Last updated on September 30th, 2024 at 09:50 pm

Not everyone has the luxury to go to Japan to see Cherry Blossoms, right?!

Well, in that case, heading to Washington DC to spend a beautiful spring weekend would be the way to go. We have now lived here for over 10 years and have spent a great amount of time exploring all the famous and hidden gems one need to know to see these beautiful blossoms. In this post we cannot wait to share our favorite spots & top tips with you.

Did you know that the Yoshino Cherry Blossom trees in DC were a gift to the people of the United States by Japan? In 1912 about 3000 of these oriental trees were planted around the Tidal Basin and the National Mall.

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Ever heard of Hanami?

‘Hanami’ or Flower Viewing is a Japanese tradition of welcoming spring by enjoying the blooming foliage of the ‘Sakura’ or Cherry Blossom trees.

Given my love for flowers, I’ve been practicing Hanami for many years even though I learned about it a few years ago. Needless to say, we have an annual ritual to enjoy and photograph DC cherry blossoms every spring.

Without further adieu, let’s get to when and where to see Cherry Blossoms in DC.

Best Time to See Cherry Blossoms in Spring

The National Park Services have predicted the peak Cherry blossoms on March 23 -26, 2024. Cherry Blossoms have a very short lifespan of roughly about 1-2 weeks so plan accordingly. Make sure to check the latest bloom watch on NPS website.

There are tons of free online activities scheduled in DC around this time, find more on 2024 events at the official site of Cherry Blossom Festival. 

While in town you might also want to consider taking a fun day trip from Washington DC exploring mountains and caverns.

Best places to see and photograph Cherry Blossoms in DC

Below are our 6 favorite spots to see cherry blossoms in DC including hidden gems –

1. Tidal Basin 

Tidal Basin is the most popular spot in DC in spring so needless to say it will get crowded during peak bloom. Walking the tidal basin loop is definitely the best way to see the cherry blossoms. You’ll find beautiful views everywhere, but below are the stops we love the most.

STOP #1: Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Start your loop walk from Jefferson Memorial, you can go in either direction but we’ll recommend clockwise direction towards FDR memorial.

STOP #2: FDR (Roosevelt) Memorial

The area around FDR memorial has tons of photo ops so give yourself plenty of time.

Such as this Japanese Pagoda between FDR and Jefferson memorial.

And this gorgeous view of Washington memorial from above the steps of tidal basin.

STOP #3: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

STOP #4: Japanese Tea Lantern

STOP #5: Tidal Basin Paddle Boats

Enjoy the view from paddle boats docking station on the loop or indulge in fun activities around tidal basin such as paddle boating, biking or taking a cruise along the Potomac River for a different perspective.

2. Washington Monument

Located next to the tidal basin are the grounds of Washington Monument with its own rows of Cherry Blossom trees. This area makes for a great picnic spot as it is more spacious than Tidal Basin. Just come early to secure your spot under a beautiful tree.

TIP: National Mall is a part of National Park Service and there are several FREE ranger-led Cherry Blossom guided tours organized by NPS during this season you could sign up for.

3. Haines Point Park

Here’s our little secret for you, head to Haines Point Park to avoid big crowds! It’s only 20 min walk from Jefferson Memorial and 10 mins drive (or consider biking there with city bikes). Head to the southernmost tip of Haines point island. There is plenty of street parking available up here but these streets are typically blocked off on weekends after 9am to control crowd.

At the west end of this park, you can even enjoy watching planes take off and land from DCA airport across the Potomac River.

4. Dumbarton Oaks (Hidden Gem)

Another hidden gem – Dumbarton Oaks is a historic estate nestled right in the heart of Georgetown, DC. The gardens and museum in Dumbarton Oaks are a must visit to see a private collection of Cherry Blossoms and other spring flowers. The admissions to the gardens are $10 after March 14th. If you visit earlier than March 14th, you should definitely check out the Plum Walk at Dumbarton Oak, these are the early blossoming trees in DC.

5. US Arboretum

A great spot within the city limits to enjoy various types of Cherry Blossom trees is the US Arboretum. Enjoy a nice stroll in the gardens or check out the Bonsai collection here. The US Arboretum is roughly 30 mins drive from downtown DC and there is plenty of parking available here.

6. Stanton Park (Hidden Gem)

Not too far from the Capitol Hill is Stanton Park, a hidden local secret to enjoy rows of cherry blossoms minus loads of tourists. After Stanton Park head to the Capitol Hill gardens which is also lined up with its own cherry blossom trees.

7. Kenwood, MD (Hidden Gem)

Kenwood, located technically in Maryland, just outside of DC is a residential neighborhood in Bethesda which has streets lined with gorgeous Cherry Trees. You can avoid the crowd if you get here for sunrise. Day time especially on a weekends will get crowded. 

TIP: For best views, walk on Kennedy Drive, Dorset Avenue, or Kenwood Avenue.

Our pre-baby photos below were taken in March 2020 at Kenwood just days before lockdown. 

Best time of the day to photograph Cherry Blossoms in DC

• Sunrise: This is my favorite time at the tidal basin. Not only is the sunrise perfectly aligned behind Jefferson Memorial but it is rather less crowded at early hours of the morning.
• Sunsets: Sunsets are nice around Tidal basin but be prepared to deal with the crowd.
• Daytime: Obviously it’s the most popular and crowded time of the day. But it’s also a different experience to view the blossoms in bright daylight with blue skies.

If you liked reading this post, you’ll love reading our other colorful spring post on where to find tulips fields near Amsterdam.

Other things to see in DC

If this is your first time in DC then we wouldn’t want you to leave without seeing other wonderful attractions this city has to offer. There are plenty of kids friendly things to do in DC such as Smithsonian museums with free entrance, National monuments, and memorials, US Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, National Harbor in Maryland or just explore the European looking streets of Georgetown.

Additional Tips for Cherry Blossom Viewing

• Parking: Parking is a big issue around the National Mall in this season. Usually, we get lucky to find parking on Ohio Dr SW or West Basin Dr SW or Parking Lot A but only in early hours of the morning i.e. at sunrise. Many street closures are in effect near Tidal Basin for Cherry Blossom festival. It’s best to park at a metro station and take public transport. Or park your car in a parking garage nearby and walk over here. If the roads are open and you end up parking on East Potomac Park, it’s a short walk to the basin or there is a shuttle service from Haines Point to Tidal Basin during Cherry Blossom Festival.
• Toilets: Public restrooms in this area are clean and can be found near MLK Memorial, World War I Memorial, Vietnam Vet’s Memorial and Washington Monument. Use Google maps to find where they are.
• Shoes: You could end up walking some serious miles in one day. Highly recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes and giving your feet some rest every now & then.
• Weather: Weather varies during this time of the year so I’d recommend carrying a light jacket or wind breaker. As you can see in our photos there have been years where we needed winter jackets and others where I could flaunt a summer dress.
• Pollen Allergies: If you are allergic to pollen like I am, please do not forget to pop in your favorite anti-histamine. You will be thankful!

How to Get to DC

Train: If you are coming anywhere from NorthEast, you should certainly look at the Amtrak trains. Union Station in DC has good connectivity to NYC, Boston, Richmond, and other major cities.

Fly: DC has three major airports in the DMV area (DC, MD, VA). Ronald Reagan Airport (DCA) in DC,  Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) in Maryland and Dulles International (IAD) in Virginia.

Bus/Car: DC is within an easy 3-4 hour drive from many East Coast cities. TIP: Don’t drive all the way to the Tidal basin or be ready to get stuck in traffic. If you use Parking Panda or Spot Hero, find the closest parking lot to the National Mall and walk up here. You could also park at Haines point and take the free cherry blossom shuttle to the tidal basin.

As for buses, Megabus, Bolt Bus, Peter Pan, and Greyhound are some of your options.

Where to Stay in DC

Below are some of our recommendations on where to stay but remember all the attractions will not be walking distance from your hotel. Getting around via uber or Lyft is very convenient or you can take metro trains.

• Holiday Inn in downtown or Holiday Inn in National Mall/Capitol Hill
• Courtyard Mariott in Capitol Hill/Navy Yard
• Hampton Inn in downtown
• Hilton Garden Inn in Capitol Hill or Hilton Garden Inn in Capitol Hill or Hilton Garden Inn in Capitol Hill
• Grand Hyatt in downtown DC
• Renaissance Washington in downtown DC
• Capitol Hill Hotel in Capitol Hill

Where to Eat

Some of our favorite restaurants in DC are –

• Daikaya – For excellent Japanese Ramen, top floor of the restaurant is called Izakaya which offers more traditional Japenese fusion food (will go great with your Cherry Blossom excursion)
• Indique – For unique Indian food in DC
• Old Ebbitt Grill – For excellent American Brunch
• Farmers Fishers Bakers – For a fresh farm to table food
• Miracle on 7th Street – DC’s favorite pop up theme bar with, wait for it, Cherry Blossom theme for the season.
• Zaytinya – For Mediterranean food
• Oyamel – For Mexican food and drinks
• I-Thai – For Thai food

I hope this guide was helpful in planning your perfect Cherry Blossom trip to DC. Any questions? Feel free to ask us in the comments and we will do our best to reply. If you liked this post then please share it along or pin it for later.

Happy Traveling!