Springtime is the most beautiful time of year to visit Washington, DC. One reason for this is the cherry blossom trees that adorn the Tidal Basin and other parts of the city. These beautiful trees were gifted by the Mayor of Tokyo to Washington, DC in 1912, and they’re celebrated every spring during the monthlong National Cherry Blossom Festival. Here are 4 of the best activities during the Cherry Blossom Festival.
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1. Watch the parade
The National Cherry Blossom Parade offers fun for the whole family with beautiful floats, performances, and marching bands. I had a beautiful time watching cultural processions like this one from Colombia!
You can pay $20 for a seat in the bleachers, which is where you can hear the announcers and see performances or go early and bring your own blanket or chair to sit along Constitution Avenue and watch the parade for free. I bought a bleacher seat, which was actually convenient, and allowed me to hear more about each parade participant.
2. Go fly a kite
Flying a kite on the National Mall dates back to the 1967 Smithsonian Kite Festival. It’s a time-honored tradition that is great for families. And the colorful kites flying over the National Mall is a beautiful sight to see.
3. Attend Petalpalooza
This waterfront event lasts the entire day, offering music, water activities, art installations such as Japanese calligraphy, a beer ‘garden’, and an evening fireworks show.
Other unique activities are renting a paddle boat along the Tidal Basin, where you can see the Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial from the water and sampling cherry-blossom-themed menus at participating restaurants.
And though cherry blossoms don’t bear fruit like cherries, it’s still fun to see menu items like cherry blossom macarons and cherry blossom margaritas.
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4. Snap photos!
Nonetheless, the #1 thing you should do is snap a photo of the beautiful trees!
Have you attended the Cherry Blossom Festival? How was your experience?
