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March 16, 2017

Navigate the National Cherry Blossom Festival with Ease

Every year, visitors from around the globe travel to Washington, DC to witness a transformation—the annual blooming of the blossoms. Gifted to the city by Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo in March 1912, the 3,000+ cherry blossom trees bring an explosion of life and color to the city and are celebrated with a series of events and festivities each spring.

Looking to join in the fun? There are several ways to get to the pink trees at the Tidal Basin and official festival events. Here are our recommendations for getting to these top destinations:

GETTING TO THE TIDAL BASIN

The DC Circulator’s National Mall route provides direct access to the blossoms at the Basin. Hop off at stops six, seven or eight to tour the blooms, or continue on the route for unparalleled access to the Mall’s museums. Feel like exploring? Transfer to other routes to see Cherry Blossom Festival attractions in other parts of the city.

The nearest Capital Bikeshare stations to the Tidal Basin are at Jefferson Dr & 14th St SW and 17th St & Independence Ave SW.

Take in the view from the river with the DC Water Taxi! Board at Georgetown’s Washington Harbor or right on the Tidal Basin. Tickets are available at dc-watertaxi.com.

To access the Tidal Basin by Metrorail take the Orange, Blue or Silver Lines to Smithsonian Metro station or L’Enfant Metro station. Yellow and Green Lines can also be used to reach L’Enfant Plaza Metro station.

{{cta(‘029ab67d-c6e5-45b7-a262-b8a6b173a387′,’justifyright’)}}We’ve partnered with the National Cherry Blossom Festival to bring you a free guide to get to the blossoms, including:

  • travel options to signature events
  • transportation choices to the Festival welcome centers
  • National Mall monuments and memorials locations

 

 

GETTING TO THE ANA PERFORMANCE STAGE

1501 Maine Ave SW

The ANA airlines performance area will host a series of daily performances throughout the festival month from noon to 6pm.

To get there, take the Orange, Blue or Silver Line to Smithsonian Metro station, or take the DC Circulator’s National Mall route and disembark on 15th St NW by the Washington Monument.

The nearest Capital Bikeshare stations are located on the National Mall near the Washington Monument at Jefferson Dr & 14th St SW and 17th St & Independence Ave SW.

 

 GETTING TO THE OPENING CEREMONY

Warner Theatre

The opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 25, from 5-6:30pm, at the Warner Theatre.

To get there, take Metrorail’s Red, Orange, Silver or Blue Line to Metro Center.

The nearest Capital Bikeshare stations to the theatre are 14th & D St NW/Ronald Reagan Building and 10th & E St NW.

Take the DC Circulator National Mall route to disembark on Constitution Ave NW to walk to Warner Theatre.

 

 GETTING TO THE BLOSSOM KITE FESTIVAL

National Mall

Anyone can participate in the Blossom Kite Festival, just bring your kite to the grounds of the Washington Monument on April 1 from 10am to 4:30pm.

Accessible by Metrorail’s Orange, Blue and Silver Lines, the Smithsonian Metro station is closest to the event.

DC Circulator’s National Mall route services the entire Mall, with direct stops along 15th St NW.

Capital Bikeshare stations are also located on the National Mall near the Washington Monument at Jefferson Dr & 14th St SW and 17th St & Independence Ave SW.

 

GETTING TO THE NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL PARADE

Constitution Ave NW between 7th St NW and 17th St NW

Marching bands and performers from across the country partake in this iconic one-mile parade on April 8 from 10am to noon.

Non-ticketed attendees may take Metrorail to the free viewing portions of the parade between 9th and 15th Streets NW:

  • To stand on the north side of Constitution Ave, take Green or Yellow lines to Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter Metro Station, or Blue, Orange, Red or Silver lines to Metro Center.
  • To stand on the south side, take the Blue, Green, Orange, Silver, or Yellow line to L’Enfant Plaza, or Blue or Orange line to Smithsonian Metro.

DC Circulator’s National Mall route also drops spectators along the parade route at Madison St NW.

There are several Capital Bikeshare stations within walking distance of the parade route. Dock your bike at any of these stations then walk down to enjoy the festivities.

*Ticketed attendees should consult their tickets for directions to their assigned seats.

 

GETTING TO THE FIREWORKS FESTIVAL

District Wharf and Titantic Memorial

Watch the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival on Saturday, April 15 at the District Wharf and Titanic Memorial. Depending on weather, the fireworks display will begin at 8:30am, with food and entertainment starting at 2pm at the District Wharf.

The Southwest Waterfront can be accessed by Metro’s Orange and Blue Lines to L’Enfant Plaza or the Green Line to Waterfront Metro station.

Taking Capital Bikeshare? There are stations by The Wharf at 6th & Water St SW/SW Waterfront and 5th & M St SW (by Waterfront Metro Station).

 

AS YOU EXPLORE THE CITY…

Go for a spin on Capital Bikeshare! The shiny red bikes are a DC-area icon and there are stations located throughout the city and along the National Mall. Use Bikeshare to shorten the distance between Metrorail and festival events. Visit CapitalBikeshare.com for day or weekend memberships, and use the SpotCycle app to find bike stations on the go.

You can use your SmarTrip® card on the DC Circulator, Metrorail and bus. Use the transit function on your phone’s navigation app or download Citymapper for real time arrivals and trip length.



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