Whether you're a local or from out of town, if you're planning to visit D.C.'s Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms bloom this spring, you'll need to prepare for large crowds.
The tradition of celebrating the District's blooms each year originated in 1912 as a gift of friendship to the U.S. from Japan.
The 2023 National Cherry Blossom Festival will take place from March 18 through April 16, with a parade on April 15.
This year, peak bloom is expected to be March 22 to 25, and WJLA has some insider tips.
So, what do you need to know before you go? Let's start with planning for your stay.
WHERE TO STAY
There are plenty of places to stay in the D.C.-area for the cherry blossoms, but if you need a hotel, you should book soon.
Hilton Hotels are listed as a partner of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and they have packages specifically geared to the festival through April 16.
Other participating hotels include:
For the full list of participating hotels, click here.
Visitors don't have to stay in D.C. either to enjoy the blooms. You could stay in nearby Arlington or Alexandria and then go into the city to enjoy the blooms.
HOW TO GET THERE
There are plenty of ways to get to Washington, D.C.'s Tidal Basin.
Metro is probably the easiest way to get down to the National Mall area and avoid traffic. If you're staying close (or if you park close) you can just walk there. There are also plenty of scooter and bike shares. Uber and Lyft are also options to get there, as well as cabs.
If you decide to drive, you'll need to be smart about where you park. While The Wharf is close, the parking garage gets filled quickly. Bring your sneakers and instead find a parking spot in one of the nearby neighborhoods and walk or rideshare over.
Most of the street parking is parallel parking. Handicapped parking is designated on West Basin Drive at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.
Nine Capital Bikeshare stations are available within the National Mall to provide another transportation option. Scooters and e-bikes must be parked in one of 19 designated areas around the National Mall.
Also, the walk around the Tidal Basin is just over two miles. You'll want to wear comfortable shoes if you plan on walking around.
WHEN TO GO
The best times to go are off-peak days and times. During peak bloom, every day will be crowded, but if you go at dawn or dusk, you can great pictures and there will be less of a crowd anyway.
It's obviously better to go on weekdays than weekends, as well.
Depending on the weather, the blooms will stay past peak bloom, so you could come into town early the following week and still enjoy them.
WHERE TO GRAB A BITE
New this year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival said they are partnering with the Goosechase App for the inaugural Cherry Hunt -- festival attendees can document their Cherry Picks journey for points and a chance to win prizes at local restaurants.
Here's a list of some Cherry Pick D.C. restaurants:
- Tryst – Cafe – 2459 18th Street NW
- Ambar – Balkan – 523 8th Street SE
- Beluga Cafe – Belgian – 514 8th Street SE
- Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar – American – 223 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
- Article One – American Grill – American – 400 New Jersey Avenue NW
- BLT Steak – Steakhouse – 1625 I Street NW
- Irregardless – Wine Bistro – 502 H Street NE
- Little Miner Taco – Mexican – 1110 Congress Street NE
- Cranes – Spanish-Japanese – 724 9th Street NW
- Baan Siam – 425 I Street NW
- bartaco – Mexican – 1025 5th Street NW
- Confetti Cafe – Dessert/Cafe – 4545 42nd Street NW
- New Heights – American – 2317 Calvert Street NW
- Colada Shop – Cuban – 10 Pearl Street SW
Here's a list of some Cherry Pick Virginia restaurants:
- Augie’s Mussel House – Belgian Beer Garden – 1106 King Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314
- bartaco – Mexican – 12021 Town Square Street, Reston, VA 20190
- Rocklands Barbeque & Grilling Company – Barbeque – 25 S Quaker Lane, Alexandria, Va. 22304
- Urbano – Mexican – 2985 District Avenue, Fairfax, Va. 22031
- The Commentary Social House – 801 N Glebe Road, Arlington, Va. 22203
- Mason Social – American – 728 N Henry Street, Alexandria, Va.22314
- Yume Sushi – Japanese – 2121 N Westmoreland Street, Suite A-2, Arlington, Va. 22213
Here's a list of Cherry Pick Maryland restaurants:
- Cooper’s Mill – American – 5151 Pooks Hill Road, Bethesda, Md. 20814
- Fogo de Chão – Brazilian Steakhouse – 141 National Plaza, Oxon Hill, Md. 20745
- Luke’s Lobster – Seafood – 7129 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda, Md. 20814
- Sweeteria Dessert Cafe – Dessert – 8646 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Md. 20910
Although The Wharf is close to the Tidal Basin, it will be packed and hard to get a table. We would highly recommend getting a reservation at restaurants out of the area and grabbing a cab, rideshare, or scooter and get out of the area.
WHERE ARE THE RESTROOMS?
You can also check out this map below:
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?
There will be plenty of cherry blossom-themed events, menu items and more to explore.
Blossom Kite Festival
The annual blossom kite festival is set to take place Saturday at the Washington Monument. You can bring your own kite, purchase one onsite, or pick up a free kite kit that you can decorate onsite, courtesy of presenting sponsor Hilton.
Adopt a Cherry Tree
People can donate to adopt a tree or celebrate a loved one. For more information, click here.
Petal Porches
From March 20 to April 16, D.C.-area residents can decorate their homes for spring in all things pink and blossoms with Petal Porches, presented by Amazon. Residents can register now for free.
Support Asian-owned businesses
You can make it a goal to support Asian-owned businesses during the cherry blossom season but don't forget to support them afterward, all year round, as well.
Visit the National Museum of Asian Art
Learn more about Japanese culture through this art museum. You can visit Rinpa: Creativity Across Time and Space until April 2 and Rinpa Screens until Jan. 28, 2024. You can also visit Meeting Tessai: Modern Japanese Art from the Cowles Collection but it will be temporarily closed to the public from Feb. 26 to March 10. For more information, click here.
Visit the Artechouse
This museum is great for the spring season. This year's fifth annual spring-inspired exhibition started on March 11 ends on June 5.
Credit Union Virtual Run
This year’s Virtual Run will be held during the dates of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Virtual Run registration will be open till April 9. Everyone who registers will receive a specially designed Virtual Run cotton t-shirt and Virtual Run medal.
PHOTOGRAPHY AT TIDAL BASIN
WJLA Reporter Victoria Sanchez has seven tips for taking near-perfect pictures of seasonal flowers using your phone.
Click here for more information.
OTHER TIPS
Please don't pick the blooms off the trees. Every year, thousands of tourists come through to see the cherry blossoms and inevitably someone decides they want to pick a flower and take it with them. You're not supposed to do that. Not only does it take away from the beauty, but it also kills the bloom.
Wear shoes you don't mind getting dirty. The area by the tidal basin can be muddy and dusty and there's also a lot of duck poop!
If you cannot make it, you can watch the BloomCam.
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