How to Spend a Perfect Day Seeing the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC

There's no better time to visit Washington, DC than in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

"When you are thinking about coming to the nation's capital, the spring is one of the best times to come," Elliott Ferguson, the president and CEO of Destination DC, tells T&C. "Clearly, the weather is amazing. You enjoy the extra hours of sunlight during the day. The icing on the cake is the fact that the cherry blossoms are in bloom, and the National Cherry Blossom Festival is ongoing. You absolutely want to be in town during some variation of the blooming of the trees."

Every year, about 1.5 million attendees take in the National Cherry Blossom Festival, an event which extends over a four week period. "There is truly something fun for everyone—if you're an individual, a couple, a family, a group," Diana Mayhew, the president of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, says.

View in Browser  The weather where I live in New York City has been all over the place these past few weeks, but down in Washington D.C., the nation's capital is rapidly approaching peak cherry blossom season. While reporting out the guide below, I learned that the best place to see the trees isn't actually the Tidal Basin (which is typically very crowded), but off the beaten path at the National Arboretum. —Emily Burack, Deputy Digital Editor How to Spend a Perfect Day Seeing the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC There's no better time to visit Washington, DC than in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. "When you are thinking about coming to the nation's capital, the spring is one of the best times to come," Elliott Ferguson, the president and CEO of Destination DC, tells T&C. "Clearly, the weather is amazing. You enjoy the extra hours of sunlight during the day. The icing on the cake is the fact that the cherry blossoms are in bloom, and the National Cherry Blossom Festival is ongoing. You absolutely want to be in town during some variation of the blooming of the trees." Every year, about 1.5 million attendees take in the National Cherry Blossom Festival, an event which extends over a four week period. "There is truly something fun for everyone—if you're an individual, a couple, a family, a group," Diana Mayhew, the president of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, says. Read More The Shocking True Story of Jane Andrews, the Royal Dresser Convicted of Murder The story of Andrews, who worked for the former Duchess of York, is dramatized in the new series The Lady. Read More The 48 Must Read Books of Spring 2026 Our picks for the standout new releases of March, April, and May. Read More Kate Middleton's Most Iconic Tiara Moments Here, see each of the Princess of Wales's most iconic tiara moments—from the Cartier Halo on her wedding day to her favorite Lover's Knot tiara. Read More Princess Mette-Marit Breaks Her Silence on Her Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein "Of course, I wish I had never met him." Read More New Biography of Ethel Kennedy, Written by Her Daughter Kerry, to Debut This Fall "I want to celebrate my mother's wit, creativity and the abiding faith that helped her raise 11 children in the face of devastating loss." Read More Follow Us Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Town & Country is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2026 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779