Your Guide to Viewing The Cherry Blossoms in DC

Spring is here in the DMV which means it's cherry blossom season! The cherry blossoms are a big thing here in DC. There is a whole festival, a 10 mile and 5k plus lots of merch and viewing of all the blooms around the city. It's pretty incredible that no matter where you go you will find cherry blossoms and different types. So let me help you enjoy them without the crowds.

First Research Where to Go

Funny enough, I did that research for you. Starting this weekend (March 28 - March 31) is peak blooms for the cherry blossoms (per the forecast). Which means that every one and their mom will be at the Tidal Basin and the surrounding areas viewing the blooms, taking pictures, etc. The best thing you can do to avoid all those people (unless mass crowds don't bother you, you do you!) is to come up with a plan.

Most of the blooms are going to be around the Tidal Basin, by the Jefferson Memorial and the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial. Best way to get there is at the Smithsonian stop on the Orange, Silver or Blue Metro line. That drops you in fairly close walking distance to the Tidal Basin. Now you know where your final destination is and what stop to get to, you'll just need to figure out how to get there from where you are.

When Should You Go?

The earlier the better. That's to be said about a lot of things but really in this case to beat the crowds, you want to get there EARLY. Some people swear by going at sunrise but please be sure to research and areas that maybe closed before sunrise. I would hate for anyone to get in trouble by going too early. As long as you are there before 10am you should be golden, after that it tends to get pretty crazy and bombarded. Closer to 12pm tends to feel like being in a herd of cattle (not a fun time).

However, if you end up at a later time with a lot of people, don't stress. Take your time walking around. There are plenty of spots for pictures and viewing the flowers. This picture was amongst the "cattle herd" time and we found many spots with less people. The Tidal Basin is BIG so you'll be able to find a spot to breathe no problem. Just stay calm to don't stress with the people. Chances are, they are from out of town and have no idea where they are going and what they are doing.

Lastly, Have a Plan

They best thing we did when we went to see the Cherry Blossoms last year was have a plan. We knew when we would get there, how long we would be staying and where we were going afterwords. It's best to have that plan in place before you get there so you aren't trying to decide what to do next amongst a crowd (very stressful, don'd recommend). Once you are done viewing and enjoying the blooms, GET OUT OF THERE. It will only get busier as the day goes on. Know where you are and where your next destination is.

Now that last point may have sounded a little extra but I'm a person who doesn't too entirely well in crowds without a plan. If I don't know where I am going or what our next destination is, I tend to get very anxious and stressed. It's very ironic coming from someone who frequents theme parks, but there too, we always had a plan of next destination so we weren't trying to make a plan in chaos. Trust me you will thank me later.

But with that I will leave you to plan for your weekend fun seeing the cherry blossoms! You are going to love it! It certainly takes my breath away every time I see them and I'm sure it will for you too. Until next time.

Your travel BFF,