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The best places to see cherry blossoms around the US this spring

Nothing quite captures the joyous arrival of spring than cherry blossom season.

Ancient hanami (flower-watching) celebrations in Japan may be the first image that springs to mind when you think of this fleeting floral spectacle. However, there are plenty of destinations along the East and West coasts where you can view firsthand those puffs of flawless pink and white blossoms.

From Washington, D.C.’s Tidal Basin to the serene Japanese Garden of Portland’s Washington Park, sakura displays are accompanied by elaborate Japanese cultural events and traditions.

It’s a poignantly short window of opportunity — and Mother Nature is notoriously unpredictable — but you can expect peak blooms to occur in late March and early April, with slight variations from north to south.

The National Park Service forecasts peak bloom in Washington, D.C., between March 22 and 25, though (depending on the weather) you can expect to see blossoms both before and after those dates.

Here are eight of the best places to see cherry blossoms in the U.S. this spring.

Washington, DC

The capital’s annual three-week National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place from March 20 to April 16. More than 3,000 trees span fields and gardens within city limits, but the headline act unfolds at the Tidal Basin, where blossoms photogenically frame some of the nation’s most cherished landmarks. Over 1.5 million people converge on the city each year to witness the spectacle, so be prepared to jockey for a good viewing spot.

The festival is a pink petal extravaganza featuring elaborate parade floats, marching bands, a kite festival, celebrity entertainers and a “Pink Tie” ball. Along the banks of the Anacostia River, “Petalpalooza” on April 8 showcases local musicians and artists with live performances, art walks and installations, as well as family-centric activities and a fireworks show at 8:30 p.m.

Celebrations culminate on April 15 and 16 with the Japanese Street Festival — the largest of its kind in the U.S. Along Pennsylvania Avenue (between Third and Seventh streets), you’ll find martial arts demos, J-pop, traditional food and beverage vendors and a Ginza Marketplace. A one-day pass is $10, and a two-day pass is $15.

If you want to see gorgeous blooms — and beat the crowds — head to the U.S. National Arboretum, about 30 minutes from downtown.

Macon, Georgia

One of the nation’s most extravagant and proudest cherry blossom displays occurs in Macon. It’s celebrated with a 10-day-long International Cherry Blossom Festival (March 17-26), which dates to 1982.

More than 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom from mid-to-late March while the “pinkest party on Earth” features hundreds of events, including the Cherry Blossom Ball, wiener dog racing, tribute bands and dance parties.

Nashville

Nashville might be better known for its country music scene, but it also plays host to the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival on April 15. It features a 2 1/2-mile Cherry Blossom Walk, which begins in Nashville Public Square. There are also children’s activities, martial arts, sumo suit wrestling, a “Pups in Pink” parade, traditional Japanese music, dancing and purveyors of Japanese specialty fare.

The city’s passion for cherry blossoms dates to 2008 when the Japanese Consulate-General for South-Central U.S. transferred from New Orleans to Nashville and donated 1,000 cherry blossom trees.

Fairmount Park, Philadephia

Philly’s Fairmount Park is home to over 1,600 sakura trees, which were donated to Philadelphia by the people of Japan in 1926 as a gift to mark 150 years of American independence.

Held April 15 and 16, the family-friendly Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia draws over 17,000 visitors over two days. It features kimono dressing, origami tutorials, sushi-making classes, martial arts, taiko drumming, live music performances and a traditional tea ceremony.

Japantown, San Francisco

You’ll find cherry blossom trees throughout San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and cascading photogenically over the bridges and jewel box tea house of its beloved Japanese Tea Garden, the oldest public Japanese garden in the U.S. (it dates to 1894).

Spring’s top event is the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, held in the Japantown neighborhood and second only to Washington, D.C.’s in size, drawing more than 220,000 people over the first two weekends in April.

Cultural activities include taiko drum performances, bonsai displays, tea ceremonies, doll making, flower arranging, a Japanese food bazaar with a beer garden, a dedicated Children’s Village and traditional art vendors and workshops. Most events take place on Post Street.

Seattle

The Emerald City ushers in the spring season with a three-day celebration of Japanese culture along with cherry blossom viewing at a handful of locations across the city. Across the Pacific Northwest, cherry blossom season generally peaks the third week in March.

The largest and oldest festival of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival dates to 1976 when then-Prime Minister Takeo Miki of Japan donated 1,000 cherry trees in honor of the U.S.’s bicentennial. Held April 14-16, cultural events include traditional music performances, silk threading, origami demonstrations, kibori wood carving, Japanese cuisine and games.

The best place to view the blossoms is at the Liberal Arts Quadrangle at the University of Washington, where 130 Yoshino cherry trees line the quad’s stately lawns and Gothic buildings. At Washington Park Arboretum, you’ll also find cherry trees along Azalea Way and alongside bridges and walkways in the Japanese Garden.

Portland, Oregon

The best place to see cherry blossoms in Portland is Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park, which fronts the Willamette River. More than 100 cherry trees bloom across the park’s northern recesses, adjacent to the Japanese American Historical Plaza, which commemorates the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were deported to internment camps during World War II.

In the hills of Portland’s Washington Park, the city’s beloved Japanese Garden is hailed as the nation’s most beautiful. It hosts a number of sell-out cultural workshops, including ikebana (flower arranging) and wine tastings.

At the end of March, cherry blossoms explode along serene walkways that lead visitors to pagodas, bridges, waterfalls and koi ponds. Reservations are recommended, and tickets cost $19.95 for adults. The striking Umami Cafe, designed to resemble Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera temple, is a lovely spot for traditional Japanese tea.

Brooklyn, New York

At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 26 cherry tree species fringe the green lawns of the Cherry Esplanade. One of the highlights of the season is the double-flowering Kanzan cherries, which generally bloom toward the end of April.

The Cherry Walk winds behind the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, one of the oldest and most visited Japanese-inspired gardens outside Japan. It’s dotted with traditional architectural elements, including a red wooden torii, ornate bridges, stone lanterns and a Shinto shrine.

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