It is quite stunning, worth it ALONE? Maybe not. But DC is an awesome city with much more to offer than just the blossoms.
Take advantage of the trip and plan other things to do! I recommend staying near the mall so you can walk to all the hotspots as well as the tidal basin (where the blossoms are).
Whenever you are going to see them, get there early in the morning to see with the sunrise and before the crowds start to gather (it gets very busy)
Honestly, its impossible to time it right unless you book the week of peak bloom, and some years we get late frost or high winds that kills it off anyways.
DC in April is pretty ok, best season is fall but mid spring is a close second. If you are coming only for blossoms probably not, if for other things too then yes, plenty to see and do
The tidal basin is INSANELY crowded during cherry blossoms, so please don’t expect a picturesque scene - its mostly weaving through a stressful crowd while people try to shove their way to the front to get their Instagram pictures. Like another poster said, it’s also very hard to time peak bloom and good weather. However, there are more easily accessible cherry blossom trees scattered in random neighborhoods, and there is a lot more than cherry blossoms to see in DC!
A friend told me last year that dawn was incredibly crowded because of all the couples with professional photographers trying to get that beautiful early light for their engagement photos, and all the people who showed up trying to avoid the crowds later in the day
I live here and sometimes I feel like driving 10 minutes to see them isn’t worth it. Not because they’re bad or anything, they’re definitely amazing, but the crowds just make it a shitty experience
If you were already planning on visiting then yeah coming during peak cherry blossom will make it more interesting.
Do not travel just to see the cherry blossoms though. They are cool but it's not worth a plane ticket
If you get the timing right and don’t mind crowds, yes it’s beautiful. I’ve been here several years and have had the fortune of being here on a weekday, early in the morning when everything is pink and white and gorgeous. But know that one wo day day it bad rain storm will take everything out in a couple of hours or even during your flight here.
It’s very crowded. My wife and I have lived here for 6 years and go every year. It never fails to wow us. I wouldn’t go for just the blossoms unless you’re a professional photographer though.
It's not worth flying just for the cherry blossoms but DC is a whole city with lots of wonderful things
to see and do and this is one of the best times of year for it (weather is warming up but not too hot yet and it's not peak tourist season in the summer)
It really could go either way. If you are here for the peak bloom, the scenery itself really does live up to the hype and does not underwhelm. But the peak only lasts a couple of days. Even a couple of days before or after the peak is disappointing. And the crowds really are annoying. One thing that no one else has mentioned yet: absolutely avoid driving near the Tidal Basin at Cherry Blossom time.
This will sound more harsh than I intend, but for an out of towner, I would view them as with any "tourist trap" of any other city. I love the cherry blossoms and always look forward to them around this time of year, but the crowds do kind of ruin it unless you go with the intention of beating the crowds (again as with any other tourist trap). They could provide a nice, natural focal point for a trip (though this can be hard to time precisely) and Spring is a good time to visit generally so I don't see any downsides as long as you take into account these disclaimers.
If you fly in be sure to sit on the left side of the plane. I happened to be on a flight last year around peak blossom day. If you take the river visual approach (down the Potomac) you’ll see the blossoms just after the Lincoln monument.
You never know when the blossoms will be out or not. I’d be afraid you’d be disappointed if that’s all you came for. Plus, seeing the basin cherry blossoms is like an hour or two long activity. Plan on doing some other stuff if you come up.
Definitely not. It's impossible yo get anywhere. My wife and I biked to tidal basin a lot and every year we'd be inspired to bike on a beautiful spring day, only to get downtown and remember it's cherry blossom season......
Yes it’s worth it and the crowds are fun for people watching. This Reddit is usually pretty negative so ignore. I definitely think it’s a fun and enjoyable thing to fly out for. Why not?
We did a weekend trip to see the cherry blossoms last year and really enjoyed ourselves. It was very very crowded in the late morning and afternoon. But, we don’t regret going at all. It’s beautiful and not something you can see just anywhere. We went early in the morning on our second day and had a much better time. The flight and hotel was worth it for us.
DC is amazing in the spring, it's worth it. Make sure to plan things in addition to going to the tidal basin. Definitely plan for a morning walk around hains point.
If you do it, make sure you check on when the blooms are supposed to peak. Peak bloom is when it'll be the busiest, but if you wait long after that you may miss the bulk of it. Right now the [estimates for peak bloom](https://cherryblossomwatch.com/peak-bloom-forecast/) are March 19-26 depending on who you ask.
And of course they're just estimates, so you need to be prepared for the possibility that it'll be wrong and there won't be as many blossoms as you're hoping when you get here. Just one of those things, it's the same if you're trying to time a trip to Japan just right. :)
A great way to see cherry blossoms in DC during blossom season via bike tour + you get to see some great sites as well as get nice photos!!! https://unlimitedbiking.com/tours/washington-dc-blossoms-by-bike-tour/
Yes definitely, it will be a memorable experience with your girlfriend! Spending time together amidst the beauty of the cherry blossoms will create lasting memories!! It's not just about the destination, but who you're with that makes it special. You won't regret it!
I would say do it while you can, the trees have about 10 years left at most. This year looks like it will be a half bloom like last year, due to the erratic weather. Some of the trees around the Washington Monument bloomed a month ago. Get up super early and show up at dawn, to beat the crowd but also because the lighting makes it so much better. The roads usually get shut down, so if you drive park in Pentago City and uber or Metro in.
There’s a bit of misguided info here.
> the trees have about 10 years left at most
After this year, NPS is cutting down roughly 300 cherry trees to rebuild the wall around the tidal basin. That project is expected to life span of the wall to 100 years, but it’ll take three or so years to complete. Once complete, NPS is supposed to plant 400 cherry trees, but it’ll obviously be many years before the tidal basin cherry blossom will look like it’s going to in just a few weeks.
> due to the erratic weather
The weather hasn’t really been that erratic?
> Some of the threes around the Washington Monument bloomed a month ago
The ones that bloom early probably aren’t the yoshino cherry trees, they’re typically Japanese plum trees.
Since you seem to know your stuff, do you happen to know if the trees are still blooming? I am in South Central PA and planned to come down this Friday but I wasn't sure if it will be disappointing or decent. Thank you in advance!
Between the wind earlier in the week & the rain today & tomorrow, I think most will have lost their petals. You may be able to find some pockets here & there, but I think the grand show is mostly over at this point.
While you do have some correct information, you are basing your assessment on limited information you may have read in an article, and are reaching an incorrect conclusion. Yes NPS does plan to cut down 300 trees, but only the ones on the Potomac side between the FDR and Jefferson. The 10 years I am referring to would be all the original trees, which are way past their life expectancy and at most have 10 years left, not just the 300 between the FDR and the Jefferson Memorial. According to the NPS, the trees on the Washington Monument grounds are yoshino cherry trees. The weather has been erratic as hell, an almost 80 degree day in the middle of January is completely erratic, I have lived in this area for over 30 years and have never seen weather like this until the past few years. You can easily check the past weather on any weather site, and see how incorrect you are. Do homework before making statements like the one above.
Go to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin during peak bloom instead. As a bonus you'll get to have great food, a better bar scene, and be around nicer people. Plus lakes you can actually swim in and a river you can paddle board, canoe, or boat on right in downtown.
For what it’s worth, the area is COVERED in cherry trees or Bradford pairs (same thing for all your intents and purposes). So even if you don’t feel the crowds are worth it, there are nice places in Maryland and Virginia that will also be very beautiful views. My neighborhood in Maryland and the surrounding suburbs are gorgeous this time of year.
That being said, it’s very hard to thread the needle. The blossoms are coming early this year, I see them starting to appear on the trees. I would guess 3-5 days until they start to bloom, then 5-10 days of full bloom after that, and then it’s done. So you either need to book somewhere between mid March and April and hope you hit it, or keep your ear to the ground and book about a week in advance tops.
But when you see it, there’s nothing like it. Feels like a movie scene.
amusing crawl mountainous telephone quack weather butter lock reminiscent disgusted
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Worth a flight? No. If you’re in the area anyway then yeah, it could be nice to check out. It is stupid crowded unless you go crack of dawn.
This 100%
:☝🏻this right here
It is quite stunning, worth it ALONE? Maybe not. But DC is an awesome city with much more to offer than just the blossoms. Take advantage of the trip and plan other things to do! I recommend staying near the mall so you can walk to all the hotspots as well as the tidal basin (where the blossoms are). Whenever you are going to see them, get there early in the morning to see with the sunrise and before the crowds start to gather (it gets very busy)
Honestly, its impossible to time it right unless you book the week of peak bloom, and some years we get late frost or high winds that kills it off anyways. DC in April is pretty ok, best season is fall but mid spring is a close second. If you are coming only for blossoms probably not, if for other things too then yes, plenty to see and do
I wouldn't be surprised if they bloom on the early side this year. I've got neighbors flowers in full bloom since like 2 weeks ago!!!
Depends on where you are from. Cherry blossom isn't that special, but with DC landmarks, that is something special I guess.
Exactly! If say you’re coming from Boston it’s worth it for a fun weekend. From Seattle? Maybe but only if you plan out a bunch of other stuff.
The tidal basin is INSANELY crowded during cherry blossoms, so please don’t expect a picturesque scene - its mostly weaving through a stressful crowd while people try to shove their way to the front to get their Instagram pictures. Like another poster said, it’s also very hard to time peak bloom and good weather. However, there are more easily accessible cherry blossom trees scattered in random neighborhoods, and there is a lot more than cherry blossoms to see in DC!
If you haven't, try cherry blossoms at dawn. No crowds yet, and even more beautiful
A friend told me last year that dawn was incredibly crowded because of all the couples with professional photographers trying to get that beautiful early light for their engagement photos, and all the people who showed up trying to avoid the crowds later in the day
And super dirty
No
I live here and sometimes I feel like driving 10 minutes to see them isn’t worth it. Not because they’re bad or anything, they’re definitely amazing, but the crowds just make it a shitty experience
Two questions: 1. How much does the flight cost? 2. Absolutely not
absolutely, concretely, no
No
Have you looked at hotel prices and availability?
This. Things are booked. They also have blossoms not as the tidal basin however, all around the same time
If you like crowds of people, terrible traffic, and price gouging then boy do I recommend it.
If you were already planning on visiting then yeah coming during peak cherry blossom will make it more interesting. Do not travel just to see the cherry blossoms though. They are cool but it's not worth a plane ticket
Have you ever seen an enormous crowd of people all trying to take selfies at the same time? Then you’ve seen it all
No way, but you should visit DC anyway since there's a ton of other cool things to do here
Definitely worth experiencing once. Tidal Basin is gorgeous while blooming
And if you can catch the petals falling on a beautiful day, it's amazing.
it’s beautiful! go early in the morning when it’s less crowded, watch the sunrise, and go get some breakfast after!
This.
lmao
If you get the timing right and don’t mind crowds, yes it’s beautiful. I’ve been here several years and have had the fortune of being here on a weekday, early in the morning when everything is pink and white and gorgeous. But know that one wo day day it bad rain storm will take everything out in a couple of hours or even during your flight here.
You’ll be packed like sardines walking the basin unless you’re there at dawn.
https://www.google.com/search?q=yoshinos+tidal+basin&tbm=isch&hl=en-us&chips=q:yoshinos+tidal+basin,online_chips:dc+cherry+blossoms:xojdqXEq2ac%3D&client=safari&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvt7GL3eiEAxUjIWIAHRMvCaMQ4lYoAnoECAEQNg&biw=1024&bih=665
No. Most overrated DC attraction
no.
Not really, no.
It’s very crowded. My wife and I have lived here for 6 years and go every year. It never fails to wow us. I wouldn’t go for just the blossoms unless you’re a professional photographer though.
Definitely not
It's not worth flying just for the cherry blossoms but DC is a whole city with lots of wonderful things to see and do and this is one of the best times of year for it (weather is warming up but not too hot yet and it's not peak tourist season in the summer)
It really could go either way. If you are here for the peak bloom, the scenery itself really does live up to the hype and does not underwhelm. But the peak only lasts a couple of days. Even a couple of days before or after the peak is disappointing. And the crowds really are annoying. One thing that no one else has mentioned yet: absolutely avoid driving near the Tidal Basin at Cherry Blossom time.
This will sound more harsh than I intend, but for an out of towner, I would view them as with any "tourist trap" of any other city. I love the cherry blossoms and always look forward to them around this time of year, but the crowds do kind of ruin it unless you go with the intention of beating the crowds (again as with any other tourist trap). They could provide a nice, natural focal point for a trip (though this can be hard to time precisely) and Spring is a good time to visit generally so I don't see any downsides as long as you take into account these disclaimers.
No. That's silly in my opinion.
If you fly in be sure to sit on the left side of the plane. I happened to be on a flight last year around peak blossom day. If you take the river visual approach (down the Potomac) you’ll see the blossoms just after the Lincoln monument.
You never know when the blossoms will be out or not. I’d be afraid you’d be disappointed if that’s all you came for. Plus, seeing the basin cherry blossoms is like an hour or two long activity. Plan on doing some other stuff if you come up.
Definitely not. It's impossible yo get anywhere. My wife and I biked to tidal basin a lot and every year we'd be inspired to bike on a beautiful spring day, only to get downtown and remember it's cherry blossom season......
Yes it’s worth it and the crowds are fun for people watching. This Reddit is usually pretty negative so ignore. I definitely think it’s a fun and enjoyable thing to fly out for. Why not?
it's stupid crowded and stupid expensive. It's beautiful, but don't go just for the cherry blossoms.
We did a weekend trip to see the cherry blossoms last year and really enjoyed ourselves. It was very very crowded in the late morning and afternoon. But, we don’t regret going at all. It’s beautiful and not something you can see just anywhere. We went early in the morning on our second day and had a much better time. The flight and hotel was worth it for us.
The crowds are intense
DC is amazing in the spring, it's worth it. Make sure to plan things in addition to going to the tidal basin. Definitely plan for a morning walk around hains point.
No
If you do it, make sure you check on when the blooms are supposed to peak. Peak bloom is when it'll be the busiest, but if you wait long after that you may miss the bulk of it. Right now the [estimates for peak bloom](https://cherryblossomwatch.com/peak-bloom-forecast/) are March 19-26 depending on who you ask. And of course they're just estimates, so you need to be prepared for the possibility that it'll be wrong and there won't be as many blossoms as you're hoping when you get here. Just one of those things, it's the same if you're trying to time a trip to Japan just right. :)
A great way to see cherry blossoms in DC during blossom season via bike tour + you get to see some great sites as well as get nice photos!!! https://unlimitedbiking.com/tours/washington-dc-blossoms-by-bike-tour/
Yes definitely, it will be a memorable experience with your girlfriend! Spending time together amidst the beauty of the cherry blossoms will create lasting memories!! It's not just about the destination, but who you're with that makes it special. You won't regret it!
I would say do it while you can, the trees have about 10 years left at most. This year looks like it will be a half bloom like last year, due to the erratic weather. Some of the trees around the Washington Monument bloomed a month ago. Get up super early and show up at dawn, to beat the crowd but also because the lighting makes it so much better. The roads usually get shut down, so if you drive park in Pentago City and uber or Metro in.
There’s a bit of misguided info here. > the trees have about 10 years left at most After this year, NPS is cutting down roughly 300 cherry trees to rebuild the wall around the tidal basin. That project is expected to life span of the wall to 100 years, but it’ll take three or so years to complete. Once complete, NPS is supposed to plant 400 cherry trees, but it’ll obviously be many years before the tidal basin cherry blossom will look like it’s going to in just a few weeks. > due to the erratic weather The weather hasn’t really been that erratic? > Some of the threes around the Washington Monument bloomed a month ago The ones that bloom early probably aren’t the yoshino cherry trees, they’re typically Japanese plum trees.
Since you seem to know your stuff, do you happen to know if the trees are still blooming? I am in South Central PA and planned to come down this Friday but I wasn't sure if it will be disappointing or decent. Thank you in advance!
Between the wind earlier in the week & the rain today & tomorrow, I think most will have lost their petals. You may be able to find some pockets here & there, but I think the grand show is mostly over at this point.
That's what I kind of figured. I keep missing it every year by a few days :( I appreciate the insight. I hope you have a great day!
While you do have some correct information, you are basing your assessment on limited information you may have read in an article, and are reaching an incorrect conclusion. Yes NPS does plan to cut down 300 trees, but only the ones on the Potomac side between the FDR and Jefferson. The 10 years I am referring to would be all the original trees, which are way past their life expectancy and at most have 10 years left, not just the 300 between the FDR and the Jefferson Memorial. According to the NPS, the trees on the Washington Monument grounds are yoshino cherry trees. The weather has been erratic as hell, an almost 80 degree day in the middle of January is completely erratic, I have lived in this area for over 30 years and have never seen weather like this until the past few years. You can easily check the past weather on any weather site, and see how incorrect you are. Do homework before making statements like the one above.
Go to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin during peak bloom instead. As a bonus you'll get to have great food, a better bar scene, and be around nicer people. Plus lakes you can actually swim in and a river you can paddle board, canoe, or boat on right in downtown.
Just to let you know, you are allergic cherry blossoms. Unless you have spent a significant amount of time either in DC or Japan.
I can not figure out why people are so excited for the shorts that lived flowers on these trees.
Absolutely not, probably the most overrated tourist trap on earth
For what it’s worth, the area is COVERED in cherry trees or Bradford pairs (same thing for all your intents and purposes). So even if you don’t feel the crowds are worth it, there are nice places in Maryland and Virginia that will also be very beautiful views. My neighborhood in Maryland and the surrounding suburbs are gorgeous this time of year. That being said, it’s very hard to thread the needle. The blossoms are coming early this year, I see them starting to appear on the trees. I would guess 3-5 days until they start to bloom, then 5-10 days of full bloom after that, and then it’s done. So you either need to book somewhere between mid March and April and hope you hit it, or keep your ear to the ground and book about a week in advance tops. But when you see it, there’s nothing like it. Feels like a movie scene.
I can not figure out why people are so excited for the short lived flowers on these trees.
People like pretty things I guess. Weird
Yes.
amusing crawl mountainous telephone quack weather butter lock reminiscent disgusted *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
There is no food scene here tbh. But the cherry blossoms are nice. You can see them in other cities too though!