<p>The cherry blossoms in D.C. are two weeks early and the Park Service has changed its peak bloom date. Although I live less than two hours away, I have never been down to see them. Maybe this year…</p>
<p>I have a long-planned trip to DC during the last week in March - is that now thought to be during the peak bloom date? My kids who live in the area grouse every year about the extra tourist traffic when the cherry blossoms are at peak. I’d be willing to fight my way through the crowds to see them for the first time, though.</p>
<p>Should be good week after next. They are just opening. I am not sure how long they last. Peak is March 20 to 23.</p>
<p><a href=“Cherry Blossom Festival (U.S. National Park Service)”>Cherry Blossom Festival (U.S. National Park Service);
<p>When we first moved to the DC area we went to see the cherry blossoms and it was beautiful. The last time I went (maybe 10 or 12 years ago?), it was so crowded that it was difficult to walk. Traffic was at a standstill.
There are so many wonderful things to do/see in DC, but for the above reason I do not recommend the cherry blossoms.</p>
<p>If you want to see them and get anywhere close plan to go early Sunday morning. 8 but no later than 9 is best…</p>
<p>I was there last year at the height, and because of the weather in the winter the blossoms were mostly whitish or very pale pink. I was underwhelmed.</p>
<p>I was visiting people with cars and drove around a lot - traffic was AWFUL, streets were packed, as well as hotels. There seemed to be many fraternities/sororities (groups of college age kids) visiting from other places.</p>
<p>It was still great fun.</p>
<p>I’m going into DC on Sunday!! Hope there are SOME cherry blossoms for me to see!!!</p>
<p>I will be there April 1 for the Springsteen concert, maybe too late for the cherry blossom.</p>
<p>DC has loads of tourists in the spring so patience is in order. Do NOT attempt to drive towards the cherry blossoms at any time, you will just be stuck sitting there. Take Metro, and try to get out at L’Enfant Plaza rather than the Smithsonian stop. It’s a block or two further away, but not nearly as swamped with visitors. You’ll have to walk quite a bit to go around the Tidal Basin anyway.</p>
<p>There are festivities surrounding this 100th year of cherry blossoms that start on March 17th (the official festival starts on the 26th). There was a special insert in today’s Washington Post about it. </p>
<p>[2011</a> Cherry Blossom Festival](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/gog/cherry-blossom-festival-2011/index.html]2011”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/gog/cherry-blossom-festival-2011/index.html)</p>
<p>Apparently, a woman named Eliza Scidmore lobbied various officials in DC to plant cherry blossom trees for 24 years (starting in 1885) before the project was successful. Here is the timeline, (it’s interesting how genetic material has gone back and forth over the years):</p>
<p>[A</a> cherry blossom timeline: A century of drama and beauty - The Washington Post](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-cherry-blossom-timeline-a-century-of-drama-and-beauty/2012/02/15/gIQAFpvQAS_story.html]A”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-cherry-blossom-timeline-a-century-of-drama-and-beauty/2012/02/15/gIQAFpvQAS_story.html)</p>
<p>One of the most fun things to do is to attend the Kite Festival on March 31st. The cherry blossoms may be mostly gone by then, but if there’s any wind, the blossoms will fall with each breath of air and that is quite lovely too. Even better, there will be hundreds of kites in the air and it’s quite exhilarating (and a bit frightening) to add yours to the mix. I’ve always been afraid mine may take a spectacular dive and land on some poor baby in a stroller but so far, that hasn’t happened. The kite festival contest is on the “far” side of the Washington Monument, but the kites fly the whole length of the Mall. Sometimes, the Smithsonian museums sell kites on the Mall, but you can bring any kite (not a stunt kite though, it’s too crowded).</p>
<p>There are also many cherry blossom trees throughout the Kenwood neighborhood of Bethesda, MD (River Road and Brookside Drive). It is a place you can drive through, but probably can’t park in at that time.</p>
<p>thumper1 - the tidal basin Cherry Blossoms are overwhelming the Yoshino variety and they aren’t blooming yet, but you may see something by Sunday since it’s been so warm. There is an earlier variety that is in full bloom now and all the Bradford pears and Japanese magnolias of various types are also blooming (plus many flowers).</p>
<p>I hope I get to see something. I’ve never seen the cherry blossoms before.</p>
<p>thumper1–newscaster tonight was at the basin and the trees are starting to bloom, so you will see some color! It was 80 degrees today, so I’m guessing more blooms will be out by Sunday.</p>
<p>MdMom–I’m with you, I’ve lived here 8 years and never gone down there during the festival dates. Might drag my DS with me since he will be on spring break from school next week!</p>
<p>Just talked to S1, who was sitting on bench on the Tidal Basin as we spoke. He said the cherry trees are in bud, with a few trees having a few blooms out, but not in full bloom yet. The warm weather is supposed to hold so he is guessing (and he worked in a nursery selling fruit trees among other things all through high school) that the middle of next week will be peak. That lines up with the Park Services prediction. And we are going to be in DC from Wednesday to Sunday next week. S1 says he planned the trees just for me.</p>
<p>We have gone down every year since the kids were born and try to take pics under the same tree each time. We tend to get there by 7:30 am and we are finished with the entire Tidal Basin walk by the time the tour buses and tourists start arriving. Our dog finds it the height of the doggie social season.</p>
<p>If you go to the Tidal Basin, keep going around Hains Point. The entire road is lined with Cherry trees. I like to ride my bicycle to maneuver around the traffic. Plus, you don’t have problems finding parking if you are on bike or on foot.</p>
<p>A few years ago, I happened to be at a meeting in DC on the peak cherry blossom day. A few of us walked around the tidal basin after the meeting–I guess around 6pm or so on a weekday. It was a lovely walk and not very crowded.</p>
<p>We usually go early - try to get down to the Tidal Basin by 7 am or so. There are still plenty of people then, but it’s not super packed.</p>
<p>We’ve driven through Kenwood as well, but I tend to get stressed out seeing people (not all or even most of them, of course) who park on the homeowners’ lawns and generally behave disrespectfully. I even saw people with twigs they had broken off the trees. I would hate living there.</p>
<p>The pear trees are blooming, so they must be coming very soon. They usually bloom the same time as the forsythia. I don’t think there is any way to accurately predict peak bloom time. They are breathtaking and spring is my favorite time of year as all the trees start blooming, you see flowers starting to peak through, things are about ready to explode. aaaaaahhhh (choo) :)</p>
<p>If you want to see more cherry trees in blossom, you should come to Branch Brook Park in Newark (yes, the one in NJ). More trees than Washington–absolutely breathtaking. My favorite place to take a walk in the spring.</p>
<p>I am heading to a conference in Florida next week, so I am guessing that I will not be seeing the blossoms this year either. The kite festival sounds fun.</p>