When is cherry blossom season in dc

The mean date of blooming is April 4, but nature is not always cooperative and the National Park Service horticulturists cannot make an accurate prediction much more than 10 days prior. Anytime is a good time to see the blossoms.

However, visitors should be prepared for heavier crowds on weekends and when the trees reach their peak blooming period. For the most part, the care of the Japanese flowering cherries has been entrusted to the members of the Tree Crew for National Capital Parks-Central.

These individuals are professional arborists with technical competence through experience and related training to provide for the care of the trees. The Festival website has the most current information available and is constantly being updated. You can also retrieve Festival information once in Washington by visiting Festival information centers. There is a Welcome Area located on the southern grounds of the Washington Monument, and an Information Kiosk located on the west side of the Jefferson Memorial.

There is also an official Festival Headquarters at Union Station with information and official merchandise. To get more information about Washington, DC while planning your trip, see the Visitor Information page, or call the Festival Hotline at 44BLOOM to address specific questions regarding information on area airports, recommended hotels, etc.

For information on varieties of cherry blossom trees and park maps, see the National Park Service cherry blossom page. The National Park Service has a limited supply of wheelchairs available for rent at no charge. Roosevelt Memorial. Visitors can sign out an available wheelchair on a first-come first-served basis by leaving a form of ID i.

They are not permitted around the mall. Upon return of the wheelchair, the ID will be returned. Never is an owner allowed to let a dog run freely in any of these locations.

The National Park Service has had and continues to have problems in this regard and are making their best attempts to educate the public.

For more pet friendly info click here! Please do not drive down to the Tidal Basin during the weekday for cherry blossoms. You will lose all of your sanity. Not only is traffic terrible in DC on a normal weekday, add to that the thousands of tourists here for the cherry blossoms and you have a traffic nightmare.

In case you are thinking about Ubering or taking a Lyft, get dropped off away from the Tidal Basin, and just walk. It will be faster! And where all the parking lots are. Also included are my favorite spots for photos around the Tidal Basin.

Designed to incorporate both virtual and personal experiences, the Festival will present a series of entertaining hybrid events and community outreach programs that adhere to city and CDC guidelines put in place to mitigate the spread of Covid To ensure maximum engagement and event attendance, most Festival programming will be free and open to the public, including a one-hour nationally syndicated television show; 20 large, vibrant cherry blossom sculptures displayed in dozens of locations throughout the city; and locally curated community experiences that focus on music, cuisine, and visual arts presentations.

The annual Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race will be virtual this spring for ! The in-person race has been moved to Sep. More details on the race and how to register here. I would avoid the Tidal Basin and driving to DC during this time because traffic will be insane with nowhere to park. There will be a number of road closures for the run. We accidentally went last year during the run and had to turn around and go home.

Well not exactly go home, we hit up another cherry blossom spot on the way back. Interested in capturing stunning photos of your family in a sea of cherry blossoms? Book a session with me today! I specialize in family, newborn, maternity, and portrait photography.

Capture real smiles at picture-perfect locations! Space is limited. The peak bloom period is definitely the best time to see the cherry blossoms in Washington DC. Not all the trees around the Tidal Basin will bloom at the same time, some will bloom early and some will bloom late. But as time wears on the early blooms will fade while later blooming trees will be fuller.

The peak bloom period is completely weather-dependent, and the last few years spring has been crazy in this area. A few years ago we had 2 weeks of almost degree weather in February followed by a huge freeze, which basically caused all the magnolias to start bloom then die!

If you are planning a trip here just to see the cherry blossoms, I would make a backup plan. The National Park Service will usually announce peak bloom predictions sometime in early March. The Capital Weather Gang releases peak bloom forecasts around the same time. YES, they do! The National Park Service will change their predictions based on the progress of the trees. One year the NPS announced a change the day before the trees went into peak bloom because we had an unusual spell of warm weather.

Based on my experience, the first predictions are usually not super accurate. They are usually about a week off. The Washington Post predicts peak bloom to be between March 30 and April 3. And the NBC4 prediction is April 4 — 9. Cherry Blossom Watch is a great site for getting daily updates once the trees start to bloom.

You can see the daily conditions of the trees and how far along they are blooming. Check it out here. When exactly is the best time to see cherry blossoms to avoid the crowds? Are weekends better or weekdays? What time of day is the best for seeing the cherry blossoms in DC without the crowds?

Once the cherry blossoms hit peak bloom be prepared for that weekend to be extremely crowded! Everyone and their mother will be at the Tidal Basin trying to get that cherry blossom selfie. My advice is if you are going on a weekend, go early in the morning. When I say early I mean get there by 6 to 7 am and you should have the place pretty much to yourself for about an hour. The crowds start really rolling in at around 9 am and by 11 am you will regret having slept in!

Going on a weekday to see the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin will be better, but the time of day matters. Last year I went during the week in the afternoon and the Tidal Basin was still pretty crowded.

This is because you have both tourists and locals getting off work all descend onto the Tidal Basin at one time. Your best bet is going in the morning on a weekday to avoid the crowds for cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin. Weather also plays a huge role in the number of crowds. Last year we had really nice weather during peak bloom, which is why I think it was so exceedingly crowded. I still remember over 10 years ago my boyfriend and I randomly skipped class one weekday afternoon to catch the cherry blossoms at sunset and there was literally no one there!

I have this awesome picture of me sitting on the edge of the Tidal Basin with beautiful cherry blossoms overhanging in the background and not a soul in sight. Unfortunately, those days are gone! Weather in the Washington D. Dress accordingly in layers and with some waterproof gear. As the weather is finicky and the cherry blossoms in DC are delicate, a huge rain or thunderstorm storm can completely wash the petals away.

Or a hot spell could make the petals drop and spring green sooner than predicted. These blooms are a lot sturdier, bigger, and a deeper pink! They look almost like carnations on trees. Peak bloom for the Kwanzan cherry blossoms in D.

They are just as pretty to photograph! You can also check out some of the many gardens in DC that have beautiful blooms! The predictions for peak bloom have been pushed back twice in past years and then moved up rather suddenly with very little notice. These beautiful trees truly put on a show and can be even more magnificent than the cherry blossoms themselves. There are a few locations to see that sea of pink in DC, but my favorites are Enid A. I honestly might love the saucer magnolias at the Smithsonian Castle more than the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin in DC.

The saucer magnolias at Enid A. Haupt Garden are starting to show pink and will peak bloom around the week of March 21, They should be good this weekend and really start to pop early next week! Okame cherry blossoms in the DC area tend to bloom about 1- 2 weeks before the Yoshino trees as well.

This cute little neighborhood has all the cherry blossoms and none of the crowds, see the details here. Also, the Kenwood neighborhood cherry blossoms in Maryland reach peak bloom a few days after the cherry blossoms in Washington D. Therefore if you happen to not catch the Washington D. C cherry blossom peak bloom you can still see cherry blossoms in Kenwood Maryland. This exact situation happened to us a few years ago and we still got to experience all the cherry blossom magic in Kenwood!

Last year I went to the Tidal Basin during Peak and it was super crowded. But as soon as I was on Ohio Drive I had all the cherry blossom trees to myself. If you happen to miss peak bloom the Kwansan cherry blossoms bloom about 2 weeks after the Yoshinos along with the tulips in DC. My white maxi dress available here. My yellow skirt available here.

This Cherry Blossom pop-up bar by the Drink Company is dripping with cherry blossoms and trees. Not to mention the Godzilla and a room covered with lanterns and butterflies. And the drinks are all excellent. Hopefully, someone will step up to the plate and take over this wonderful tradition! There are rumors that the National Park Service may close off the Tidal Basin area to avoid large crowds during the cherry blossom bloom.

Nothing has been set yet, but last year during the start of the pandemic they did block off the area to traffic and close several metro stops near the Tidal Basin to discourage locals and tourists from visiting. Last year at the start of the pandemic in , I did manage to make it down to the Tidal Basin the day before NPS closed it down. You can expect more people on weekends and when the blooms are peaking.

Last but not least, do your part in helping to protect the National Mall and the cherry blossoms. This year's festival features a range of spectacular virtual and in-person celebrations, from porch decorations across the city to an art scavenger hunt to virtual editions of the Opening Ceremony and Pink Tie Party. Local restaurants even get into the spirit with the Cherry Picks program, while DC-area hotels offer blossom-themed packages, deals and discounts. Check out the upcoming National Cherry Blossom Festival events.

Walter E. Share this. The cherry blossom trees are the stars of springtime in Washington, DC. More About DC. Shop the District at these Women-Owned Businesses.