Hello and welcome to episode 34 of the Ready Set Depart Podcast. We are so glad you’re here!

For many, many years, I have said a variation of this each spring - “I would love to see the cherry trees in Washington, DC!” or “I really want to go to the National Cherry Blossom Festival!”

And all those times I said one of those things, I didn’t realize that I was actually talking about two different things.

I can almost hear you say, “What?” But it’s true!

Going to the National Cherry Blossom Festival does not necessarily mean that you’ll see any cherry blossoms.

Confused? Let’s clear it up and let you know what you and your family can do in Washington, DC when the cherry blossoms bloom!

Let’s start with a quick history lesson!

In 1885, Eliza Scidmore went to Japan to visit her brother and fell in love with the beautiful Cherry Trees. When she got back to the US, she started on a mission to bring some Cherry Trees here so that Americans could see how beautiful they were. And she thought that the newly formed Tidal Basin would be the perfect place for them.

She talked to everyone she could over the next TWENTY-FOUR years, but no one would listen. Finally, she sent a note to First Lady Helen Taft telling her of the idea to bring the Cherry Trees to the American people and where they should be planted. 

Days later, Eliza received a note back from the First Lady that simply read, “I have taken up the matter and am promised the trees.”

You see, the First Lady had also spent some time in Japan and fallen in love with the cherry blossoms.

And from that day to now, there are seven varieties of flower cherries, totaling about 3,800 cherry trees, in the Washington, DC area. When you think of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin, those are Yoshino Cherries. Remember that name. It’s going to come up a lot.

Now let’s talk about peak bloom.

If you are coming to Washington, DC anytime in March or April, there’s going to be a lot of talk about Peak Bloom.

Peak Bloom is when 70% of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin - the Yoshino Cherries - are in bloom. This happens anywhere from mid-March to mid-April and it changes every year. In early March, the National Park Service, who takes care of the trees, announces when they believe peak bloom will be. 

This year, they announced that Peak Bloom would be between March 29-April 1. Other outlets make their own predictions but this date affects when the National Cherry Blossom Festival is. But more on that in a minute.

This year, 2026, peak bloom was Thursday, March 26 and the majority of blossoms - of the Yoshino Cherries - were gone by Friday, April 3. Check out our website to see the difference that four days made.

So, what does this all have to do with the National Cherry Blossom Festival?

The National Cherry Blossom Festival usually starts on the first day of spring, but then it goes for 3-4 weeks in order to incorporate Peak Bloom in the festivities. 

And what can you find in the National Cherry Blossom Festival? You can find a Kite Festival, Cherry Blossom themed food and drink, Fireworks, a Parade, fun merchandise, a special Junior Ranger badge and so much more!

But first, how do you get to Washington, DC and where should you stay?

Washington, DC has three airports that you can fly into: Reagan National Airport (DCA), Dulles International Airport (IAD), or Baltimore International Airport (BWI). Which one you choose has a lot to do with where you’re coming from and if you care as much as we do about direct flights. Usually it’s a little cheaper to fly into Baltimore, Maryland, but then you have to travel into the city which could be a bit of a pain with littles.

Where should you stay? We personally like Arlington, Virginia because it is right across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, but it’s a little bit quieter. 

But, that aside, what to really look at when choosing a place to stay is how close it is to the Metro. The Metro is the subway system that runs all around the DVM area. (I just learned this term. It means the Washington, DC, Virginia, Maryland area.) Renting a car is not for the faint of heart around DC so if at all possible, we recommend taking the Metro wherever you need to go. And it does go almost everywhere around here.

And if your kids are over it, call an Uber to take you home. Just because you took the Metro to the cherry blossoms does not mean you have to take one home. Give yourself permission to change it up on the fly because that will make for a better day all around!

Before we jump into all the different things you can do, let me give you a quick idea of what a day might actually look like with kids because I know sometimes that’s the hardest part to picture.

If we were planning a day around the cherry blossoms, we would start early and head straight to the Tidal Basin before it gets too crowded. That’s really going to give you the best chance to enjoy the blossoms without feeling totally overwhelmed.

We would take our time walking around the loop, stopping at the Jefferson Memorial, and checking out the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center. And of course, we would grab the junior ranger booklet while we’re there.

Then, depending on how everyone is doing, we would either grab lunch nearby or head back to where we’re staying for a break. Especially with younger kids, that midday reset can make a huge difference.

Later in the day, if everyone has the energy, we would head back out. Maybe fly a kite near the Washington Monument or check out one of the festival events.

And honestly, that plan might change halfway through the day and that’s okay. That’s part of traveling with kids.

One quick thing to keep in mind as you’re planning your trip—overall, we felt really safe in Washington, DC, especially around the National Mall and all the main tourist areas.

That said, like any big city, there are a few things you’ll want to be aware of.

You’ll probably see some street vendors and people offering things—sometimes it feels like they’re just handing you something for free, but they’re usually expecting payment. So just a simple “no thank you” and keep walking works great.

And then just basic city awareness—keep your bags zipped, keep an eye on your stuff, especially in crowded areas like the Tidal Basin during peak bloom.

Nothing to stress about at all—just a few things to know so your day goes a little smoother.

Now let’s talk about what you can do when you’re at the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

As I said, going to the National Cherry Blossom Festival does not necessarily mean you will see every tree in bloom, but because of the seven different types of cherry trees in the area, you will more than likely see some kind of cherry blooming. 

But, the first thing you are going to want to do when your family is in town for the National Cherry Blossom Festival is go to the Tidal Basin to see the blooming cherries. If you’re lucky, you’ll be there when the Yoshino Cherries are in full bloom and they are spectacular. 

If you are a few days past peak bloom, they will still be pretty darn beautiful! Check out our website for pictures from our trip that was four days after Peak Bloom.

If you’re much past 7-10 days after peak bloom, you probably won’t see the fluffy white and pink blooms on the Tidal Basin, but usually that’s when the Kwanzan Cherries start blooming. They aren’t all around the Tidal Basin but they are there and they are beautiful!

But what if you get to the Tidal Basin and the trees aren’t blooming? That’s ok. You can still see the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial, and the FDR Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial.

While you’re at the Jefferson Memorial, check out the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center that has shops with Cherry Blossom themed gear plus the National Park Service has booths set up for Cherry Blossom stamps for your National Park Passport AND a junior ranger booklet that you can only complete during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. This is by far our favorite junior ranger badge that we’ve gotten but I’m going to let Trooper tell you all about it!

Trooper:

Thanks Mom. Yes, that one was pretty fun! I love that you can only get it during the Festival which makes it kind of special. The booklet has some easy things, like connect the dots and complete some mazes, and some harder things, like writing your own Haiku. But we learned that there are bats in Washington, DC. That surprised us. The ranger we talked to said that there are actually a lot of bats near the Washington Monument and sometimes they crash into the monument and stun themselves so the rangers have to go gather them up and keep them safe until they wake up. Isn’t that funny?

So, if you do take your kids to the National Cherry Blossom Festival, don’t forget to do the junior ranger booklet. The badge is really cool. Take a look at our website to see it.

Oh, and you can also do a virtual version of this booklet, but you don’t get an actual badge, just a certificate, but still cool.

Thanks Trooper, this one was cool!

So, what do you do if you miss peak bloom?

If you’re a plant person like me, you shed a little tear that you missed it and then you find some other beautiful trees that are in bloom. There are other cherry trees blooming after the Yoshinos plus flowering crab apples, dogwoods, magnolias, and red buds. The wisteria usually starts blooming toward mid-April so that is something to see and smell. Plus the tulips and daffodils are blooming all over.

But, just because you missed peak bloom doesn’t mean there aren't a lot of fun things to do during the Festival.

There is a Kite Festival on the lawn beneath the Washington Monument on a Saturday during the Festival. We didn’t get to go to that but we did see the kites stuck in the trees all over the area which was both funny and a little sad for the little person who lost their kite. 

You can still fly a kite beneath the Washington Monument whenever you want, so if you miss the festival, get a kite and fly it by yourself!

There are cherry blossomed themed food and drinks all over the city so check the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s website for more information on that.

There is the Petalpalooza, which is an all day family friendly festival where there is food and entertainment and vendors. It is a GREAT time that is finished off with some pretty spectacular fireworks. 

And, for those who love parades, there is a Parade on the last Saturday of the Festival down Constitution Ave. It’s a fun way to finish off the festival every year. There are seats you can buy or you can watch it for free along the road.

And now you know - seeing the cherry blossoms and going to the festival? Not always the same thing but both are worth it for the memories you’ll make with your family. And if you can, get the blossom headband if for no other reason than the fun pictures you’ll be able to take!

If you want to actually see the difference between peak bloom and just a few days later, head over to our website—we’ve got photos from both so you can really get a feel for it. And while you’re there, you can take a peek at our shop too.

And as always, let’s keep making traveling with your family easier, one trip at a time. See ya next time.