Viewing the Cherry Blossoms By washingtonpost.com Staff Updated Monday, March 8, 2004

Cherry blossoms frame the Jefferson Memorial. (Photo by Khue Bui/AP)

The most famous place for blossom viewing is the path along the Tidal Basin. A 1912 gift from Tokyo, the cherry trees there burst each spring with spectacular pink flowers, drawing throngs of visitors to the riverside.

When to Go:
To avoid crowds, visit on weekdays, during lunch or at nighttime. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is one of the nicest monuments to visit at night; its setting along the river creates a dramatic backdrop for children to romp or for romantics to stroll. For a unique vantage point, rent a pedal boat: The boathouse is directly across the Tidal Basin from the Jefferson Memorial.

Directions:
Because parking is extremely scarce, the best way to get to the blossoms is to take Metro to the Smithsonian stop (Orange/Blue lines). Exit onto Independence Avenue. Walk west two blocks on Independence Avenue, then south on Raoul Wallenberg Place (15th Street) to the Tidal Basin.

By car: The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is at the south end of 15th Street, where it meets the Tidal Basin. There is limited free parking at the memorial and along Ohio Drive. As you drive around the memorial, pay close attention and keep bearing right or you could easily end up on the 14th Street Bridge heading into Virginia.

Avoiding the Crowds:
The Tidal Basin has the best-known collection of trees, but there are also excellent alternative viewing spots in Maryland and Virginia that draw smaller crowds:

Kenwood, a Bethesda neighborhood between Little Falls Parkway and River Road, has 1,200 white-blossomed Yoshino cherry trees lining the streets.

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna has 220 trees, including Yoshinos and pale-pink Akebonos, white Mount Fuji and hot-pink Kwanzan trees. Surrounding the largest lake in the gardens, the trees tend to peak about seven to 10 days later than those at other locations. The garden park will be open for blossom viewing 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in March and until 6:30 p.m. in April. The entry fee is $4 ($2 for students and seniors). For more information, call 703-255-3631.

The U.S. National Arboretum in Northeast Washington has several hundred cherry and Japanese plum trees of various varieties and colors spread out across the grounds. Many trees are clustered close to the herb garden and bonsai museum. The peak bloom for some trees will coincide with the Tidal Basin trees; others bloom later. The arboretum is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Call 202-245-2726 for more information.

Brookside Gardens in Wheaton has about 20 trees, including weeping cherries, Sargent cherries, Yoshino cherries and purple-leaf plums, which curator Phil Normandy notes are "not cherries but look like them." The majority of the trees are clustered in the Japanese garden and the formal garden, and they usually peak about a week after those at the Tidal Basin. Located in Wheaton Regional Park, the gardens are open sunrise to sunset. For more information: 301-962-1400.

Dumbarton Oaks Garden at Georgetown is open Tuesdays through Sundays. Hours are 2 to 5 p.m. Before March 16, hours are 2 to 5 p.m. and admission is free. After March 16, it's open 2 to 6 p.m. and admission is $6 ($4 for children and seniors). For more information, call 202-339-6400.