Other Things to Do Near the National Mall & Tidal Basin I can’t imagine how crowded it gets when they are not limiting the numbers! There were people walking around and taking photos, photographers who set up family and engagement photoshoots, locals running or riding bikes, and lots of Instagram photoshoots going on thanks to the gorgeous backdrops the cherry blossoms offered. Even with the National Park Service limiting both vehicle and foot traffic in the area, it was still crowded at sunrise on a Sunday morning when we went the first time. Most years there is a National Cherry Blossom Festival with lots of events, but that was held virtually in 2021. Even if you go early, there will be lots of other people around. If you visit the cherry blossoms in DC near peak bloom, be prepared for crowds. Sunrise at the Tidal Basin during cherry blossom season Tips for Visiting the Tidal Basin Cherry Blossoms There are some parking garages, but they were much more expensive than the street parking and may not be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you drive around the National Mall area, you should be able to find parking. You can download the ParkMobile app to add more time to your meter without having to go back to your car. ![]() When we came back during the week, we parked on 17th St NW in front of the Red Cross headquarters. Because it was a weekend morning at sunrise, those spots were open, and we just had to pay the metered parking. When we went on Sunday morning, we parked on Constitution Ave NW right in front of the White House just before 15th St NW. If you are visiting on a weekday and will be in the area during rush hours, you want to make sure your car will not be towed. Many spots are metered, and some parking spots along the road are only for certain hours. When parking in Washington, DC, make sure to look at the signs. We parked just to the right of this photo on Constitution Avenue If there are road closures or if all of these parking spots are already taken, you can still park near the National Mall and White House and walk over from there. Most years these roads stay open, but make sure to check the National Park Service for any road closures or traffic pattern changes if you plan to visit near peak bloom. We had planned to park by East Potomac Park and walk down to the cherry blossoms, but the road closures around the Tidal Basin and East and West Potomac Parks meant we had to park a little further away this year. There is also parking along Ohio Drive SW between the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial and along Ohio Drive SW by East Potomac Park. There is parking at the Washington Monument parking lot near the Tidal Basin Paddle Boats, a few spots along West Basin Drive SW, and at the Jefferson Memorial. Most years you can park in one of several parking lots near the Tidal Basin. This was meant to discourage people from crowding the area and to encourage social distancing. Jefferson Memorial through the cherry blossoms 4 days later Tidal Basin Parking for Cherry Blossomsĭue to the current situation, in 2021, the parking closest to the Tidal Basin was all shut down. We went back to the Tidal Basin four days later and there were very few flowers left on the trees. We arrived about two days after peak bloom, but a big rainstorm and the wind that came with it knocked down a lot of the bloom the previous day. While the bloom can last for up to two weeks after the peak bloom, the weather can also cause that window to be much shorter. I would recommend getting to DC before the peak bloom if at all possible. You can get there before peak bloom and still see the blossoms on the tree. The Tidal Basin cherry blossoms typically reach peak bloom the last week of March or the first week of April. ![]()
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