See the cherry blossom in Washington, D.C.
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
The cherry trees around the Tidal Basin were a gift from Japan in 1912, and for a short spell each spring they turn the memorials pink and white. The National Park Service, which cares for the trees, runs a Bloom Watch explaining how the timing is predicted and the stages the buds pass through.
Gentle£100 to £500 / $130 to $650An afternoonOutdoorsAlone or with othersDistrict of ColumbiaSpring
How to start
- Follow the National Park Service's Bloom Watch as spring approaches to see when the trees are expected to flower.
- Keep your travel dates flexible, as the timing of the blossom shifts from year to year.
- Walk the full loop of the Tidal Basin early in the morning, before the crowds arrive.
Where to go
We opened this link on 8 October 2026 and found it to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. The hard part of a day out is the timing: the right season, tickets and getting there. The plan watches the calendar for you.
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