Everyone’s mad for the delicate pink and white flowering trees known as Japanese cherry blossoms.
I’ve seen several recent news articles and social media posts about where to find cherry blossoms in and around Columbus.
I can understand why. Cherry blossoms in bloom are one of the most magnificent sights of spring! Way back in 2009, I planned a trip for our extended family to Washington, DC during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Planning a trip to the cherry blossom festival is a little stressful because you want to see them at peak bloom – but that date can fluctuate depending on the weather. Thankfully, we monitored the #BloomWatch website closely and timed our trip absolutely perfectly. It was spectacular and I’ll never forget it!
Walking around the Tidal Basin in DC and experiencing the cherry blossoms – and photographing them, of course – was a definite highlight of both that trip and my whole life. There’s a Japanese word, Hanami, for the custom of “flower viewing” and enjoying the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms and the welcome of spring. Hanami usually consists of having an outdoor party or picnic and taking selfies beneath the cherry trees.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is something I highly recommend if you’re a lover of both Washington, DC and nature. And if you don’t want to travel, the good news is that there’s also a cherry blossom festival right here in Columbus.
The Annual Greater Columbus Cherry Blossom Festival is going on now through April 25. It’s a free celebration with events, a themed food and drink trail and more. Did you know that Midwest Living magazine named Columbus one of the best places in the midwest to see cherry blossoms?
According to our friends at Experience Columbus, the cherry blossoms downtown are indeed blooming – including the ones at Franklin Park Conservatory, in the German Village and along the Scioto Mile. I haven’t been to visit them yet, but I plan to!
I visited the ones in Dublin at Hidaka Corp. in late March, and they were still just tight buds so I’m envisioning that an early April weekend may be a better time to catch them. Edited to add: I went back to Hidaka in Dublin on April 6 to find them in glorious, ethereal full bloom!
The beauty of cherry blossoms is how they turn from pale, delicate pink in the bud to white when fully flowered. Once in full bloom, a light breeze will send white petals whirling until they look like a spring snowfall. They are super kawaii!
Cherry blossoms are truly are something you have to experience yourself, so here’s a list of the top spots in Columbus and around Ohio with cherry blossom trees you can visit:
- Scioto Mile near the Rich St. Bridge and COSI. Take photos of gorgeous cherry blossoms with our amazing downtown cityscape behind them!
- North Bank Park downtown near McFerson Commons
- Franklin Park‘s community garden area
- German Village along 3rd St. near the Book Loft
- The Oval at The Ohio State University
- Goodale Park
- Ohio Statehouse
- Ohio University in Athens
- Lou Berliner Sports Park
- Hidaka Corporation in Dublin
- Wade Lagoon and Brookside Reservation in Cleveland
Where else have you seen cherry blossom trees blooming in Ohio? I’d love to hear in the comments below or over on Facebook or Instagram.
