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Tidal Basin

Photo: Jay Wald / CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Attractions

Tidal Basin

Washington, DC · National MallFreeFree

About

Tokyo gave Washington 3,000 cherry trees in 1912, and most were planted around the Tidal Basin, between the Washington Monument and the Potomac. Since 2004, peak bloom (the day 70 percent of the Yoshino blossoms are open) has come as early as March 17 and as late as April 10. The blossoms usually last 7 to 10 days past it. An indicator tree near the Outlet Bridge blooms about a week before most of the others. The 2.1-mile loop around the water has 11 numbered stops, one of them a granite pagoda from about 1600, a gift from the mayor of Yokohama. A bronze plaque on the loop marks where the first trees went in, on March 27, 1912.

Highlights

Peak bloom mid-March to early April2.1-mile memorial walking loopPedal boats, spring through fallJefferson, FDR & MLK Jr. memorialsFree, open 24 hours

Getting there

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