Peak bloom is when 70% of the blossoms open on the Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. This highly anticipated date is predicted by the National Park Service at our press conference. Sign up for email updates to be the first to know about predicted peak bloom dates for 2023, and for all things blossoms throughout the year!
Save the dates: 2023 Festival is March 20 – April 16. Add it to your calendar!
The Trust for the National Mall invites you to Adopt a Cherry Tree to help care for each of the 3,700 cherry trees on the National Mall. The Trust’s Adopt a Cherry Tree program supports the National Park Service’s year-round efforts to preserve and protect the beloved cherry trees. You can make an individual gift, start or join a crowdfunding team, and help spread the word! Donations at any level are welcome.
Our friends at the National Park Service offer a wide array of cherry blossom resources and educational resources — from understanding the five stages of bloom to the history of the trees as they’ve reached each stage – past and present. For those who celebrate the blossoms from afar, these resources are an incredible way to experience the blooms if you can’t be there in person.
#BloomCam, brought to you by the Trust for the National Mall, in partnership with the National Park Service and Earthcam, is a 24/7, live, real-time view of the cherry trees lining the Tidal Basin, one of the most popular and iconic sites in Washington, DC. Positioned on the roof of the Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC, #BloomCam offers year-round views of the cherry trees and their seasonal changes to viewers worldwide and is highlighted here during Bloom Watch as we await the peak blooms. Click here to view the #BloomCam.
Parking is limited in the District especially during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s highly recommended that visitors use DC’s alternative transportation modes like Capital Bikeshare, DC Streetcar, Scooters, DC Circulator, Metrobus, and Metrorail to make the most of their experience. Skip the traffic and parking by planning your trip with goDCgo’s interactive map.
See how spring bloomed across Washington, DC and surrounding areas during the 2022 Festival with our custom layered Google map.
Read on for more information about all the local transportation options available to get you to the blooms!
Planning to travel into Washington, DC for the Tidal Basin Welcome Area (Dates TBA based on peak bloom prediction), or another Festival event? If so, the Festival strongly recommends Metro rail transit as the best way to experience the Festival.
STREET CLOSURE NOTICE 4/2/23: The Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run produced by Cherry Blossom, Inc. will close several streets surrounding the National Mall and Tidal Basin through the early afternoon on Sunday, April 2. Learn more here.
IF YOU ARE DRIVING in from outside the Washington, DC area, you may choose to use Festival preferred parking provider SpotHero to find parking near a Metro station. You may also choose to use a Metro lot and take the train the rest of the way in – Metro parking lots are linked below for reference:
METRO-ACCESSIBLE PARKING RECOMMENDATIONS:
From Virginia:
From Maryland:
METRO DESTINATIONS: The closest Metro station is listed for each Festival event, including our confirmed signature events:
Check out our full list of events and add them to your calendar. Be sure to sign up for our emails for the latest updates, as we will continue to add events leading up to the Festival!
Metro is the best way to experience the Festival with multiple ways to get to the Tidal Basin and most Festival events. For maps, schedules and fees, please visit wmata.com.
Hop on a bike at one of over 600 Capital Bikeshare stations in DC, Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax County, VA and Montgomery County, MD. Single trips start at just $2.00! Visit CapitalBikeshare.com for a map of station locations and details about rentals.
The DC Circulator provides public transportation to the District’s main attractions and most lively neighborhoods for business, culture and entertainment at a cost of only $1. The system consists of six distinct routes across Washington, DC, and even into Rosslyn, VA, and provides close to five million trips a year. The Circulator services each stop every 10 minutes, providing simple, fast and affordable transit to residents, commuters and visitors around the nation’s capital.
For more information, including routes and info, visit dccirculator.com.
Celebrate the history and beauty of DC’s cherry blossoms with City Cruises along the Potomac. Whether for dining and sightseeing cruises or aboard the Cherry Blossom Water Taxi, avoid the crowds and get the most spectacular views from the water! Visit Things to Do Page for more information.
If you choose to drive, we recommend booking convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero, the Preferred Parking Partner of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the nation’s leading parking reservation app. To reserve your parking spot, visit bit.ly/ncbfspothero and book a spot.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the beauty of nature and international friendship through year-round programs, events, and educational initiatives that enhance our environment, showcase arts and culture, and build community spirit.
