Your cherry blossoms are here, and so is the chaos
Here's what people need to understand—every year, like clockwork, D.C. braces for the cherry blossoms. It's beautiful, no doubt. The Tidal Basin turns into a dream, like a painting come to life. But it also means the city gets absolutely swarmed. And this year, the Yoshino cherry blossoms are officially at peak bloom. Seventy percent of them are open, which means we've got a few days of that full, glorious pink before the petals start to fall. People come from all over for this, and our local businesses, even WMATA, get in on the action with all sorts of themed products.
### The Annual Blossom Frenzy
It’s truly a sight, from the Jefferson Memorial all the way around the basin. I remember one year trying to grab a half-smoke from a stand near the Smithsonian, and the line was betam long, just tourists, everywhere. It’s part of the charm, I guess, this annual takeover. But you know what it also means? Traffic. Everywhere. From Georgetown down to the Wharf, it's a slow crawl.
* Expect crowds, especially around the Tidal Basin, National Mall, and the monuments. * Local businesses, like those cute little shops in Blagden Alley or around Eastern Market, will have special cherry blossom themed items. Support them! * If you're driving, don't. Seriously. Take the Metro. Or bike the Anacostia River Trail if you want to see some quieter blooms. * Consider going early in the morning, before the main rush. It's peaceful then, just runners and the monuments.
For those of us who live here, it's a mixed blessing. We love our city's beauty, our indigenous art forms like go-go, our Ethiopian food, but sometimes we just want to get to work without navigating a sea of selfie sticks. But ishi, it’s our moment in the national spotlight. That's the District, DMV — no vote, all heart.
Selam Tesfaye-Williams, MiTL Sports Desk, D.C. Morning Wire.
I swear, the early birds catch the best views and avoids the bamas — catch Keith and the crew breaking down D.C. life every morning at mornings.live.