national park service

As in true pandemic fashion we try to continue to provide you with content that is responsible and thus avoiding crowds. We thought a post on where to view cherry blossoms without the crowds the Tidal Basin draws, may be useful. Yesterday, while driving through DC, the crowds were in full force on the Mall as the blossoms were in full bloom! The National Cherry Blossom Festival will be held from March 20 – April 11 and again has pivoted from their typical celebrations and gotten creative so check out their programs.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception has over 150 trees.
Dumbarton Oaks has a mixture of cherry species as well as other gorgeous spring blooms.
US Arboretum has the trees but are spread out, but that’s the best part about heading here; room to roam!
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens Cherry trees surround the parking area and Visitor Center at Kenilworth Park where you can also enjoy birding along the boardwalk.
Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland has about 30 cherry trees and other spring blooms at their garden.
The neighborhood of Kenwood, Maryland has impressive tree-lined streets. However, this does get very crowded, so if dodging crowds ifs the goal, read on or go very early in the day.
Van Gogh Bridge at Lake Anne in Reston has been on our list to visit. There are not many trees however the location on the bridge provides that most scenic and charming photos we see year after year.
Rockville Civic Center Park and Glenview Mansion both have trees lining the drive to Glenview Mansion and around the Civic Center Park. You will also find a nature center, playground, and wooded nature walk if you want to extend the trip and stay longer.
Did you know the 2nd largest collection of cherry blossom trees in DC are at Oxon Run Park?
Stanton Park in Capitol Hill allows you to sit back, have a picnic and lay underneath a small collection of cherry trees.
Of course you can walk along the Tidal Basin with the crowds or sit on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial and admire the blossoms from there. Grab sanitizing wipes and rent a paddle boat on the Tidal Basin.

Easter egg hunts have commenced!!! Hop in on this free community Easter egg hunt, Eggstravaganza, where kids can collect as many candy-filled eggs as they can find. Enjoy getting to know neighbors, grab some free popcorn, take part in games and outdoor fun, and even meet the Easter Bunny! Register online.

Saturday-

10:00am-1:00pm: Eggstravaganza at South Run Recreation Center
(7550 Reservation Dr, Springfield, VA 22153)

11:00am-2:00pm: Eggstravaganza at Four Mile Run Park
(4109 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305)

11:00am-1:00pm: Eggstravaganza at Garrison Elementary
(1200 S St NW, Washington, DC 20009)

12:00pm-4:00pm: 2nd Annual PEEPS Day at National Harbor
(165 Waterfront St National Harbor, MD 20745)
Celebrate everyone’s favorite treat with kids’ activities, a DJ, the PEEPS mascot, a movie, and the National Harbor World PEEPS Eating Championship, hosted by Major League Eating! There will also be a moon bounce maze, a climbing wall, cornhole, facepainting, and more! The Capital Wheel celebrates PEEPS Day with one free tickets for kids (12 and under) with one paid adult ticket. See ticket kiosk for details.

Saturday & Sunday- Febergé Egg Family Festival at Hillwood Estate & Garden
(4155 Linnean Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008)
Admire the exquisite imperial eggs and other fanciful Fabergé creations collected by Marjorie Post. Experience festive folk music performed by Samovar Russian Folk Music Ensemble and spirited dancing by Kalinka Dance Ensemble. Enjoy stories of Russian Easter traditions in a fun family play, produced by Happenstance Theater. Take part in a traditional Russian egg-rolling game. Step into Fabergé’s Workshop to decorate your own Fabergé-inspired egg.

Saturday & Sunday (as well as other weekends in April): Bunnyland at Butler’s Orchard
(22200 Davis Mill Road Germantown MD 20876)
Enjoy a hayride down the Bunny Trail, race the Rubber Duck Derby, hunt for colorful eggs (we provide the basket!), exchange eggs for a goodie basket to take home, visit with the farm’s very own Country Bunny, ride pedal tractors, play in Hayromp and Playground, hop in inflatables, ride the giant slides, see bunnies, lambs and chicks, get your face painted and ride a pony. $9 per child and $7 per adult. Open 10:00am-4:00pm.

Saturday-

9:00am-10:00am: Weekend Walk in the Woods at Woodend Nature Sanctuary
(8940 Jones Mill Road Chevy Chase, MD 20815)
FREE family programs are here! We invite you to take an hour out of your schedule to enjoy spending time with your family outdoors. Join our Master Naturalists on the first Saturday of each month from 9-10 am for a nature hike around Woodend Sanctuary. Each hike will have a unique and exciting natural history theme. Programs are appropriate for family members of all ages. Please come prepared to hike in sneakers and don’t forget your water bottle. We hope you will join us for our exciting new programs each month! Meet at the gazebo by the main house.

9:30am-5:00pm: STEM in Spring at Port Discovery
(35 Market Place Baltimore, MD 21202)
School may be out for spring break, but your kids can still learn while they have FUN at Port Discovery! Immerse yourself into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) activities that challenge your visual perception during Light City Baltimore! Lasting from Saturday-April 17.

10:00am-12:00pm: National Cherry Blossom Parade
(Constitution Avenue – From 7th to 17th streets, NW)
One of DC’s largest spectator events, the energy-filled National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade® presented by Events DC runs for 10 blocks along iconic Constitution Avenue. Giant colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country, celebrity entertainers, and performers burst down the Parade route in a grand spectacle of music and showmanship seen only once a year during the Festival. From the National Archives to the Washington Monument, spectators are wow-ed by the pageantry and excitement that is the nation’s premier springtime parade.

10:30am-6:00pm: 57th Annual Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival
(M St and New Jersey Ave SE)
The Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival is the largest one-day celebration of Japanese culture in the United States and is proud to be the grand finale of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Performers and vendors travel from all over the country and the world to Washington, DC to share their love of Japanese culture and traditions with the Festival attendees.Sakura Matsuri tickets can be bought in advance online and at the gate on the day-of for $10 with children 12 and under always free. Ticket sales on the day of the festival are cash only.

1:00pm-3:00pm: Emancipation Day Parade and Truck Touch
(1000-1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW)
Events include the parade at 1:00pm, the concert at Freedom Plaza at 3:00pm and fireworks at 9:00pm.

2:00pm-3:00pm: Acton Children’s Business Fair Launch Party at the Kennedy-Warren
(3133 Connecticut Ave NW)
Learn about the business coming to Cleveland Park on May 13 and how your child (ages 6-14) can participate. Hear the experiences of young entrepreneurs from the 2016 Business Fair.

Sunday-

11:00am-2:00pm: Design with Nature at the National Building Museum
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
Explore the intersection of design, building, and the natural environment. In celebration of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, attendees of all ages can discover ways in which environment inspires design. Learn how nature can be intentionally integrated into and around built spaces. Fold origami flowers and join other families to design a large-scale paper garden to help bring spring into the Great Hall. Construct and decorate your own nature-inspired miniature Japanese bӯobu screens. Picnic inside the Museum and listen to a springtime story.

1:00pm-5:00pm: Anacostia River Festival
(Anacostia Park: Anacostia Drive & Good Hope Road SE)
The National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park present the third annual Anacostia River Festival, a premier event of the 2017 National Cherry Blossom Festival. For a taste of local D.C., come celebrate the Anacostia River and take a canoe out to explore the River, ride in our bike parade, play lawn games with your family and experience Southeast D.C.’s local arts scene at this special FREE event. This year we are celebrating biking in the District with trail rides, safety classes, quick bike tune ups and special bike activities for all ages.

Best places to view cherry blossoms that are NOT on the National Mall

Weekend Picks: April 7-9