Near-Peak Cherry Blossoms 2023
Spring is upon us in the Washington, DC area. One of the most anticipated events of the year, the cherry blossoms blooming at the Tidal Basin, is here as well. I went out on an evening after work and one morning before work to capture a few photos of the blooms.
I’ll be honest, in past years I haven’t spent a ton of time at this spot. Why? Because I feel like there are so many great photographers I follow on Instagram who just nail their cherry blossom photos every single time, and I felt like it was best to avoid the crowds and stress of going down to visit and just watch from afar. I managed to find some time to go this year, however, and was so glad I did.
Did you know? The National Park Service declares when the Tidal Basin blooms reach “peak bloom.” That is defined as 70% or more of them at the puffy white final stage. I took these photos a day or two before NPS made their official declaration to avoid the worst of the crowds, and may visit again before they fade away later. But I don’t think I can handle a peak weekend with the crowds - it’s just too stressful for me.
The Jefferson Memorial
One of my favorite shots to get is the monuments framed with blooms, so that’s one of the first things I started photographing when I arrived. As you can see in these photos, there weren’t too many people around because it was a weekday and just before the blooms official “peaked.”
Blossoms Ready for Their Close Up
You sometimes need to get in close to better appreciate the intricate beauty and colors of these blossoms. Different shades of pink and white come to life in these close ups. Another fun fact: they start off white when they first bloom but then turn pink.
Getting to the Tidal Basin
If you’re visiting, be prepared for lots of crowds and pack your patience. For that reason I don’t try to drive and park at the Tidal Basin. Instead, I choose alternate methods of transportation. I live in Arlington, Virginia and work downtown and I am lucky to have work cover my parking. Thus I can conveniently walk on over to the blossoms after parking for work, which is a good enough distance from the Tidal Basin.
Alternatively, biking is a great method of transportation that gets you in and out quickly but without needing to deal with car traffic. Coming from Virginia, I cross the 14th Street Bridge and arrive right at the Tidal Basin. There is also a Capital Bikeshare spot right behind the Jefferson Memorial where you can drop off your bike if coming from the city.
By Metro, Smithsonian is the closest stop. It’s about a 10-15 min walk from there to arrive at the Tidal Basin.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you! I usually just share updates on Instagram but really enjoyed creating this mini update to go deeper into a topic and an experience I had. Let me know what you think in the comments below and I’ll see you soon.