10 Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms on a Spring Weekend Getaway

Planning a spring weekend getaway during cherry blossom season? Here are the 10 best places in America to see cherry blossom trees this spring. Includes the best time to visit, cozy hotels to stay at, and the top spots in each city for viewing the most beautiful blooms!

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Growing up, I thought Japan and Washington DC were the only places to see cherry blossoms. But when I moved to New York City and spotted them everywhere during the spring, I realized that cherry blossoms grew even outside Japan & DC!

Now, my mom has a small little cherry tree in her front yard. And I see them everywhere when I visit my hometown during the spring. In a tiny town in Pennsylvania. Never realized how many cherry blossom trees were around me growing up! Or maybe it’s become a recent gardening fad? 🤔

In any case, cherry blossoms are beautiful. And being around them makes me feel so relaxed and calm. They also signal the start of spring, which means the end of a cold snowy winter!

In this post, I’ve rounded up 10 cozy weekend getaway ideas for cherry blossom season. I’ve also listed places in each city where you can see cherry blossoms for free without having to pay for a park or botanical garden.

💡HOT TIP: The only tricky thing about cherry blossoms is that they only bloom for a few weeks in the spring and that window changes every year. Some cities have these cool “bloom trackers” or a “cherry blossom watch”, but tracking cherry blossoms can still be tricky! I recommend doing a little bit of research before you plan your trip to try and pinpoint the best time to visit.

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1. Washington, D.C.

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Washington, D.C. is the one of the top cities in America for cherry blossoms. Over 3,000 trees were gifted by Japan in 1912, and they still blossom to this day.

🌸 Cherry Blossom Tracker:

Bloom Watch and Cherry Blossom Watch . You can also check out the National Park Service website, which has a table listing out the dates that the cherry blossom trees in DC bloomed in previous years

✈️ Best Time to Visit: Late March to Early April

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

Hyatt Place Washington DC/National Mall: Rated 4.2/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. All hotels in DC are pricy during cherry blossom season, but this is a reasonably priced hotel that’s still close to the Tidal Basin and other top attractions in DC.

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• Tidal Basin: The most iconic spot! You’ll find cherry blossoms with a backdrop of the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument. Go early in the morning to avoid crowds.
• US National Arboretum: Tends to be less crowded
• East Potomac Park: Also tends to be less crowded than the Tidal Basin
• National Cherry Blossom Festival: This is a paid event, but it’s a nice experience especially for first time visitors!

📍FREE GUIDE: Don’t forget to check out my post on 31 free things to do in Washington DC before your next trip to the capital!

2. Macon, Georgia

Macon is home to over 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees, making it one of the best places to enjoy cherry blossoms outside of D.C.

🌸 Cherry Blossom Tracker:

You can track the cherry blossom on their BloomCam!

✈️ Best Time to Visit: Mid to late March

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

Hotel 45: Rated 4.2/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. A cozy little boutique hotel that’s only 0.3 miles from where the Cherry Blossom Festival is held. It also has a rooftop bar!

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• International Cherry Blossom Festival: Features parades, concerts, and other fun events. You can watch the festival parade for free, but admission to the Carolyn Crayton Park (where the festival is held) costs $10 per person over 11 years old.
• Cherry Blossom Trail: This scenic driving route will take you through the city’s neighborhoods, offering breathtaking views of thousands of blooming Yoshino cherry trees. Plus it’s free!
• Northside Drive
• Third Street Park

3. St. Louis, Missouri

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✈️ Best Time to Visit: late March to early April

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

Hilton Pennywell St. Louis at the Arch: Rated 4.7/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. A quaint hotel that’s just steps away from the Arch! The bar area is so cute and a great place to relax after a long day of sightseeing.

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• Gateway Arch Park: See the iconic arch surrounded by beautiful cherry blossoms!
• Forest Park: a scenic park lined with cherry blossoms. Free to visit! Here are the best viewing spots.
• Tower Grove Park: another park where you can view cherry blossoms for free
• Missouri Botanical Garden is another great place to see cherry blossoms, however it does have an admission fee. Discounts are available for Missouri residents and children under 12 get free admission.
  
  

4. Nashville, Tennessee

✈️ Best Time to Visit: Early to mid April

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

Bobby Hotel Rated 4.7/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. A quirky, cozy hotel right in the heart of Nashville! I love that the beds had a flannel blanket on top of the bedspread to add to the vibes. They also have a nice rooftop area and even have some deluxe suites if you’re looking for more space.

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• Nashville Public Square Park: Home to over 100 cherry blossoms trees and totally free to visit!
• Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival: A free cherry blossom festival featuring cultural performances, food vendors, and a cherry blossom walk!
• Centennial Park: This is one of Nashville’s largest parks. There are lots of cherry blossoms around the Parthenon replica and along the walking trails.
  

5. Seattle, Washington

Image credit + source: Seattle Times

✈️ Best Time to Visit: late March to early April

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

Hotel Sorrento – Rated 4.4/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. A historic boutique hotel in the heart of Seattle with a cozy atmosphere! They even have a Fireside Room where you can sip on cocktails by the fireplace on velvet couches.

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• University of Washington Campus: Famous for its cherry blossoms, particularly in the Quad, where dozens of Yoshino cherry trees can be seen. It’s completely free to visit! Check out this map for all the spots on campus where you can see cherry blossoms
• Washington Park Arboretum: You can visit for free! It’s a quiet place to walk around while admiring cherry blossoms, flowers, and greenery
• Seward Park
• Angle Lake Park
  

6. Portland, Oregon

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✈️ Best Time to Visit: late March to early April

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

The Hoxton Portland Rated 4.4/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. A beautifully decorated hotel with lots of cozy touches to keep guests comfortable. I love that they have a spacious coffee bar in the lobby with lots of seating and places to work.

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• Tom McCall Waterfront Park: The Japanese American Historical Plaza has over 100 trees that bloom in spring. This area is free to visit and located right along the river too.
• Washington Park: The Portland Japanese Garden and Hoyt Arboretum are must-visit spots for cherry blossoms in Portland. Washington Park also has the International Rose Test garden that has cherry blossoms along with 10,000 rose bushes!
  

7. San Francisco, California

✈️ Best Time to Visit: early to mid April

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

Petite Auberge Rated 4.3/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. A cute bed & breakfast style hotel in the heart of San Francisco that offers complimentary daily breakfast and glass of wine!

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• Japantown’s Peace Plaza: Located in the heart of downtown. They also hold a cherry blossom festival with free entry every spring!
• Japanese Tea Garden: Located in Golden Gate Park. Requires paid admission, you can check out the cherry blossoms lining Stow Lake for free
• San Francisco Botanical Garden: Located right next to the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park
  

8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Image credit + source: Visit Philadelphia

✈️ Best Time to Visit: early to mid April

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

The Franklin on Rittenhouse Rated 4.7/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. A charming little boutique hotel in an amazing location. Some of the rooms even have a fireplace!

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• Fairmount Park: Home to hundreds of cherry blossom trees, many of which were a gift from Japan in 1926. Here are the best spots to see cherry blossoms in Fairmount Park!
• Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center: Located in Fairmount Park, and one of the best places to see cherry blossoms here. They host free or low-cost events during cherry blossom season, so keep an eye out for some great deals!
• Philadelphia Museum of Art: There are dozens of cherry blossom trees lining the pathways around the Museum of Art. Even if you don’t visit the museum, it’s still a nice place to check out!
  
  

9. New York City

I’m sure you don’t think of New York City when you think of cozy escapes, but hear me out – there are actually so many great places to see cherry blossoms for free in New York City! It’s a really nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

🌸 Cherry Blossom Tracker:

Check out the Central Park cherry blossom tracker – perfect for figuring out where the cherry blossoms are peaking each week during the season.

✈️ Best Time to Visit: early to mid April

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

The Marlton Hotel Rated 4.3/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. There are so many hotels in NYC to pick from, but this one always catches my eye when I walk past it. It’s located in the West Village, which is one of my favorite neighborhoods in NYC. The rooms are small but the lobby is super cozy and perfect after a long day of walking in the Big Apple!

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• Central Park: Must-see spot for cherry blossoms especially around the Cherry Hill, Pilgrim Hill, and Reservoir areas. See the bloom tracker for the best time to visit each section of the park.
• Roosevelt Island: A small island in between Manhattan and Queens that you can access using either the NYC ferry or the aerial tram. The island has a beautiful line of cherry blossom trees which look stunning against the Manhattan skyline
• Gantry State Park: Located in Long Island City in Queens. You get really nice views of the cherry blossom trees with the backdrop of Manhattan.
• Flushing-Meadows Corona Park: If you’re willing to travel outside Manhattan, you can take the 7 subway line to the Mets Willet Point station in Queens which is home to stunning cherry blossom trees near the Unisphere. It’s usually less crowded than Central Park too!
• Brooklyn Botanical Garden: I put this last on the list purposely. Although it’s a popular place to visit for cherry blossom trees, there are so many free places to see cherry blossoms in NYC that you could skip the botanical garden unless you were interested in seeing other trees and flowers too.

📍FREE GUIDE: Don’t forget to grab my FREE printable 3-Day New York City itinerary before you go on your trip!

10. Denver, Colorado

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✈️ Best Time to Visit: early to mid March

🏨 Cozy Hotel to Stay At

The Ramble Hotel: Rated 4.5/5 ⭐️ on TripAdvisor. An artsy boutique hotel with a coffee shop, lounge, cozy rooms.

🌸 Top Spots for Cherry Blossoms:

• Sakura Square: Hosts Denver’s annual cherry blossom festival!
• City Park: One of the largest parks in Denver that has several cherry blossom trees near Ferril Lake and around the Denver Museum of Nature & Science that you can enjoy for free.
• Sloan’s Lake Park: Beautiful, scenic lakefront park that offers breathtaking views of cherry blossoms with the Rocky Mountains in the background—a truly unique experience!

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I hope this post inspired you to book your next spring getaway to see some beautiful, fluffy pink cherry blossom trees! If you’re checked out any of these cities already, let me know how your trip was in the comments below!

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