Washington D.C. may get all the cherry blossom attention, but there are plenty of other places in America to catch a glimpse of one of spring’s most beautiful displays. Check out these other spots around the country that have stunning cherry blossoms.
- Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival
Facebook/Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival Head to Tennessee for a cherry blossom extravaganza. The best part about this festival is that it gets bigger and better every year – the city is aiming to plant 1,000 cherry trees in ten years, so there are more and more blooms to enjoy over time. See the best of the best on the city’s 2.5-mile Cherry Blossom Walk. The festival itself will be held on April 14.
- Hanami, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Facebook/Brooklyn Botanic Garden Head to the aptly named Cherry Esplanade in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for a fairytale walk beneath boughs laden with cherry blossoms. The garden hosts a monthlong hanami celebration of spring, which culminates in the Sakura Matsuri festival where you can find sword demonstrations, tea ceremonies and J-pop bands. The cherry blossoms here are at their best beginning in early April. The Sakura Matsuri festival is held April 28-29.
- Missouri Botanic Garden, St. Louis
Facebook/Missouri Botanical Garden If you feel like enjoying some cherry blossoms at your own pace, head to the Missouri Botanic Garden. There, you’ll find more than 230 cherry blossom trees including 20 different varieties. The pink blossoms of the Higan cherry trees droop down towards the ground like weeping willow boughs. These flowers are at their best between late March and early April.
- Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, San Francisco
Facebook/Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival One of the best celebrations of spring on the West Coast, this cherry blossom festival has been held annually for 51 years. Stop by for dance performances, karate demos, origami workshops, and of course, plenty of blossoms. The festival will be held April 14-22.
- Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival, Newark
Facebook/Sakura Matsuri in Branch Brook Park New Jersey New Jersey is home to one of the prettiest collections of cherry blossom trees on the East Coast. Over 5,000 trees have been gracing the city with their blooms since 1927, and the festival celebrates the arrival of spring in style. Join one of the 45-minute guided tours of the blossoms, or just head to town for the Bloomfest event featuring live music, Japanese cultural demonstrations, and more. The festival will be held April 7-15.
- Charles River Esplanade, Boston
Flickr/Sean Ob’Brien Take in some water views framed by countless petals at the Charles River Esplanade in Boston. The trees here were a gift from Japan, and they’re in flower between late March and early April (depending on fickle New England weather, of course). Catch a show at the Hatch Shell while you’re in the area.
- Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia
Facebook/Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia No, this festival doesn’t involve sedans. It does involve thousands of cherry blossoms, however. Featuring an array of Japanese food stalls, martial arts demonstrations and a 5K run, this flower festival offers locals and visitors the chance to take in the sight of hundreds of cherry trees in bloom. Don’t miss the harajuku fashion show on April 9! The event will be held April 7-15.
If you’re interested in checking out the blossoms in D.C., click here to find out the best way to visit.
Facebook/Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival
Head to Tennessee for a cherry blossom extravaganza. The best part about this festival is that it gets bigger and better every year – the city is aiming to plant 1,000 cherry trees in ten years, so there are more and more blooms to enjoy over time. See the best of the best on the city’s 2.5-mile Cherry Blossom Walk. The festival itself will be held on April 14.
Facebook/Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Head to the aptly named Cherry Esplanade in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for a fairytale walk beneath boughs laden with cherry blossoms. The garden hosts a monthlong hanami celebration of spring, which culminates in the Sakura Matsuri festival where you can find sword demonstrations, tea ceremonies and J-pop bands. The cherry blossoms here are at their best beginning in early April. The Sakura Matsuri festival is held April 28-29.
Facebook/Missouri Botanical Garden
If you feel like enjoying some cherry blossoms at your own pace, head to the Missouri Botanic Garden. There, you’ll find more than 230 cherry blossom trees including 20 different varieties. The pink blossoms of the Higan cherry trees droop down towards the ground like weeping willow boughs. These flowers are at their best between late March and early April.
Facebook/Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
One of the best celebrations of spring on the West Coast, this cherry blossom festival has been held annually for 51 years. Stop by for dance performances, karate demos, origami workshops, and of course, plenty of blossoms. The festival will be held April 14-22.
Facebook/Sakura Matsuri in Branch Brook Park New Jersey
New Jersey is home to one of the prettiest collections of cherry blossom trees on the East Coast. Over 5,000 trees have been gracing the city with their blooms since 1927, and the festival celebrates the arrival of spring in style. Join one of the 45-minute guided tours of the blossoms, or just head to town for the Bloomfest event featuring live music, Japanese cultural demonstrations, and more. The festival will be held April 7-15.
Flickr/Sean Ob’Brien
Take in some water views framed by countless petals at the Charles River Esplanade in Boston. The trees here were a gift from Japan, and they’re in flower between late March and early April (depending on fickle New England weather, of course). Catch a show at the Hatch Shell while you’re in the area.
Facebook/Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia
No, this festival doesn’t involve sedans. It does involve thousands of cherry blossoms, however. Featuring an array of Japanese food stalls, martial arts demonstrations and a 5K run, this flower festival offers locals and visitors the chance to take in the sight of hundreds of cherry trees in bloom. Don’t miss the harajuku fashion show on April 9! The event will be held April 7-15.
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