Spring in the capital
The best DC cherry blossom tours
A cherry blossom bus tour, a bike or e-bike ride, guided walks around the Tidal Basin memorials and a small-group trip to the Kenwood blossom streets; here is when the trees bloom and how to pick a tour, with honest advice on missing the peak, the crowds and finding your guide.
See our 6 picks
DC's cherry blossoms usually reach peak bloom between the last week of March and the first week of April. In 2026, peak bloom came on March 26. The best tour for most visitors is the 4-hour cherry blossom bus tour, from €53.
Our 6 picks for cherry blossom tours in DC
A bus tour, a bike ride, three walks and a small-group trip. All six have free cancellation. Four are new, with few or no reviews yet.
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from €53 per person Our top pick 4 hours 4.6 (70) reviews on GetYourGuide
Cherry blossom bus tour
A 4-hour tour on a climate-controlled bus with a live guide. You get off for a guided walk around the Tidal Basin and hear the story of the festival.
Best for Visitors who want to sit between stops
Check availability: Cherry blossom bus tour on GetYourGuide -
from €76 per person 2 hours 4.8 (20) reviews on GetYourGuide
Cherry blossom bike or e‑bike tour
A 2-hour guided ride with photo stops, on a bike or an e-bike. You cover more trees than on foot.
Best for Riders who want to see more trees
Check availability: Cherry blossom bike or e-bike tour on GetYourGuide -
from €35 per person 2 hours 4.8 (6) reviews on GetYourGuide
Cherry blossom walk past three memorials
Few reviews yet. A 2-hour walk under the blossoms to the MLK, FDR and George Mason Memorials. The guide tells the story of Japan's gift of trees.
Best for Walkers who want the memorials too
Check availability: Cherry blossom walk past three memorials on GetYourGuide -
from €35 per person 2 hours 5.0 (5) reviews on GetYourGuide
Tidal Basin and memorials walk
Few reviews yet. A 2-hour walk along the Tidal Basin, with the best photo spots. You hear the story of the 1912 gift of trees from Japan.
Best for Photo lovers
Check availability: Tidal Basin and memorials walk on GetYourGuide -
from €40 per person 2 hours 4.5 (4) reviews on GetYourGuide
Cherry blossom walk from the Washington Monument
Few reviews yet. A 2-hour walk past the Lincoln, MLK, FDR and Jefferson Memorials and the trees of the Tidal Basin.
Best for Visitors staying near the Mall
Check availability: Cherry blossom walk from the Washington Monument on GetYourGuide -
from €40 per person 2 hours New, no reviews yet
Kenwood cherry blossoms small-group trip
No reviews yet. A trip for up to 12 people to the blossom-lined streets of Kenwood, plus the Capitol and the memorials. Pickup is offered.
Best for Visitors who want fewer crowds
Check availability: Kenwood cherry blossoms small-group trip on GetYourGuide
DC cherry blossom tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Pickup | Where you meet | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry blossom bus tour | €53 per person | 4 hours | Meeting point | 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW | Visitors who want to sit between stops | The most-reviewed cherry blossom tour: 4.6 from 70 reviews. |
| Cherry blossom bike or e-bike tour | €76 per person | 2 hours | Meeting point | 701 D St NW | Riders who want to see more trees | The best-rated tour with real reviews: 4.8 from 20. |
| Cherry blossom walk past three memorials | €35 per person | 2 hours | Meeting point | 1750 Independence Ave SW | Walkers who want the memorials too | A low price, from €35, with 4.8 from 6 reviews. |
| Tidal Basin and memorials walk | €35 per person | 2 hours | Meeting point | DC War Memorial | Photo lovers | Five memorials in 2 hours, from €35. |
| Cherry blossom walk from the Washington Monument | €40 per person | 2 hours | Meeting point | Washington Monument Lodge | Visitors staying near the Mall | Starts right by the Washington Monument. |
| Kenwood cherry blossoms small-group trip | €40 per person | 2 hours | Pickup included | Pickup in DC | Visitors who want fewer crowds | The only trip to the Kenwood blossoms. |
€53 per person4 hours 4.6 (70)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Where you meet
- 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want to sit between stops
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed cherry blossom tour: 4.6 from 70 reviews.
Cherry blossom bike or e-bike tour
€76 per person2 hours 4.8 (20)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Where you meet
- 701 D St NW
- Who it suits
- Riders who want to see more trees
- Why we picked it
- The best-rated tour with real reviews: 4.8 from 20.
Cherry blossom walk past three memorials
€35 per person2 hours 4.8 (6)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Where you meet
- 1750 Independence Ave SW
- Who it suits
- Walkers who want the memorials too
- Why we picked it
- A low price, from €35, with 4.8 from 6 reviews.
Tidal Basin and memorials walk
€35 per person2 hours 5.0 (5)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Where you meet
- DC War Memorial
- Who it suits
- Photo lovers
- Why we picked it
- Five memorials in 2 hours, from €35.
Cherry blossom walk from the Washington Monument
€40 per person2 hours 4.5 (4)
Details
- Pickup
- Meeting point
- Where you meet
- Washington Monument Lodge
- Who it suits
- Visitors staying near the Mall
- Why we picked it
- Starts right by the Washington Monument.
Kenwood cherry blossoms small-group trip
€40 per person2 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Pickup
- Pickup included
- Where you meet
- Pickup in DC
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want fewer crowds
- Why we picked it
- The only trip to the Kenwood blossoms.
- Small groups: Cherry blossom bike or e-bike tour (up to 15 people); Kenwood cherry blossoms small-group trip (up to 12 people).
- All 6 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
When do DC cherry blossoms bloom?
DC's cherry blossoms usually peak between the last week of March and the first week of April. Peak bloom is the day 70% of the Yoshino blossoms are open.
The date moves each year. The earliest peak on record was March 15, in 1990. The latest was April 18, in 1958.
Best time to visit the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC
Go early in the morning to beat the crowds. The National Mall is open 24 hours a day, so you can walk the trees at sunrise.
DC cherry blossoms 2026: peak bloom on March 26
In 2026, peak bloom came on March 26, the National Park Service says. Watch its bloom page each spring for the new date.
Where to see the cherry blossoms
Most tours here walk around the Tidal Basin. The first two gift trees were planted on its north bank in 1912.
The Kenwood trip shows a different side: streets lined with blossom trees.
The trees ring the memorials. Our guide to the Washington monuments DC visitors come to see covers each one.
The cherry blossom festival in DC
The National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place each spring. The 2027 dates are not confirmed on the festival's own site yet, so we do not list them.
The trees came as a gift from Tokyo. 3,020 trees arrived in DC on March 26, 1912. The bus tour tells the festival's backstory.
Tour or walk on your own?
You can see the blossoms for free on your own. A tour adds a guide, the history and, on the bus or bike, more ground.
While you are on the Mall, the Washington Monument ticket is free. Booked online, it has a $1 fee; same-day tickets have no fee.
To get to the Mall by Metro, see our guide to public transport in Washington, DC.
Tips before you book a cherry blossom tour
Pick a tour you can cancel
The peak date moves each year. All six picks show free cancellation, so you can change plans if the trees bloom early or late.
Beat the crowds
Go at sunrise or on a weekday. The National Mall never closes, so early walks are easy.
Find your guide
Each tour meets at its own spot. Check the meeting point in the table above and plan to arrive early.
Book your room early
Spring is busy in DC. See where to stay in Washington, DC and book as soon as your dates are set.
Cherry blossoms: questions and answers
When do the cherry blossoms bloom in DC?
Where are the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC?
Why does DC have cherry blossoms?
More DC cherry blossom tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideMore spring ideas
Sources (4), facts checked on 25 October 2026
Written by the Things to Do in Washington DC editorial team.