Cherry Blossom Season 2027

Where to stay for the cherry blossoms.

Two private homes in Washington, one a walk from the Tidal Basin. What we know about the 2027 season, what nobody knows yet, and how to plan around it.

For a few days each spring, the Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin bloom all at once, and Washington fills up for it. Hotels near the Mall sell out, parking anywhere close disappears, and the best hours at the water are the ones before most visitors are awake. Where you stay decides whether you see the blossoms at seven in the morning or at noon with everyone else.

We have two homes, hosting families since 2021, with 360+ reviews averaging 4.97. Booking here is booking with the owner rather than a platform.

Cherry blossoms in full bloom around the Tidal Basin, with the Washington Monument behind

The 2027 festival dates

The National Cherry Blossom Festival runs March 20 to April 11, 2027. The main events:

  • Opening ceremony. Saturday March 20.
  • Blossom Kite Festival. Saturday March 27.
  • Petalpalooza. Saturday April 3, at Navy Yard on the Capitol Hill side of the city.
  • National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. Saturday April 10.

The festival is three weeks long because the bloom date moves from year to year. Confirm times and locations on the festival's own site before you plan around an event.

When the blossoms actually peak

Peak bloom is the day most of the Yoshino blossoms around the Tidal Basin are open. Nobody knows the 2027 date yet, and nobody will for a while: the National Park Service says it is almost impossible to forecast more than about ten days ahead.

What the record shows is a window. Over the last two decades, peak bloom has fallen anywhere from mid-March to about April 10, most often in the last days of March. In 2026 it came on March 26. Once it arrives, the blossoms usually hold for several days, longer if the weather stays cool and calm, and a hard rain or wind can end it quickly.

So the practical approach is to book months ahead for dates near the middle of that window, around the last weekend of March, and stay three nights or more. That gives you the best odds of being in town on a good day, and room to go back if the first morning is grey.

The Lincoln Memorial end of the National Mall, on the walk from the Foggy Bottom home to the Tidal Basin

Foggy Bottom, for walking to the Tidal Basin

Two bedrooms, sleeps five. The Lincoln Memorial is fifteen to twenty minutes on foot from the front door, and the Tidal Basin about half an hour, which means you can be at the water at sunrise, before the crowds and the tour coaches, and walk home for breakfast. That is the single best way to see the blossoms, and it only works if you are staying close enough to walk.

If you would rather not walk, the Foggy Bottom Metro station is six minutes away and runs direct to Smithsonian, ten to fifteen minutes on foot from the water. And because the home has a private off-street parking space with a Level 2 EV charger, families driving in can park once and leave the car for the whole visit, which during blossom season, when parking near the Mall is close to impossible, is worth a great deal. See the Foggy Bottom home.

Capitol Hill, for the larger group

Three bedrooms, sleeps six, in a fully renovated 1895 Victorian on a quiet street one block from Stanton Park. For the Tidal Basin, Capitol South station is a short walk, with a direct ride to Smithsonian. The U.S. Capitol is five to six blocks away, and Union Station a ten minute walk for anyone arriving by train.

Capitol Hill also puts you on the quieter side of blossom season. The U.S. National Arboretum in Northeast, with its own cherry collection and a fraction of the Tidal Basin crowds, is about ten minutes by car, and Navy Yard, home to Petalpalooza, is a short ride south. Street parking is free and we register your plate with the city before you arrive. See the Capitol Hill home.

Living room of the Capitol Hill home, a renovated 1895 Victorian that sleeps six

Beyond the Tidal Basin

  • East Potomac Park. Just south of the Tidal Basin, lined with Kwanzan cherries, a double-blossomed pink variety that usually blooms about two weeks after the Yoshinos. If you miss peak bloom at the Basin, this is often where the season continues.
  • The National Arboretum. A wider range of cherry varieties, and room to walk without the crowds. About ten minutes by car from Capitol Hill.
  • The Tidal Basin after the seawall work. The National Park Service finished rebuilding the seawall in late 2025 and reopened the shoreline in spring 2026, with hundreds of new trees planted, cherries among them. The replanted stretches are younger and will take a few seasons to fill in.

Why a house for blossom season

  • Early mornings. The best light and the thinnest crowds are at sunrise. A house you can walk from makes that easy, and a kitchen means breakfast is waiting when you get back.
  • Parking that is already solved. A private space in Foggy Bottom, or a registered street permit on Capitol Hill, rather than circling the Mall.
  • Room for everyone. Blossom season is often a family trip. One house rather than two or three hotel rooms.
  • Somewhere to wait out the weather. If the first day is wet, a living room and a full kitchen are a better place to spend it than a hotel room.

Book early

Late March and early April are among the busiest weeks of the year in Washington, and rates reflect it. Because the bloom date is only known about ten days out, most guests book months ahead on the strength of the historical window, and we would suggest the same. Cancellation is a full refund 21 or more days before check in, which falls before the forecast does, so choose dates you would be glad to have either way.

Practical notes

Minimum stays are usually two or three nights depending on the dates. Check in after 4:00 PM, check out by 11:00 AM, with flexibility on request. Entry is by keypad, with a code sent before you arrive. One dog of 50 pounds or under is welcome for $200 per stay. The primary renter must be 30 or older, and there is no smoking and no events at either home. The full FAQ is here.

Common questions

When is the 2027 National Cherry Blossom Festival?

March 20 to April 11, 2027. The opening ceremony is March 20, the Blossom Kite Festival March 27, Petalpalooza at Navy Yard April 3, and the parade April 10. Confirm event details on the festival's own site, as they can change.

When will the cherry blossoms peak in 2027?

No one can say yet. The National Park Service says peak bloom is almost impossible to forecast more than about ten days ahead. Over the last two decades it has landed between mid-March and about April 10, most often in the last days of March, and it lasts several days, longer in cool, calm weather.

When should I book a place to stay for cherry blossom season?

Months ahead, well before the bloom forecast exists. Late March and early April are among the busiest weeks of the year in Washington. Most people choose dates around the last weekend of March and stay three or more nights, which gives them the best chance of catching peak bloom.

How far is the Tidal Basin from your homes?

From the Foggy Bottom home, about half an hour on foot by way of the Lincoln Memorial, or a direct Metro ride from the Foggy Bottom station to Smithsonian. From the Capitol Hill home, it is a Metro ride from Capitol South to Smithsonian and a short walk to the water.

Is the Tidal Basin open after the seawall work?

Yes. The National Park Service finished rebuilding the Tidal Basin seawall in late 2025 and reopened the shoreline in spring 2026, with hundreds of new trees planted, cherries among them. The replanted stretches are younger and will take a few seasons to fill in.

Check Foggy Bottom dates Check Capitol Hill dates

Ask Andrew about cherry blossom dates

Updated October 2026.