Dig in to our guide to finding peak flavors and fun during peak bloom
ISEKAI: Blooming Parallel Worlds (opens March 9) invites you on an immersive journey through multiple parallel worlds to celebrate the cherry blossom season. Drawing inspiration from the Anime subgenre Isekai, the exhibit offers cutting-edge, immersive digital art, guiding visitors through an enchanting multiverse adventure. Purchase tickets through this link for 10% off!
Spring makes for a great time to visit Washington, DC, as the city comes alive with cherry blossom fever. Hotels all over DC are offering awesome springtime deals throughout the coming months.
National Cherry Blossom Festival
The Pink Tie Party raises funds for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, ensuring events remain primarily free and open to the public. The elaborate cocktail party brings on the fun with lots of features: spring-inspired cuisine, a silent auction, live music and dancing. Tickets to this event are limited and guests must be 21 and over to attend.
Visit The Wharf on March 30 for Bloomaroo®, a free spring extravaganza featuring a full day (2-9 p.m.) of cherry-blossom themed art, music, fireworks and family-friendly fun along the waterfront. Enjoy beer gardens on District Pier, fireworks and live music. You can also check out more than 80 shops and restaurants along The Wharf.
Jazz & Blossoms will take over Franklin Park on Sunday, April 7. The free outdoor event will celebrate the beauty and nature of the city with a musical backdrop, observing the National Cherry Blossom Festival and featuring Grammy award-winning hip-hop trio Digable Planets. Additional performances include Daylight DC, Madison McFerrin, JoGo Project and the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra. Jazz & Blossoms will also include swag giveaways, mural walls, food trucks, haiku-writing, face-painting and much more.
Palmer Alley is one of the many highlights of CityCenterDC. The alley offers a majestic walk decorated with different seasonal features throughout the year. The fixtures, picturesque and begging for Instagram love, currently offer lanterns in shades of pink along with dangling blossoms in honor of cherry blossom season. While there, explore the 10-acres of shops, cafes, restaurants and public space.
Unleash your creativity at blossom-themed workshops around the city:
- Discover different watercolor techniques and enjoy a themed cocktail at Shilling Canning Company. (March 21)
- Learn from the official artist of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Nicolas Shi, in a workshop at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art. (March 24)
- Join Right Place Studio at Capital Hilton for a watercolor workshop paired with a seasonal cocktail. (March 29, April 12)
Experience the essence of spring and the art of sake appreciation at Hotel Zena's Spring Sake Festival. Mingle with sake professionals, explore over 80 varieties of imported and craft sake and indulge in seasonal delights amidst the cherry blossom season.
City Cruises by Hornblower offers safe water taxi service throughout the cherry blossom season. Routes that connect to The Wharf, Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria and National Harbor are all featured. You'll be able to enjoy breathtaking views of the city and cherry blossoms as you meander down the Potomac River. According to the National Park Service, peak bloom for 2024 was reached on March 17. The best viewing of the cherry blossom trees typically lasts four to seven days after peak bloom begins, but the blossoms can last longer under ideal conditions.
The French macarons from Olivia Macaron are sure to delight, made with fresh ingredients and looking almost too-good-to-eat. Seasonal selections include rose, lychee rose, raspberry and cherry blossom flavors, available locally and shipped nationwide.
Some of DC’s finest and most historic hotels can immerse you in cherry blossom spirit this spring:
- The Willard’s Cherry Blossom Afternoon Tea runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, offering a menu filled with delicious seasonal items.
- Salamander DC will feature a themed afternoon tea March 20 through April 14.
- Santé at the The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City will offer blossom-inspired teas and bites on Saturdays and Sundays from March 16 through April 14.
- Riggs Washington DC's subterranean cocktail bar, Silver Lyan, will team up with Perry’s Chef Masako Morishita for a cherry blossom-themed pop-up from March 17-30.
- The Pendry's Boozy Tea features new cocktails and treats inspired by the season March 23 through April 21.
It’s bring-your-own-beer, bring-your-own-food and bring-your-own-cooler when you hop aboard with Potomac Paddle Club, which offers a vessel for you and your friends to take in the scenery near the cherry blossoms and enjoy an on-the-water picnic.
Known for extravagant seasonal decor and curated menus, Residents Café and Bar pulls out all the stops for cherry blossom season. Launching March 12, enjoy bites and cocktails under a blanket of pink cherry blossoms, with favorites like the Sakura Spritz cocktail (with flavors of lime, morello cherry, sakura sochu, sparkling sake and cherry blossom petals) making a return.
Add education to your cherry blossom sightseeing with DC Design Tours this spring. The company is offering two excursions: one that encounters the beautiful blossoms on the Tidal Basin (March 17 to April 6) and another that goes in-depth at Cleveland Park (March 17-30), a lesser-known prime spot for blossoms with plenty of history of its own. Use the code "DCDESIGNBLOOM" for 10% off your tickets.
DC's Dog Tag Bakery features an array of cherry blossom-inspired creations beginning March 18. Choose from an unbelievable variety that includes cherry blossom tarts, donuts cookies and breakfast pastries. You can also purchase specially themed gift boxes. To make things sweeter, every purchase goes to support veterans and military families.
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