If there’s one place in the world that’s famed for its cherry blossom season, it’s our Nation’s Capital in the United States. The stunning Yoshino cherry trees are well-known for their luminous, delicate, and transient beauty.
Each Spring, people from all over gather together to watch these beautiful cherry blossoms bloom and enjoy the peak of their beauty. The incredible Yoshinos burst with color, lining the entire Tidal Basin and National Mall, making it a crowd favorite and a wonderful welcome to the spring season.
Visiting the beautiful pink cherry blossoms in Washington, DC, was something that got added to my bucket list only recently. So when the next spring season was due to come around, I made plans to visit these beautiful blooms in person.
Peak bloom in Washington, DC, is certainly the best time of year to visit. Want to experience it for yourself? I’ve rounded up the best place to see the cherry blossoms in Washington DC—as well as other best places for viewing pretty pink petals.
Make the most of your visit with my ultimate insider’s guide on the best place to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC.
Best time to see the cherry blossoms in Washington DC
The best time to see the cherry blossoms is around the end of March to the first week of April. This is when the blossoms reach peak bloom. Full bloom is definitely the best time of year to see them as they are at their peak and most vibrant.
Keep in mind peak bloom can change suddenly as the blossoms are very weather-dependent. One cold snap can cause the blossoms to die and lose their petals.
The 2019 peak bloom was scheduled to be the 3rd of April but changed suddenly to the 1st due to nice weather. As reported by the National Park Service, peak bloom is reached when 70% of the pink flowers are fully open on the cherry trees. This usually lasts around 10 days.
As of today, the national park service has announced the blossom’s peak bloom production for 2023 – They have predicted that they will bloom between March 19 – 23 *Note these dates may change, so be sure to check back for current updates.
I also recommend checking out the Bloom Cam and the Cherry Blossom Watch and following them on Instagram for regular updates and date changes. This will give you a better idea of when to plan your perfect weekend getaway.
Hot Tip! If you’re wondering when to book, I would try to aim for the first week of early April. This is probably your safest option to see at least a few beautiful trees in bloom.
Where is the best place to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC?
The best place to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC, by far, is at the Tidal Basin located at the Southern end of the National Mall. Do Keep in mind that this is also the busiest spot to see them.
The beautiful arrangement of Yoshino blossoms starts at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and continues all the way around the Tidal Basin loop. The view is incredible, I highly recommend arriving at sunrise for the best photo shots.
If busy crowds aren’t your scene, the good news is there are many other locations spread throughout the city with lots of cherry trees. See below a few of my favorite spots to view the blooms.
Japanese Lantern
It makes sense to see the pretty blossoms at the Japanese Lantern seeing as they were a gift to the city from the Japanese. The Japanese Lantern is a stone statue located in West Potomac Park and symbolizes a gesture of everlasting friendship and peace.
Capitol Hill
It wouldn’t be a trip to Washington, DC, without a visit to Capitol Hill. You can find many small clusters of trees near the US Capitol Grounds. It’s no secret that the grounds are one of the most picturesque locations for taking great photos.
Stanton Park
Another great place to see the cherry blossoms is Stanton Park. Enjoy the great views that surround the historic General Nathanael Greene statue. The park is located half a mile from Capitol Hill and just a 10-minute walk from Union Station.
East Potomac Park
The East Potomac Park has both varieties of cherry trees, the vibrant kwanza blossoms and traditional Yoshino. Take a short walk around the park and Potomac River, and scope out the best cherry blossom spots, including secret spots like the trees that line the road at Hains Point.
Dumbarton Oaks
Located in Georgetown, Dumbarton Oaks is another great spot to enjoy the cherry blossoms in the DC area. Spread out at the bottom of the garden, Cherry Hill has a mixture of cherry trees, including Prunus sargentii (Sargent Cherry), Prunus subhirtella (Rosebud Cherry), and the Prunus x yedoensis (Yoshino Cherry).
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
It is a National Park located in the North Eastern Corner of Washinton, DC. Another perfect spot to see the trees in bloom. You can see them as you walk through the entrance of the Aquatic Gardens and around the visitor center.
Check the National Parks Map for more information and the best viewing spots of the blossoms.
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Washington DC Spring Weekend Guide
Best time of day to see them
The best time of day to see them is definitely at sunrise. We arrived at 7 am, which was perfect timing. The basin was a little busy with some photographers and tourists, but once it hit 8 – 9 am, people started to clear, and you could walk around quite comfortably.
The blossoms look so pretty at sunrise reflecting over the basin, it’s certainly worth the early rise to see them. If you plan to visit during the day, a fair warning it will be swamped! I mean, it’s so crowded you can barely walk.
It was like this all day, so I would hate to see what it’s like on the weekend. My best advice if you want to visit on the weekend is to go early, before 8 – 9 am, so you can enjoy the blossoms without the heavy crowds.
Hot Tip! I absolutely recommend visiting on a weekday. We went on a Thursday so we could beat the majority of the weekend crowd, and it was fine. Once 8 – 9 am hit, people started to head to work, and it wasn’t quite as busy.
How to get to the cherry blossoms in Washington DC
Getting to the cherry blossoms can be a little difficult & stressful if you don’t plan ahead.
I had a few parking spots mapped out for when I arrived and found that they had blocked them all off due to the crowds. So we ended up parking quite a few blocks away, which I don’t recommend.
Parking
There are 3 parking lots located on Ohio Drive Southwest. I recommend getting to the parking lot via Ohio Drive and not 14th Street SW, as we found that they had blocked the parking off this way.
There is also street parking around the basin, I suggest getting there really early for one of these spots as they fill up quickly.
Public Transport
As for public transportation, you can take the DC metro on either the blue, orange, or silver lines and exit at the Smithsonian stop. From here, it’s a short 10-15 min walk to the Tidal Basin.
Taking public transit is definitely a lot more convenient & easy than trying to find parking.
There is also the DC Circulator, it’s DC’s public bus system. It’s only $1 per person per trip and stops at many historical landmarks around the city, including Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Capitol Hill.
Jump on stops 2, 3, or 4 and get off at either 8, 7, or 6 around the Tidal Basin. See the National Mall route and map for more details.
What if I missed peak bloom?
Missing peak bloom can be quite a bummer as the weather can be so unpredictable. But not to worry, there are plenty of other cherry blossom trees, like the kwanza blossoms, that generally bloom 10 to 14 days after the Yoshino’s.
Their blooms are a lot bigger, more of a deeper pink, and just as stunning. If you happen to be too early for peak bloom, you can always see the saucer magnolias, which bloom a week or 2 before the Yoshino.
The best spot to view these pretty blossoms is at Rawlin’s Park and the Enid A. Haupt Garden It’s located on the south side of the Smithsonian Castle on the National Mall.
Early in the spring, the beautiful pink magnolia trees bloom all around the gardens. The best views can be found from the Moongate Garden, Smithsonian Castle, and the Fountain Garden.
The garden grounds are open from dusk to dawn, so arriving for sunrise isn’t an issue.
Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival 2023
The Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival will be held from March 20th through April 16th, 2023. The festival is a spring celebration of beauty and nature.
Commemorating the gift of the Japanese cherry trees to the city of Washington, DC. The festival is a four-week celebration with several events taking place in between.
Some of the events are free, like the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and Kite Festival. The others, however, do require you to purchase a ticket.
Pink Tie Party – Thurs, 16th March
Opening Ceremony – Sat, 25th March
Blossom Kite Festival – Sat, 25th March
Petalpalooza – Sat, 8th April
National Parade – Sat, 15th April
The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is certainly a must-see featuring marching bands, colorful balloons, decorative floats, entertainers, and more.
You can buy tickets for the parade, which starts at $25 to $30 for grandstand seating, or free public viewing can be seen on Constitution Ave between 7th and 17th street NW. Make sure to arrive early for the best viewing.
Washington DC Cherry Blossom History
Each year thousands gather in Washington, D.C, to view the beautiful cherry blossom trees burst into bloom. So where did all these cherry trees come from?
The history of the cherry trees dates back as far as 1912, when 3,000 cherry trees were gifted to the United States by the Japanese government as a symbol of friendship.
In fact! The United States reciprocated the generous gesture by gifting Japan with flowering dogwood trees. Flowering dogwoods are believed to signify rebirth and hope, as they are one of the first trees to blossom come early spring.
The First Lady Helen Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, actually planted the first two cherry trees that following Spring. In the following years, workers continued to plant cherry trees around the Tidal Basin.
It wasn’t until 1935 did the “Cherry Blossom Festival” become an annual event celebrated by many. In 1954 Sadao Iguchi, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States, presented the nation’s capitol with a 300-year-old Japanese Stone Lantern as a gesture of everlasting peace and friendship between the US and Japan after World War II.
Today, you can see the stone statue located in West Potomac Park, surrounded by beautiful cherry blossoms.
Dressing for the Spring Weather
The spring weather can be tricky! Sometimes it can snow, other times its 80 degrees. You will want to dress accordingly in warm clothes and a waterproof coat or jacket. If you plan to see the blossoms at sunrise, expect a lot cooler temperatures.
Oh, and remember to wear comfortable shoes for walking. Strolling around the Tidal Basin and National Mall is a lot and requires comfy shoes that will last you all day.
Now you know the best place to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC. Are you planning on seeing the cherry blossoms this spring? What are your best tips and hacks when visiting the blossoms? If you enjoyed this post, make sure you share the love below.
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