17+ Cherry Blossom Viewing Alternatives in the DC Region

(One of our most popular and imitated annual blog posts is the listing of 17+ Cherry Blossom Viewing Alternatives in the DC Region -- updated for 2023.)

Dumbarton Oaks

It is Cherry Blossom Festival time again in Washington, DC. 

If the crowds are too much for you or you are just looking for a new angle to take a selfie - here are several local alternatives to the Tidal Basin display:

#BlossomCam

The Trust for the National Mall and The National Cherry Blossom Festival hosts the #BloomCam. Go to the live feed here: https://nationalmall.org/bloomcam to view the trees along the Tidal Basin in real time as they bloom.

Petal Porch Parade

Returning this year is a new-ish feature: the Petal Porch Parade. These are homes decorated to bring the cherry blossom parade feel to your neighborhood. See more about them here and search the map of locations here.

Public Gardens

~ The National Arboretum has a splendid and more varied display and LOTS or parking. Stroll around Fern Valley and the other gardens as well while you are there. Take the Self-Guided Tour: Beyond the Tidal Basin: Introducing Other Great Flowering Cherries to explore the arboretum’s collection of over 2,000 cherry trees representing 600 different cultivars, hybrids, and species of various shapes, sizes, flower colors, and bloom times, including trees that have been created by arboretum scientists. Note: The free self-guided tour covers several miles of arboretum roads, and can be driven, biked, or walked. Pick up a brochure in the Administration Building.
   Also new at the USNA this year are two Cherry Blossom-related features. One is a demonstration of the traditional Japanese support system aka the Japanese Crutching Method (Kurato Fujimoto) that is installed at two cherry trees near the National Herb Garden. The other is the temporary exhibit, Sakura Orihon: Diary of a Cherry Blossom Journey, on display at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum from March 4 through April 2. The exhibit depicts a landscape architect's pilgrimage to Japan to visit the oldest cherry trees. It is well -worth visiting both!

~ Tudor Place is a lovely place to take a stroll on your own through the spectacular Yoshino Cherry Blossoms during the full bloom. Event and entry fees may apply.

~ Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, WDC, has a marvelous orchard of cherries. There is an admission fee that goes to support the gardens and you will want to make advance reservations. Parking is also a bear in that neighborhood -- I recommend you walk or take the bus. 

~ Hillwood Estate in NW DC is pleased to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival with short guided tours of Mrs. Post’s Japanese-style garden. Docents will be available to answer questions between the tours. The suggested entry donation to Hillwood is $12 per adult.

~ Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD, also has beautiful cherry blossom trees and many other flowering trees like plum, apricot, magnolias, and quince in bloom right now, and you don’t have to fight the crowds to see them. The gardens are also full of flowering bulbs like hyacinths, tulips, and hillsides of daffodils.

~ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA, has over 100 cherry trees surrounding a lovely lake that you can stroll around. Admission to the gardens is a mere $5

~ Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, VA, has a ring of Yoshino cherry trees around their lake and Okame cherry blooms throughout the gardens. There is an entry fee of $10 to visit the gardens.

~  River Farm in Alexandria, VA, is a historic 25-acre site on the banks of the Potomac River. River Farm was once part of George Washington’s original five farms, and currently the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society. The grounds offer spectacular river views, a wildlife garden, and delightful children’s areas. 

~ Green Spring Gardens near Annandale, VA, has several flowering cherry trees in its collection. There is also a wonderful witch hazel collection there.

Neighborhoods and Other Less-visited Spots

~ The Bethesda, MD, neighborhood of Kenwood for their stunning display. Park and walk in for an immersion in cherry tree lined streets.

~ Sarah Lawler suggests The Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II is a beautiful spot to see cherry blossoms. It is located near Union Station at the intersection of Louisiana Ave., New Jersey Ave. and D Street, NW, WDC. And across the street is a grove on the U.S. Capitol grounds.

~ Foxhall and Reservoir Rds, NW. Washington, DC. The Foxhall Village neighborhood near Georgetown has cherry blossom-lined streets that are known as the best-kept secret among locals.

~ Brenda Lynn shared she always bikes from Arlington, VA, in order to avoid having to park to take metro. It's a beautiful ride, and one could also bike along the GW parkway in VA to view all the blooms along the Potomac River. 

~ Oxon Run Park at 1200 Mississippi Ave SE, Washington, DC, has fairly new cherry tree plants and a lot of space to spread out and fly a kite.

~ National Harbor hosts a Sakura Sunday celebration. See: https://www.nationalharbor.com/events/annual-events/cherry-blossom-festival/

~ Anacostia Park at 900 Anacostia Drive, SE. Washington, DC. Cherry trees bloom along the Anacostia River at the 1,200-acre park that is one of Washington, DC's largest recreation areas.

~ An anonymous post to my blog, tipped me off that there are several blocks of cherry blossom trees creating an arch above the streets of Garrett Park Estates in Kensington, MD. "Take Strathmore Road near Holy Cross Church, turn onto Flanders and then I think it’s Waycross. The trees span several streets, are lovely, and totally free of crowds!"

~ Adam Bailey let me know that “Stanton Park and Lincoln Park on the Hill — and the Capitol Hill neighborhoods in general — have a good display of blossoms, too.”

~ "Scott Circle, at Massachusetts & 16th, also has some great cherry blossoms," reports John Boggan. 

~ Katie said, "There's a neighborhood off Query Mill in North Potomac, MD, that has streets lined with cherry trees. Not as fantastic as Kenwood, but if you're in the upper Montgomery County, it may be more accessible. Streets include Moran and Bonnie Dale. It blooms a few days later than Kenwood."

~ Casey Trees has an interactive map to find blooming street trees near your location. To try it out, go here: https://caseytrees.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9e4a0784d72a48a19dc1fdbc9138e2c8

Grow Your Own!

 Ever since getting my weeping ‘Higan’ cherry, I feel no need to rush downtown. I keep a daily watch on my baby tree and celebrate loudly when the buds finally burst open. I highly recommend it. 

   Here is a video we created about growing ornamental cherry trees locally: 

https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2018/04/plant-profile-cherry-trees.html.

   In addition, in the very first issue of Washington Gardener Magazine, we did a PlantProfile column on the selection and cultivation of cherry trees for our area. 

Got other DC-area Cherry Tree viewing locations? Please share them in the comments below.

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