Best DC Cherry Blossom & Garden Spots

This guide covers the Tidal Basin plus quieter places to see cherry blossoms and gardens in Washington, DC, for anyone who wants blooms with fewer crowds. Stops range from the Mall to Georgetown, Capitol Hill, Brookland, Northeast DC and the Anacostia riverfront in Southeast. The Tidal Basin's 2.1-mile loop of Yoshino cherries descends from the 1912 gift from Tokyo. The U.S. National Arboretum has nearly 100 cherry varieties, free entry and the Capitol Columns. At East Potomac Park, nearly 500 Kwanzan cherries bloom about two weeks after the Yoshinos along a 4.1-mile loop, with far fewer people. About 150 cherry trees frame the blue-and-gold dome of the Basilica of the National Shrine.

Peak bloom falls from late March to early April, and sunrise is the time to walk the Tidal Basin. Most of these spots are worth a visit in any season.