How to save when traveling to DC’s Cherry Blossom Festival this year

Ben Dennis
·2 min read
2

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — DC’s annual cherry blossom festival officially kicks off next week, meaning a rush of visitors will take to the roads and Metro lines.

Parking downtown certainly is not cheap, and public transit can help consumers save cash while heading to the Tidal Basin near the National Mall to take in the sights.

National Cherry Blossom Festival 2024: Dates, events in DC, Maryland, Virginia

Ahead of the Japanese cherry blossoms’ peak bloom, WMATA is preparing for the surge in foot traffic during the festival from March 20 through April 14.

WMATA said one-way weekend fares are flat at $2 — even if passengers travel all the way in from Vienna, Va. or Largo, Md., for example.

Metro-owned parking lots and garages are also free on weekends, a sizable savings compared to garage prices DC News Now searched for Monday.

According to parking.com, to park for 4.5 hours midday near the Tidal Basin during the first Saturday of the festival, parking prices range from $12 to $20 near the Smithsonian Metro station.

Prices on the north side of the National Mall downtown also hovered near $20 for the same date and time.

DC cherry blossoms halfway through bloom stages

Metro said that during the festival, more trains will run and track work won’t start until 10 p.m., when fewer people are traveling.

Consumers can avoid waiting at station kiosks to add money to a Smartrip card by replenishing balances online.

Visitors traveling on weekdays when fares are not flat can use WMATA’s ‘trip planner’ tool to identify how much they will pay in advance.

The closest Metro stop to see the cherry blossoms is the Smithsonian station (including the blue, orange and silver lines.

WAMATA said, “Riders should consider using L’Enfant Plaza, Archives, Arlington Cemetery or Federal Triangle during Cherry Blossom Season.”

Festival organizers say 1.5 million people attend the festivities each year.

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