Everything you need to know about cherry blossom season in Washington, D.C.

In Japan, the tradition of basking in the beauty of cherry blossoms is such a ubiquitous part of the culture that there’s a word to describe the phenomenon: hanami. For more than a century, thanks to a generous gift from the Japanese government, the U.S. capital has been getting in on the hanami action each spring, too, as Washington, D.C., erupts into a pastel riot of pink and white blossoms for a few fleeting days. Visitors flock to the Tidal Basin reservoir in droves to see the delicate blooms before they disappear, but there are plenty of other events taking place during the month-long National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from March 20–April 14, 2024. Here, our guide to the season’s loveliest event, from when to visit can’t-miss hot spots to how to find the crowd-free alternatives.

After visiting Japan in 1885, pioneering American travel writer Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore returned home raving about the sakura (cherry blossoms) and reached out to the Japanese government about potentially importing trees as a beautifying project. Her request was repeatedly denied over the years, until she gained the attention of new First Lady Helen Herron Taft, who had also lived in Japan.

In 1910, thanks to Taft’s lobbying, the city of Tokyo sent over the first 2,000 trees, but the plan didn’t go off without a hitch: They were diseased and infested with worms and insects and had to be burned. Finally, two years later, 3,020 cherry trees arrived in Washington, and on March 27, 1912, Mrs. Taft and Iwa Chinda, the wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted a pair of cherry trees on the Tidal Basin in a simple ceremony that would give birth to the festival that’s going strong today.

No, there are many different varieties. In fact, the original 3,020 trees that arrived from Japan came from 12 different types. These days, the most commonly seen in D.C. are Yoshino, which account for about 70 percent of the trees, produce single white blossoms, and can be found around the Tidal Basin and the Washington Monument, and Kwanzan, which make up about 13 percent of the collection, produce clusters of double pink blossoms, and are mostly seen in East Potomac Park. Sprinkled throughout the groves are Akebono (pale pink flowers that fade to white), weeping cherry (many different cultivars), Takesimensis (clusters of white flowers), and many more.

If you’re trying to time your trip to the peak bloom (which is defined as the day when 70 percent of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open), you’ll need to be a bit flexible. Weather plays a major role in deciding when the buds will reveal their pale; on average, DC’s cherry blossoms bloom around the last week of March into the first week of April. According to experts, indicator trees started showing signs of life very early this year—which has been happening more and more often due to climate change—so most predict that we’ll be seeing an earlier-than-average peak in 2024 (around March 19-26).

The centerpiece of the festivities is undoubtedly the Tidal Basin, a 107-acre reservoir in West Potomac Park surrounded by such major attractions as the Jefferson Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. If you stroll the easy 2.1-mile loop to check out its nearly 4,000 trees, be sure to pause at a few of the stops along the way: the almost 400-year-old Japanese Lantern, which is lit by the Cherry Blossom Princess each spring; the bronze plaque marking the original 1912 plantings; and the 17th-century granite Japanese Pagoda, a gift from the mayor of Yokohama in the 1950s. For a totally different angle on the bloom, rent a boat from Tidal Basin Paddle Boat to get a more panoramic view from the water.

Once you’ve checked the Tidal Basin off your list, there are so many other magical spots to explore in and around the capital. In Georgetown, the Dumbarton Oaks historic estate includes a gorgeous spot known as Cherry Hill, where visitors often sprawl out on blankets under cherry trees.

Another under-the-radar gem is the U.S. National Arboretum, about a 10-minute drive northeast of Capitol Hill. There are more than 70 cherry varieties planted on its 446 acres, which means that they hit their peak bloom at different times; if you traveled to D.C. specifically to see flowers, and the Tidal Basin batch isn’t cooperating, this is a great place to start. The arboretum is also home to three unique hybrids created here, including the deep pink First Lady variety.

You can also spot blossoms at Stanton Park in Capitol Hill; the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Roman Catholic church in the country; Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA; and the Kenwood neighborhood of Chevy Chase, MD. And at National Harbor, a waterfront resort and casino development on the Potomac River south of D.C., you can even view the area’s 200 trees from atop the Capital Wheel, which is lit up pink during spring.

Over the course of four weeks, the National Cherry Blossom Festival welcomes more than a million residents and visitors with its jam-packed lineup of events, including a Pink Tie Party (March 14) and Petalpalooza (April 6), a dazzling fireworks show over the Capitol Riverfront. The festival culminates in an elaborate parade (April 13), and the two-day Sakura Matsuri - Japanese Street Festival (April 13-14), America’s largest celebration of Japanese culture, where you can catch J-pop and martial arts performances.

In fact, Japanese culture pervades every aspect of the festival: At the opening ceremony at the Warner Theatre (March 23), for instance, you can catch performances by the likes of New York-based composer and instrumentalist Kaoru Watanabe, Japanese singer Naotaro Moriyama, and choreographer and dancer Jo Kanamori. 

You don’t have to be downtown to enjoy the celebration. Residents of the surrounding neighborhoods decorate their houses, apartments, yards, windows, and sidewalks as part of the Petal Porches program, creating something of a season-swapped version of Christmas decor. Once registered, participants have their addresses added to a festival map, which you can use to piece together a crawl of properties to take in their arts-and-crafty displays of pink lights, Japanese lanterns, silk flowers, flamingos, and whatever other springtime delights they display.