After months of cold and little colour, spring is ready to explode with pink and white cherry blossoms throughout the northern hemisphere. Time-honoured celebrations pop up across the world, from Japan to Valle del Jerte in Spain, all to commemorate one of the most vibrant times of the year.
A new ranking by Lonely Planet looks at the best destinations to see cherry blossoms in 2024, including important bloom dates.
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So with that in mind, here are the 7 best places in the world to see cherry blossoms this year:
- Yoshino, Japan (March 25th to early April)
- Washington DC (March 20th to April 14th)
- Macon, Georgia (March 15th to 24th)
- Vancouver, Canada (March 29th to April 25th)
- New York, New York (Mid-April)
- Paris, France (Late March to early April)
- Valle del Jerte, Spain (March 22nd to April 7th)
According to Lonely Planet and Destination Vancouver, the city’s love for cherry blossoms began post-WWI, when Japanese mayors from Kobe and Yokohama gifted 500 cherry trees to the Vancouver Park Board in honour of the Japanese Canadians who served in the war.
Today, around 43,000 cherry blossom trees bloom every year, from Stanley Park to South Granville.
During the peak of the season (March 29th to April 25th), the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (VCBF) hosts events to celebrate each year’s blooms.
This includes the annual Big Picnic and Sakura Days Japan Fair, both of which are coming up at the end of the month.
Interested in going on a cherry blossom walk? There are already some trees blooming in neighbourhoods across Metro Vancouver, which the VCBF has mapped out online.
So there you have it, Vancouver! The time we’ve been telling ourselves is just around the corner all winter long is finally here.
Stay tuned for more cherry blossom-inspired events taking place this spring!
