In spring, Washington dazzles. That’s when more than 2,500 cherry trees pop into bloom at the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. The flowers frame the Jefferson Memorial, fringing the artificial reservoir with a lush ribbon of pink and white that’s subtly reflected in the water. The famous site is bucket-list beautiful. Plus, the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s citywide celebrations from March 20 to April 13 add fun. The events commemorate Tokyo’s 1912 gift of the trees to the city.
And it’s not just the Tidal Basin that’s in bloom. The budding cherry trees soften the facades of government buildings, lace the streets, and brighten the National Arboretum. Delicate, fragrant, and like all things magical, the blooms are fleeting but so worth experiencing. Even with throngs of people, we always find strolling beneath the canopy of petals restorative, and we can feel the joy of the other onlookers, which increases our own.
