Signs of Spring in Washington DC (but no cherry blossoms yet)

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In just a few weeks, the branches hugging the rim of Washington DC’s Tidal Basin  will be bursting with delicate pink and white cherry blossoms.

Yes, the winter of our discontent may be over, at least in the Washington-Philly section of the Northeast Corridor. Birds are flocking the Potomac River on their way north and daffodils are emerging next to lingering snow piles.

For the past three years, I’ve missed DC’s signature event, the Cherry Blossom Festival. Don’t make my mistake. The National Park Service is predicting that the blooming period will start this year on March 31 and run through April 11, with a peak bloom date between April 3 and April 8, less than a month away.

(Wonder how they determine optimal flower power? The blooming period officially starts when 20 percent of the blossoms on the 3,750 trees have opened. The peak bloom date, usually landing around April 4, occurs when 70 percent of the flowers have emerged. The festival’s website has a good graphic that shows historical data).  

The National Park Service puts on some interesting tours geared around the trees, which were famously given to the U.S. from the Japanese in 1912. Ranger-led lantern walks will be held Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday nights, from March 27 through April 11. There’s also free ranger-led bike tours on the weekends, as well as six daily walking tours.

While I haven’t seen the trees, I’ve been told that the best time to go is on a weekday morning, when the light is pretty and the crowds haven’t arrived yet. If anyone out there has other tips to add, definitely tell me in the comments.