National Cherry Blossom Festival

We haven't had a travel focused blog in a while, so I wanted to share one of my favorite springtime trips. Nothing says spring to me like the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC. We have been several times during the 5 years we have lived in Viginia and it has been breath taking each times For our family, the Cherry Blossom Festival is usually a REALLY long day trip. We leave early in the morning, driving to the furthest south point on the DC Metro line, and return home after bedtime with kids sleeping in the car. If you want a more relaxed trip, or are coming from further afield, there is certainly enough to do and see to make it a weekend trip. I love taking this trip because there is something for everyone. You can enjoy the the beauty of the blossoms, or delve more deeply into history or science- depending on your personality. And for the shoppers, there are plenty of souvenirs to be had. 

The first 3,000 of these beautiful Japanese Cherry Trees were planted in 1912,  a gift from the mayor of Tokyo to celebrate the friendship between two nations. First Lady Helen Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted the first tree. This cemented a connection between the two countries that has lasted over 100 years, and has weathered some very trying times. In 1915 the US returned the gesture, with a gift of Flowering Dogwoods - a favorite tree across southern climates. The original trees were planted around the Tidal Basin, with an additional 3800 gifted in 1965.  In 2012, additional trees were planted, expanding into the area around the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial. 

We were not able to make the trip this year, due to to the combination of an early spring break and wonky weather patterns. The trees were primed for an early peak bloom, due to an especially warm February, but they were then stalled by snow and freezing temperatures last week (when we were on break). Unfortunately no one can predict entirely how this will effect blossoming, but those in the know (horticulturalists) believe that the majority of he blooms were past their critical period, and they expect peak bloom to be sometime in the next week and a half. So if you don't have weekend plans, or are lucky enough to have Spring Break next week (it's much less crowded during the week), head to DC and enjoy! 

When you arrive- we take the subway into the National Mall / Smithsonian area- head first to the large white tents along the Tidal Basin. Here you can gather information, watch performances and speak with members of the National Parks Service that oversee the festival. For our children, one if the highlights of the Festival is the opportunity to earn a special cherry blossom park ranger badge.  If you complete the ranger badge workbook, you will have seek most of the monuments on the Mall, and all of the peak cherry blossom areas. It includes a chance to learn about the history and science of the trees, as well as stretch your creative skills via art and poetry in the Japanese Haiku style. 

We normally pack lunch in a backpack so that we can spend the day in theTidal Badin area. When you have finished your time with the blossoms, DC has restaurants sure to please any palate and budget category. 

For more information, check the Official National Cherry Blossom website!