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Fox News
29-03-2025
- Fox News
Travel do's and don'ts for DC cherry blossom season amid peak blooms: 'Pack your patience'
The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., officially reached peak bloom on Saturday, with travelers and tourists from far and wide flocking to the nation's capital for a close-up view. Mike Litterst, spokesperson for the National Park Service and its National Mall and Memorial Parks, told Fox News Digital that 70% of the trees around the tidal basin are in blossom. (See the video at the top of this article.) Just how long the trees stay in bloom, said Litterst, is very much dependent on the weather. "We've got some really warm temperatures right now," said Litterst. It was in the "80s today, [will be in the] 70s the next two days, rain, maybe a thunderstorm coming," he added. "All of that is a recipe for a shorter peak bloom, because the warmer temperatures will speed the leaves, replacing the blossoms." Each year the city hosts the National Cherry Blossom Festival, celebrating the blossoming of the trees that were gifted from Japan to this country in 1912. The blossoms generally last for four weeks. Litterst said it's always a big time of year when the D.C. blossoms hit their peak bloom time. About 1.5 million people travel to D.C. during the festival each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "This year, especially, it coincides with the Blossom Kite Festival on the Washington Monument grounds, and it's the home game for the Washington Nationals, so it has brought a lot of people to downtown D.C. today," said Litterst on Saturday. Litterst said that NPS does the best it can to prepare — but there are also a few things travelers can keep in mind. "We always encourage people, don't drive — take [the] Metro when you can. Most of the roads and the infrastructure here were designed back in the 1930s and 1940s, and there's water on all sides." He advised, "You always want to pack your patience, no matter how you're coming down here, because it is going to take you longer to get from point A to point B than you're thinking." Fox News Digital also spoke with visitors this weekend who traveled to Washington to catch the peak blooms. A group of three friends said they were all visiting from Pennsylvania. "The trees are beautiful, but it's busy," said one woman. Another woman said the blossoms are "gorgeous." "There's a lot of people. We were not expecting that many," said the husband. His wife added that people came "to take a lot of pictures, because everybody's crowding you and nobody lets you even get a picture in. But, you know, you do your best." Two 15-year-olds said that they'd traveled from Philadelphia and were seeing the blooms for the first time. "It's worth it because it's so pretty." "It's really busy, but I think it's worth it because it's so pretty," said one of them. The other one shared her belief that they'd taken over 100 photos so far. "We're gonna take, like, over 1,000 more," the first one chimed in. A man from Staten Island, New York, said it was his first time ever in Washington, D.C. "I think it's really beautiful and it's very nice to be here. It's very clean, everyone's friendly and the environment's nice," he said. National Cherry Blossom festivities run through April 13.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
DC authorities set security plans as busy cherry blossom season approaches
WASHINGTON - About a million people are expected to flood the Tidal Basin to view the cherry blossoms and several agencies, including law enforcement, are working together to make sure everyone is safe. What we know U.S. Park Police did not provide much information to FOX 5 when asked about security plans, only saying, "we don't provide information on security for the integrity of the operation." But the National Park Service says they're all working together to make sure everyone stays safe even if they're limited on what they can share concerning those safety plans. "We revisit our plans every year but, for example, we have used blocking vehicles for our larger events every year and without getting into specifics for operational purposes, we have been looking at events that have happened in New Orleans and elsewhere as we make preparations for this year," National Mall spokesperson Mike Litterist said. The security plan is described as "an ever-evolving process every year" and U.S. Park Police work closely with their law enforcement partners. Law enforcement reminds visitors that, as always, alcohol, weapons and fireworks are not allowed. Litterst says peak bloom is projected to arrive between March 28 and March 31, plus, seven to ten days of blossoms on the trees. Then there's also the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, which will be held from March 20 to April 13, featuring events such as a kite festival, a cherry blossom 5K and a parade. Peak bloom, when 70% of the blossoms have opened, typically occurs between the last week of March and the first week of April, according to the National Park Service. The Yoshino cherry trees usually bloom for several days, with the duration dependent on weather conditions. Cool, calm weather can extend the bloom, while rainy, windy days can end it abruptly, NPS officials say. A late frost can prevent blooming altogether, they added. The Source U.S. Park Police, National Mall spokesperson Mike Litterist, National Park Service
