![]() ![]() Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the George Mason Memorial, the John Paul Jones Memorial, the Floral Library, the Japanese Pagoda, and the Japanese Lantern and site of the First Cherry Tree Planting all surround the Tidal Basin. The Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. The Tidal Basin is part of West Potomac Park in Washington, DC. Photograph by Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz, 2014 (Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 4.0) The Washington Monument at the left, and the Jefferson Memorial at the right. Aerial view of the Tidal Basin, Washington, D.C. Across the Potomac River another great place to view cherry blossoms is the charming streets of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. The stunning Washington National Cathedral is even more serene gently framed by the blush colored blossoms. Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, once the home of Robert Woods Bliss and his wife Mildred, are a beautifully secluded estate to get a view of the pink blooms. The National Arboretum, located about 10 minutes Northeast of the Capitol Building, offers a guided tour describing the history of its cherry blossoms. Explore other areas of Washington DCĬheck out some alternate destinations throughout Washington DC to get your cherry blossom fix without the crowds. By bus use routes 32,34 or 36 which will drop you off at the National Mall near the Washington Monument, the Tidal Basin Welcome Area is a 10 minute walk from there. TIDAL BASIN DC TODAY ARCHIVEThe Smithsonian Metro stop is also the best stop for many of the sites along the National Mall however the Archive Metro Stop (Yellow and Green lines) and Federal Triangle Metro stop (Blue, Sliver and Orange line) are also good options. From there it is about a 15 minute walk to the Tidal Basin Welcome Area. ![]() To get to the Tidal Basin by Metro take the Silver, Blue or Orange lines to the Smithsonian Metro stop. The Tidal Basin and National Mall are the most popular places to see the cherry blossoms in Washington DC. TIDAL BASIN DC TODAY HOW TOHow to get to the Tidal Basin and National Mall All Circulator buses are wheelchair accessible. The Circulator is $1 per ride or $3 for all day use with a SmarTrip card (SmarTrip cards can also be used for fares on the MetroBus and Metro lines). Another great way to explore the cherry blossoms is by two wheels, Capital Bikeshare has multiple locations throughout DC where you can pick up a bike at one location and drop it off at another. If you have mobility issues consider taking one of the many guided bus tours available or take the DC Circulator Bus along it’s National Mall route. The distance between the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol Building is nearly 2 miles and there will still be a bit of a hike from even the closest hotels and metro stops. In order to view the cherry blossoms(and the National Mall in general) be prepared to walk a lot. Another perk of visiting during dawn or dusk? The light for pictures shortly after sunrise is just stunning. TIDAL BASIN DC TODAY FULLAround noon the walkways between the Washington Monument, Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial were crammed elbow-to-elbow with crowds of onlookers and the streets were full of tour buses with even more visitors. As the morning progressed, so did the crowds. On my most recent trip I started exploring the National Mall at 9:30am, and while crowds were starting to gather I still had a bit of elbow room and no problem trying to get the pictures I was after. Wandering around the Tidal Basin at 7am, even on a weekend, it will be blissfully uncrowded resulting in the peaceful cherry blossom viewing experience we all imagine. No matter what day you go early morning or just before sunset will be far less crowded than a midday visit to any of the popular cherry blossom locations. Plan to go early in the morning or later in the day. ![]() On weekends during cherry blossom season crowds of day trippers from all over the mid-Atlantic descend upon Washington DC for a chance of viewing the pink blossoms. Visiting the Tidal Basin and National Mall during the week when everyone else is at work or school translates into far fewer crowds than you’ll find on a Saturday or Sunday. If possible try to plan your visit on a weekday. ![]()
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