For inspiration or just a nice family outing, enjoy the cherry blossom festivals.

Washington, DC Cherry Blossom Festival

Washington, DC cherry blossoms

It’s definitely worth the trip to check out the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC. The backdrop of the Potomac River, Lincoln Memorial and more create stunning views of the over 3,000 Japanese cherry trees. If you’re going this year, go soon! The festivities have already begun as of March 20th and peak bloom (70%) is anticipated to be around April 1st. With this whacky weather, who knows. To get more specifics, check out the Washington D.C. cherry tree bloom watch. And while you’re there, enjoy several of the many Smithsonian museums — one of my favorites is the Hirshhorn museum and sculpture garden for contemporary art.

Newark, NJ Branchbrook Park Festival

If you’re in the New York city area, head on over to Branchbrook Park in Newark, New Jersey to enjoy the glory of soft pink blossoms filling the air. Branch Brook Park, the nation’s first county park, has 4,300 cherry blossom trees — that’s 600 more than D.C. has. The Essex County Bloom Festival at Branchbrook Park is April 7th – 22nd, 2012. However, the park is gorgeous now. Peak may come early this year. More photos and information are available from the Petersonlive.com Branchbrook Park bloom watch. If you go, I recommend bringing some bikes or scooters to enjoy more of the park. There are some great spaces for flying a kite, too. Get details about events (10K, demonstrations, family day, etc.) at essexcherryblossom.com. Bloomfest on Sunday, April 22nd (11am-5pm) is worth checking out.

What are your favorite places to take in the sights of cherry blossoms?