The National Mall is usually the center of every visitors trip to Washington DC. This tree lined area stretches 2 1/2 miles from the United States Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.  The Washington Monument is the central point.  Nine museums of the Smithsonian Institution are located on the National Mall. The landscape includes more than 2,000 American elm trees that line the streets and over 170 flowerbeds that are botanical showplaces.  This grand open space is a place that the natives and visitors alike congregate.  In the early spring a favorite pastime is the Kite Festival and then shortly afterwards, The Cherry Blossom Festival.  And then you might also find official "Barbecue Contests" as well as "protest group-marches" and the annual "4th of July Celebration".