique day of art on March 27th. The gallery will host a special ImaginAsia workshop geared for tweens (ages 8-14) that explores how spring flowers are used in Japanese design. Tweens will complete a project painting paper parasols based upon their study of the galleries. (Our tweens took part in two ImaginAsia camp programs last summer and are clamoring to return - they love the staff and galleries.)

For younger tweens, the National Park Service will offer a special "Blooming Junior Ranger" program, and if your tweens collect Silly Bandz, this year you can purchase special cherry blossom festival-themed Silly Bandz from the gift shop at the base of the Washington Monument.

You may have heard the buzz about Georgetown Cupcakes - the lines around the block at all hours of the day and night, the stellar reviews and after reviews after reviews, etc. We were there on opening day and continue to go there almost exclusively for our cupcake fix. Sure, cupcakes are the dessert du jour, but kids always love them for parties. Georgetown Cupcake will customize icing colors, fondant shapes/toppings, and do call-ahead orders for a dozen or more cupcakes (HINT: this is a great way to avoid the lines - just order a dozen via email in advance and waltz to the front of the line to pay - trust me, these won't go to waste). Lines are longest on the weekends, and they are closed on Mondays, but weekday mornings are totally do-able. Our faves are the red velvet, lava fudge, and key lime.

But be prepared to wait in long lines for the worth-the-wait blueberry pancakes at the "Market Lunch" stall in the South Hall. On weekends, Eastern Market turns into D.C. biggest flea market and is a ton of fun for parents and tweens to browse around. Independent artists, food vendors, musicians and street performers converge here every weekend. HEADS-UP: in order to partake of Market Lunch's pancakes and other yummy breakfast fare, you must go on a Saturday - on Sundays, Market Lunch serves only lunch. Also, they do not serve coffee, so parents who need to be caffienated (including yours truly), be sure to pick up your fix BEFORE getting in line. BTW, our strategy with the lines is to check out the menu ahead of time (online) and send one parent to wait in the line with the newspaper and hot coffee while the other parent peruses the flea market stalls with the kiddos. Lines can be up to an hour, and while we don't do this every weekend, it's a great meal and experience that we do do a few times a year.

Tickets to the White House must be requested via your member of Congress months in advance of your trip - so plan ahead - way ahead. But this is the only way in (unless you are a VIP) and the visit is well worth the trip. One can also now request tours of the White House Edible Garden (the First Lady's new project all about instilling healthy eating habits in kids), so request these as well (as the word has not gotten out about these tours, you may be able to get in here sooner). The tour requires one to go through a security screening akin to boarding a plane, and all visitors must provide SSNs and have a valid ID. A photo taken just outside the White House entrance is always a plum vacation memory - pack your cameras!

A MUST-DO for all late-spring and summer visitors to the D.C., taking a paddle boat out to view the Jefferson Memorial is a time-honored tradition enjoyed by tourists and residents alike. We've taken entire Girl Scout troops out for a spin and had a blast. Be sure to bring your camera - the photos are spectactular, especially during Cherry Blossom season (April). Be warned that very small children (toddlers and younger) are not permitted on the boats, so be prepared to have one parent sit this one out if your family includes the very young. Also, bring sunblock and sunglasses - the sun's rays are magnified out in the Tidal Basin.