WASHINGTON (7News) — Cherry blossoms hit peak bloom on March 28 and are attracting thousands of people to see the pink flowers in person. If you plan on visiting the Tidal Basin this season, here are the best ways to navigate the traffic.
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WALKING
If you are staying near the Tidal Basin, it may be easiest to walk! The walk around D.C.’s Tidal Basin is about two miles. During the walk, you’ll get your cherry blossom fix while viewing monuments including the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.
DRIVING
High traffic and limited parking make it difficult to drive to the cherry blossoms. But, if driving is your only choice, the National Cherry Blossom Festival allows visitors to reserve parking at discounted rates via SpotHero.
If you are getting dropped off, the best drop-off points are located near the Jefferson Memorial or along Ohio Drive close to the FDR Memorial.
If driving yourself, these parking locations are close to the Tidal Basin and are metered with a three-hour time limit:
- Ohio Drive SW (the stretch from Lincoln Memorial to Jefferson Memorial)
- Lots A, B, and C (under the 14th Street Bridge, behind Jefferson Memorial)
- Maine Ave SW (closed during weekends)
A portion of Ohio Drive SW is closed due to the ongoing D.C. Water Construction project. There is a detour along the newly constructed West Potomac Drive SW.
Handicap parking is available near the memorials and can fill quickly.
Access to parking areas may be restricted at certain times by the National Park Service. To avoid running into parking problems, the NPS advises visitors to park at a Metrorail station and ride the train to stops located near the Tidal Basin.
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METRO
There are multiple Metrorail stations located near the Tidal Basin and National Mall:
- Smithsonian: Blue/Orange/Silver lines (0.7 mi from Tidal Basin)
- L’Enfant Plaza: Green/Yellow and Blue/Orange/Silver lines (1 mi from Tidal Basin)
- Federal Triangle: Blue/Orange/Silver lines (1 mi from Tidal Basin)
- Foggy Bottom: Blue/Orange/Silver lines (1.5 mi from Tidal Basin)
Visitors can access Metrorail using a physical SmarTrip card or mobile pay and should load enough money onto the card for each day trip. Information about pass options and fare prices can be found on the WMATA website.
OTHER WAYS TO TRAVEL
D.C. offers many alternative transportation modes visitors can use to get to the cherry blossoms:
To learn more about all things cherry blossom-themed, go to wjla.com/cherryblossoms.
