Amid big crowds, travel do’s and don’ts for DC cherry blossom season as blooms peak

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.

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“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.

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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.

Mike Litterst with the National Park Service said it’s always a big time of year when D.C.’s cherry blossoms hit peak bloom. (Ashley J. DiMella/Fox News Digital)

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.”

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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. 

A group of three friends said they were all visiting from Pennsylvania. “The trees are beautiful, but it’s busy,” one of them said.   (Joshua Comins/Fox News Digital)

Another woman said the blossoms are “gorgeous.”

“There’s a lot of people. We were not expecting that many,” said the husband.

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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. 

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“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. 

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“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.