At long last, spring has arrived, and the first cherry blossoms of the season are making an appearance in NYC.
Though Mother Nature isn’t cooperating just yet — you caught that drastic one-hour temperature drop on March 29th, right? — the pink petals are a sign that sunshine and warm days are ahead, and we couldn’t be happier. NYC is finally defrosting after the Polar Vortex.
If you want to catch the floral stunners for yourself, be sure to follow along with the Central Park cherry blossom tracker and Brooklyn Botanic Garden cherry blossom tracker for updates. If you’re looking to get out of town and experience the pink paradise in all of its glory, our NYC-to-DC cherry blossom guide is the helpful tool you need.
1. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn
The garden used to host an annual Sakura Matsuri Festival, but unfortunately the event has been canceled the past few years since the pandemic. Still, you can feel free to visit the garden the weeks leading up to mid-April (when the festival normally occurred) to admire the pink cherry trees at your leisure. You can even track the cherry blossoms blooming online with their Cherry Watch.
2. Central Park, Manhattan
You don’t have to pay to see the cherry blossoms in Central Park! As it begins to warm up, head over to the park with a good book or a little picnic and make yourself comfortable under one of these vibrant trees. Some of our favorites spots in Central Park include the aforementioned Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, Cherry Hill (72nd St), and along the east side from 65th-90th St.
3. Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the largest park in Queens, and a wonderful place to stroll through cherry trees in the springtime. The former home to the World’s Fair boasts beautiful pink views set amongst the backdrop of the eye-catching Unisphere and Astro View Towers.
4. New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx
The NYBG has a cherry tracker that’s yet to be updated for this season, but once it is, it’s perfect for people who want to know the status of the blossoms before making the trek out. Once blossoming, a large amount of the trees can be found on the curving path in the Cherry Collection, but you’ll also find them in the Arthur and Janet Ross Conifer Arboretum and in front of of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
5. Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn
If there’s ever a reason to visit a cemetery on a whim, this is it. The historic Green-Wood Cemetery makes for an eerie backdrop to the gorgeous blossoming trees—a magical juxtaposition.
6. Queens Botanical Garden, Queens
At the 39-acre garden, cherry trees can be found lining the curved walkways. Queens Botanical Garden is also home to unique Crab Apple Trees which start to bloom around April!
7. Randall’s Island Park, Manhattan
Randall’s Island Park used to have an annual cherry blossom festival at the end of April that took place with fun crafts and activities. While no confirmation of its return has been made for this year, you should definitely stop by at any point in April.
8. Roosevelt Island, Manhattan
Again, Roosevelt Island’s Cherry Blossom festival has been cancelled each year since the pandemic, but it’s another stunning location to see cherry blossoms in NYC! Nothing like fresh blooms along the water, with gorgeous skyline views of the east side of Manhattan.
9. Riverside Park, Manhattan
Riverside Park normally sees its first blooms of the Okame cherry trees in late March, so keep a close eye the next time you’re on a run or lovely stroll through the park this month.
10. Rainey Park, Queens
This Astoria park is lined with stunning cherry blossom trees along the waterfront. Take a peaceful stroll along the path and admire them for yourself once they bloom!
11. Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Cherry blossoms are best seen lining the paved pathway through Long Meadow.
12. Grace Church, Manhattan
This church looks absolutely magical in the springtime! Full of lively blooms and bright colors, one of the most spectacular sights to see are the cherry blossoms on the lawn. It’s a great spot to view the magnolias as well!
13. Little Island, Manhattan
Catch the cherry blossoms among other colorful spring blooms on NYC’s only floating park! Little Island features four ‘Akebono’ Yoshino Cherry Trees, over 66,000 bulbs, 65 species of shrubs, and 270 varieties of grasses, vines, and perennials making it an ideal spot to take in the beautiful pale pastel blooms of spring.
14. Sakura Park, Manhattan
Find tons of blossoming trees in Sakura Park in Morningside Heights. Photo tip: locate the Riverside Church and angle your shot with it’s beautiful architecture framed in pink petals!
15. Madison Square Park, Manhattan
There’s nothing like picking up a bagel on a spring morning and heading to Madison Square Park to admire the cherry blossoms surrounding the park’s perimeter.
16. Hunter’s Point South Park, Queens
Yoshino cherry trees line the waterfront park each spring and only adds to the already magical backdrop of the Manhattan skyline. They’re normally in peak bloom around early April at this park.
17. Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
This 83 acre botanical garden and cultural center in Staten Island is full of stunning blooms, particularly in the famous New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden. The garden beautifully combines the cherry blossoms with magnificent rocks resembling mountains that inspired the poetry and paintings of Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist monks.