Cherry Blossoms; Where and When to go in the U.S

It's that time of the year again. During late March to April Cherry blossom season (sakura) is all over Japan. Beautiful pink trees all over the city and pink petals on the ground, Cherry Blossom season is truly a remarkable experience. 

But why wait to go to Japan? Last year, I was so happy that I stumbled upon these cherry blossoms while visiting Washington State and Oregon. Japan was always on my ultimate travel list for Cherry Blossoms but when I saw them in the states, my heart melted and I jumped for Joy. Bucket list checked and I didn't need to go to Japan to experience it. 

So here are the places I want to share with you to see Cherry Blossoms especially in the states. 

But first, these pink gorgous blossoms only bloom certain months (MARCH or APRIL) and can last from 2-7 days.  So be sure to plan ahead! Peak bloom varies annually depending on weather condition. The highest peak is last week of March to the first week of April. 

1. Oahu, Hawaii 
With Hawaii's tropical weather all year long, I was surprised that there are some cherry blossoms in the island.  There are not the best views of the Cherry Trees that you see on Google images but it is nice to see these florals slightly bloom and the community celebrates  the Japanese culture. After all, the Japanese is the second largest ethnic group in Hawaii. Surprisingly, not many locals knew about the Cherry Blossoms but you can find these blooming trees in late January to February by the Hongwanji Mission a Buddhist temple in Wahiawa or California ave.
address: 1067 California Ave, Wahiawa HI 96786


2. San Francisco, California 
There are a lot of cherry blossoms in Japanese Botanical gardens all over Los Angeles. However, the big ones are located in San Francisco's Japan Town. This town is one of the three remaining Japan Towns in the U.S. Click here to find more info on their Cherry blossom festivals and other Japan cultural events.


3. Portland, Oregon
The second picture above is from Portland Oregon right outside of the Nike Head Quarters. Everywhere in portland, you will see 2-4  cherry blossom trees in different areas. If you want to see rows and rows of them then go to Waterfront Park Portland.

4. Seattle, Washington
This is another state that cherry blossoms are planted everywhere and not just in Japanese Gardens. I happen to come across these trees by the mall parking lots and in the Universities.  Cherry blossom festivals are held on Jefferson Park and Seward Park. 

5. Washington D.C 
This is the largest cherry blossom festival in the United States. Millions of people flock there and celebrate the 2 week festival in Tidal Basin (a manmade reservoir ) between the Potomac river and the Washington channel in Washington D.C.

6. New York City 
Central Park has some trees for visitors to see. There 2 different types of cherry blossoms and one spiciman last from late April to May. However, the larger ones that attract a lot of visitors are in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and New York Botanical Garden.

7. Macon, Georgia
This place is known as the "cherry blossom capital of the world."  Over 300,000 cherry blossoms all over the city, Macon Georgia holds their festival every spring for 10 days. Now that's a lot of trees!

8. Philadelphia, Pensylvania 
Over thousands of Cherry Blossom trees line the Schuylkill River.  Drive the two-mile stretch from Montgomery drive to Falls Bridge to see the best views of the pink trees.