WHEN TO GO
We’ d share a precise date— if only we could pin down Mother Nature. But nature being unpredictable, prognosticators typically don’ t issue their bloom forecasts until early March. That noted, the average peak bloom occurs on April 4. The earliest peak was March 15, 1990 and the latest was on April 18, 1958. Peak bloom is defined as the day when 70 percent of the Toshino blossoms( the breed that predominates around the Tidal Basin) are open. The bloom period is considered underway when 20 percent of the blossoms are open, and lasts up to two weeks, depending on weather conditions.
Insider tip: Plan your visit to coincide with festival events that most appeal to you, then incorporate visits to Washington’ s myriad( and mostly free) museums and monuments into your itinerary. But don’ t miss taking the 1.8-mile stroll around the Tidal Basin. Its tree-shaded shore is lovely, regardless of bloom stage.
WHERE TO GO
Cherry Blossom Ground Zero is the Tidal Basin, a manmade inlet of the Potomac River.( Nearby landmarks include the Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.) More than 1,400 Yoshino cherry trees, plus other varietals, surround the pool. More trees are in adjacent East Potomac Park / Hains Point and on the grounds of the nearby Washington Monument.
Tidal Basin during the National Cherry Blossom Festival
that draws out-of-towners and locals alike. The epicenter of that display are 3,750 cherry trees in 16 varieties on National Park Service land.
This year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off March 20 and runs through April 16. Dozens of events, from an annual parade on April 8( along Constitution Avenue between Seventh and 17th streets NW) to an overlapping and highly anticipated exhibit of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’ s Infinity Mirrors( at Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, on the south side of the National Mall at Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW, Feb. 23-May 14) are on the calendar.
Check out our strategies for making the most of a visit to the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Insider tip: If your DC visit comes after the Yoshinos peak, head to East Potomac Park / Hains Point, a few miles south of the Tidal Basin. It features the Kwanzan varietal, which blooms a couple of weeks later. The dark pink flowers are multi-layered and the branches sweep low, making for prime photo ops.
ALTERNATIVE VIEWING SITES
As noted above, a smaller grove of Kwanzans are at East Potomac Park, which has adjacent parking and is generally less congested than the Tidal Basin.
Insider tip: Enjoy a sunset view of the blooms while you play a round of golf or hit a bucket of balls at the park’ s East Potomac Golf Course( 972 Ohio Drive SW). Facilities include two 9-hole courses, an 18-hole course, driving range and miniature golf and practice holes.
There’ s also a glorious grove of cherry trees
SPRING 2017 45
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