Where to See Cherry Blossoms in DC, From Landmarks to Secret Spots

Along with prime places in Maryland and Virginia.

Cherry Blossom DC and Wash DC Cherry Blossoms
Photo credit: Pradip Singh, via Getty Images
Photo credit: Pradip Singh, via Getty Images

Spring in DC is all about one thing: cherry blossoms. The district’s iconic trees were first planted back in 1912 when the Mayor of Tokyo, Yukio Ozaki, gifted 3,000 Yoshino Cherry Trees to the city. While over a dozen tree varieties now grow throughout the DMV, the most commonly found is still the OG Yoshino—which is also what devoted fans fastidiously monitor through the 24/7 Bloom Cam.

As synonymous with the district as the White House and tourists on the National Mall, cherry blossom viewing is expected to draw upward of 1.5 million visitors during this year’s peak bloom on March 23–26. But you don’t have to restrict yourself to the tourist-heavy cherry tree-lined Tidal Basin because pockets of cherry trees abound throughout the DMV. Here are 14 places to see the cherry blossoms in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. And for more fun in DC, enjoy cool underrated museums along with the All-Time Greatest Things to Do.

Cherry Blossom DC and Wash DC Cherry Blossoms
Tidal Basin | Photo credit: Sean Pavone, via Getty Images

Where to See Cherry Blossoms in DC

National Mall
Nowhere in the DMV region is more closely associated with cherry blossoms than the Tidal Basin. And it’s for good reason: The Tidal Basin was the site of the district’s first cherry tree planting over a century ago. Today, the area is home to nearly 4,000 cherry trees (mostly of the Yoshino variety) that line the Basin’s path and spill out onto adjacent National Mall. A stroll around it to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial is an obligatory DC spring walk, but keep going and extend your roam to pass the Japanese Pagoda, Japanese Lantern, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. A walk here at the height of peak bloom is nothing short of iconic.

Northeast
Tucked in on the far eastern edge of DC, the US Arboretum boasts 446 sprawling acres and over 9 miles of roadways (both cars and bikes are allowed here). The Arboretum is home to several varieties of cherry trees, including three different hybrids that were developed on site. Cherries aren’t the only flowering trees at the Arboretum; visitors this spring will be treated to varieties of dogwoods, magnolias, and crab apple trees.. Find your way among the blooms with the Arboretum’s free app which offers flowering tree guides and maps.

Capitol Hill
A far more understated place to see the cherries in their prime is Stanton Park in Capitol Hill. The compact, four-acre park may be small, but its walkways, lined with blossoming cherry trees, pack a punch. The park is named for Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, and has been a public park since the 1870s. Today, it’s popular with locals out for walks and picnics. While it draws more people when the trees are in full bloom, it’s a good place to admire the blooms (or stop for an impromptu photoshoot) while avoiding crowds.

Georgetown
Dumbarton Oaks is an oasis in the city filled with blooms. The 53-acre property and Harvard University research institute is located at the highest point in Georgetown and boasts grounds worthy of a day’s wander. Meticulously cultivated to feature flowering trees and plants throughout the year, there are several spots not to be missed, perhaps most notably, Cherry Hill, located on a remote slope of the gardens and awash in cherry trees. Don’t miss the Prunus Walk (for flowering plum trees) and Forsythia Dell, as well. Purchase a $7 day pass in advance to reserve your stroll.

The Wharf
If you want to avoid tourists altogether, Hains Point Loop, the area at the southernmost end of East Potomac Park, is the perfect destination. Just over four miles, the loop is lined with cherry trees and offers views of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, as well as the Wharf. The park is accessible by foot or bike from the 14th Street Bridge and by car via Ohio Drive.

Capitol Hill
The cherry trees at DC’s Congressional Cemetery are on a schedule of their own thanks to their unique varieties. The cemetery is home to both Okame Cherry Trees, which tend to bloom up to two weeks before the Yoshino cherries elsewhere in the district, and well as Kwanzan Cherry Trees which can bloom up to two weeks after the Yoshinos. The Congressional Cemetery is one the city’s best kept secrets, and now a popular place for dogs and their humans to enjoy fresh air. Stroll through to catch a first or last glimpse of the city’s riot of spring color.

Anacostia
This sweeping park and aquatic garden is one of the most unique spaces within DC. A walk along the pathways through the water gardens will bring you past 500-year-old lotus flowers, tropical lilies, turtles, beavers, nearly 250 species of birds, and the city’s renowned cherry trees. A bit off the beaten path in southeast DC, Kenilworth offers one of the city’s most peaceful places for a springtime stroll.

Cathedral Heights
This walled garden, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., is tucked away just outside of the National Cathedral. Olmsted drew inspiration for the garden from European medieval walled gardens, and it was originally intended as a private space accessible only from the bishop’s house on the grounds of the Cathedral. Years after it was constructed, the garden opened to the public but continues to be one of the city's best kept secrets and a peaceful place to take in cherry blossoms as well as historical and native plants as well as plants mentioned in the Bible and in Christian legends.

Cherry Blossom DC and Wash DC Cherry Blossoms
Arlington National Cemetery

Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Virginia

Arlington
With over 600 acres, Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 service members and their families, and is one of the most beautiful and peaceful spots in the DMV. In springtime, the cemetery’s blooming trees stand as a stunning natural tribute to America’s service members. There are over 400 spring-blooming cherry trees throughout the grounds and the cemetery’s website provides a helpful guide to landscape’s flowering trees

Vienna
The Meadowlark Botanical Gardens offers walking paths through 95 acres of gardens, woodlands, and a lake. The gardens (there are 30 of them!) are home to approximately 100 cherry trees. The trees here tend to reach peak bloom a few days after those at the Tidal Basin. Take them in while enjoying views of Fairfax County’s Piedmont Hills. Make sure to walk by the Gardens’ Korean Bell Garden and visit the restored 18th century log cabin.

Old Town Alexandria
The 18-mile Mount Vernon Trail is an accessible biking and walking trail that runs from Washington, DC to Virginia. The scenic path leads you through waterfront and woods, past Old Town Alexandria, and eventually to George Washington’s Mount Vernon. You’ll find blooming cherries, and early spring flowers, intermittently along the path.

Old Town Alexandria
Any stroll through Alexandria’s Old Town during cherry blossom season will inevitably lead you past dozens of trees in bloom, but make sure to step into the historic Carlyle House Garden. This private house museum and gardens in Alexandria is popular for weddings and engagement photos, and for good reason: it’s flush with cherry trees.

| Glenstone

Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Maryland

Potomac
While a good distance from DC, Glenstone is well-worth the hour drive. The park/museum offers 300 acres of art, architecture, and gardens. Snagging a free, timed ticket here is nearly equivalent to an Olympic sport, but don’t fear, if you arrive by bus you are welcome to claim a ticket at the gate. In addition to its indoor museum, Glenstone offers walking paths that swerve artfully past contemporary sculptures, open meadows, and mossy forests.

Wheaton
Located in Maryland’s Montgomery Country, Brookside Gardens spans 50 acres of public gardens including an azalea garden (in bloom shortly after the cherry blossoms), rose garden, and a Japanese-style garden. Brookside is home to 26 cherry trees, a mix of Yoshino and the rarer weeping cherry. What’s more, admission to Brookside Gardens is entirely free.

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Madeline writes about all things Washington DC for Thrillist. Originally from New York City, she’s called DC home since the start of the pandemic. When she’s not at home in the district, you can find her chasing stories all over the world. Her bylines include The Washington Post, Condé Nast Traveler, and Travel + Leisure. Follow her on IG.