5 Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms in America

Spring brings a series of exciting events throughout America, and cherry blossom festivals sit at the top of the list. Don’t know where the best places are to see cherry blossoms this season?

We have the list. Here are five:

1. Washington D.C.

More than 3,000 cherry trees arrived in Washington D.C. in 1912 from Japan – a gift from Tokyo’s Mayor Yukio Ozaki. The first two trees were planted on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, and since then cherry trees have been part of the springtime attractions and festivities in D.C.

This year, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is from March 20 to April 16, and per Washington.org, the average peak bloom is April 4 and the entire blooming period can last up to 14 days.

The best places to see cherry blossoms in D.C. are:

• Tidal Basin


• Lincoln Memorial


• Washington Monument


• National Mall


• National Arboretum


• Anacostia Park


• Stanton Park


• Oxon Run Park

D.C. travel tips:

1. Airlines flying to D.C.


2. Major airports in D.C. and distance to the city center.


3. Hotels around D.C. Just in case D.C. hotels are fully booked, try Alexandria and Arlington.

2. New York City

For the best cherry blossoms in New York City, head over to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG). Stroll along the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, Cherry Walk, and Cherry Esplanade and view the hundreds of blooming trees in white, yellow and many shades of pink. For peak blooming days, please check BBG’s website.

The annual cherry blossom festival at BBG, Sakura Matsuri is on April 29 and April 30.

Besides BBG, cherry blossoms bloom in New York Botanical Garden, Riverside Park, Central Park and Randall’s Island too.

NYC travel tips:

1. Major airports in NYC.


2. Hotels in NYC.


3. MTA Subway, train and bus services.

3. St. Louis

The Missouri Botanical Garden has a 14-acre Japanese garden and 230 ornamental flowering cherry trees. The most dramatic of them all is the weeping Higan cherry with its sweeping branches and rosy flowers and the Yoshino cherry with fragrant white blossoms.

St. Louis travel tips:

1. Major airport in St. Louis.


2. Airlines flying to St. Louis.


3. Hotels in St. Louis.

4. Nashville

Nashville has over 800 cherry blossom trees throughout the city. Here the Yoshino (white and pale pink) variety blooms first, followed by the Kwanzan (deeper pink) variety.

Visitors can enjoy the cherry blossoms in Nashville parks and neighborhoods like:

Riverside Drive, Shelby Park, Cleveland Park, McFerrin Park, Hope Gardens Park, James Robertson Parkway, Woodland Street, Public Square, Gay Street, Riverfront Park, 1st Avenue North, Hermitage Avenue, Centennial Park, Fannie Mae Dees Park, Hadley Park and more.

The family-friendly Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival is on April 8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free to attend, and if you’re driving, parking is available at the Public Square and Metro Courthouse and Nissan Stadium Parking Lot A.

Nashville travel tips:

1. Airlines flying to Nashville.


2. Hotels in Nashville.


3. Airport in Nashville.

5. Philadelphia

Blooming cherry blossoms are everywhere in Philadelphia. VisitPhilly.com recommends the following places to view cherry blossoms:

• Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Fairmont Park


• Kelly Drive along the east side of the Schuylkill River


• Behind the Please Touch Museum


• Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and the west side of the Schuylkill River (best views are between Montgomery Drive and Falls Bridge)

The annual Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia is at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. This year it is from April 1 to April 9. The Sakura Sunday Festival is on April 9.

Philadelphia travel tips:

1. Airport in Philadelphia.


2. Philadelphia mileage chart.


3. Hotels in Philadelphia.

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