How to get the most out of this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival
1. Be patient. The cherry blossoms draw around 1 million people into downtown D.C. each year, so keep that in mind.
2. Walk around at night or on weekdays to avoid the crowds.
3. Avoid commuting during rush hour. Metro has lengthened five of their six-car trains to eight-car trains. Two of those trains will be running on the Red Line, and three will be running on the Orange Line. That adds 640 new seats. Metro does not have any planned closures during the festival.
4. Amid frustration, remember the economic impact. During last year’s festival, visitors pumped $126 million into the regional economy, according to a study done by George Mason University.
5. Be sure to bring an umbrella or raincoat. According to weather.com, rain is expected Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Winds should be strongest Tuesday, at about 14 miles per hour.
The peak bloom dates are now Tuesday through April 1, and the complete blooming period will be from Saturday to April 7, the National Park Service announced Wednesday. Peak bloom was initially predicted to be from Tuesday to April 3.
