Planning to photograph the cherry blossoms this spring? Ha, good luck! No, I’m just kidding. But understand that the National Cherry Blossom Festival attracts visitors from all over the world, so planning a trip to the nation’s capital for this event is not going to be your typical trip to Washington D.C. The District already attracts several visitors with all of the monuments, museums, and other festivals that take place on an average basis. So, multiply that by a thousand. However, with the proper planning and guidance (example, this blog), even the most novice photographer could conclude a successful trip snapping at least one of our nation’s most pleasuring opportunities. So pack your camera bag and a lunch and allow me to help you scheme a successful trip.

First Thing’s First: Plan Your Visit Ahead of Time!

There are many websites that forecast the blooming of the cherry blossoms. The National Park Service, The National Cherry Blossom Festival, CherryBlossomWatch.com, and even the Washington Post are great ways to keep track of the actual bloom. But understand that these are solely best effort forecasts and the actual blooming depends on the overall weather pattern. I highly recommend that you keep an eye on both the blooming forecast and the local weather. The trees will not bloom until the cold weather breaks. Start looking up information about cherry blossoms around mid-February.

How to Get to the Tidal Basin

Although there are several ways to get to the Tidal Basin, you are going to have to arrange your approach strategically. Parking is limited in D.C., especially around the Tidal Basin due to the monuments and other attractions in that area. Many tourists will be in D.C. throughout the week, but the weekends are still busier than the weekdays.

If you are going to drive, try to find parking around Ohio Dr SW. Last year, I was able to park near the U.S. Park Police building, but that was on a Saturday. It was an easy walk from there to the Tidal Basin and it allowed me easy access to leave that afternoon. I would expect for that location to be slightly more difficult to access during the week, especially if you do not get there early.

If you plan on taking the metro, I would recommend the Smithsonian (Orange, Silver, and Blue lines) or L’Enfant Plaza (Yellow and Green lines) stops. Both stops will not put you right at the Tidal Basin, but they are still very convenient when traveling via the metro.

Buses, taxis, and Uber are also good ways to get there, but be mindful that there will be a lot of traffic in that area, especially on the weekend.

When Is the Best Time to Arrive?

Get to the Tidal Basin early! And when I say early, I mean sunrise at the latest. In 2015, I came to the Tidal Basin around 6am thinking that I was one of the first people there. However, once I reached the bridge on Ohio Dr, I was greeted by at least twenty photographers (this by the way is also a great place for a photo). I could only imagine how difficult it would be to get to the Tidal Basin anytime later. I highly recommend that you plan to leave your home/hotel/wherever prior to sunrise, especially if you are driving.

What Equipment Should I Bring?

EVERYTHING! Bring it all! You are going to need your “everyday lens” as you walk around the Tidal Basin. This lens will come in handy as you change your focal length as you photograph various objects (trees, monuments, people, etc.) Throughout the day I used my Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L the most. Wide-angle lenses are good if you want to get a panorama of the basin or any other wide shots. Taking pictures of the pedals of the cherry blossom is a great time to use a macro lens. Surprisingly, I saw a lot of photographers who were solely equipped with just a macro lens. One might think that this could limit your landscape opportunities, but I found this to be quite contrary to my personal conviction. Still, I used only my macro when I took close-ups of the pedals. I rarely used my telephoto lens; only once or twice to take pictures of the Jefferson Memorial from across the basin. Primes would be great to use for creating that dreamy depth-of-field, if that’s your thing.

Other useful gear would be a tripod for those early morning shots, filters, and some snacks for when you get hungry.

Other Personal Recommendations?

Enjoy the experience. Photographing the cherry blossoms can be a great experience. I would argue that it should be placed on that magical list of things every photographer should film in America. But the experience can also be a taxing one as well. Personally, I was out at the Tidal Basin from 6am to 12pm. After that, the sky became washed out from the sun and I was physically and mentally exhausted. I recommend that you map out your journey and plan on what shots you really want before you go out to the basin. Once you get there, you will be amazed and possibly overwhelmed with all of the eye candy. Also, if you could, I would recommend visiting the basin more than once during your trip. I personally wanted to go out there the next day, but I never made it.

You also want to dress comfortably. Plan on walking for an extensive amount of time. Remember that it is highly likely for the temperature to change when you are out there so prepare accordingly.

Be mindful of both the photographers and the non-photographers out there. People from all walks of life come to view the cherry blossoms. Surprisingly, I never felt that it was too crowded around the basin. There was a steady flow of tourists, but it was never to the point where I felt it would be difficult moving from one place to another. You may have to be patient when photographing that perfect shot.

Hopefully, this helps you in your journey out into the wild world of cherry blossoms. I know that there are a lot of parks that offer cherry blossoms, but none of them can compare to the scene out and around the Tidal Basin, Washington, DC. Good luck and don’t forget to post your pictures for the rest of the world to see and enjoy!