Cherry Blossom Festival
I grew up 20 minutes outside of Washington, D.C.. Each year I wanted to see the Cherry Blossoms, but always had something that got in the way. When I went away to school, I seemed to always be working during the peak bloom. For those of you who are familiar with these trees, you know that, each year in the spring, cherry blossoms surrounding D.C.’s Tidal Basin bloom creating a beautiful display of pink gems. The downside is that the peak bloom period only lasts a few days, and peak bloom varies from year to year.
In the past, when I have been unable to make it to the peak bloom, I will watch the Cherry Blossom Cam to see the live video of the Cherry Blossom trees that line the Tidal Basin. You can also read all about the latest news and information on the Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Watch website. They have a ton of helpful information for tourist like: Where to Stay, When to Visit, Monuments of the Tidal Basin, and more.
I would suggest trying to take a day off of work and visiting during the work week. The peak bloom week is very popular, and the crowd is almost impossible to manage on the weekend. I went around 11:00AM on a Thursday, and, although it was still crowded, I was able to get some cute pictures without having to wait too long for a spot to open up.
Parking in D.C. can be hectic, but taking the metro can add to you travel time, thus taking away from your time in the city. I used the SpotHero app to find a cheap (for D.C.) parking spot and reserved my spot ahead of time. There is also a ton of street parking along Independence Ave if you are skilled in parallel parking (I honestly was just too excited to be patient enough to find a spot on my own).
As I said before, this was my first time making it to the see the Cherry Blossoms, and I was not disappointed! 10/10 recommend.
