Of course our own Central Park looks like a cherry blossom wonderland this time of year, but if you’re looking to see even more magical falling pink blossoms, we have the perfect place.
Branch Brook Park in Essex County, New Jersey actually holds the biggest and most diverse collection of cherry blossoms that even exceeds DC’s famous sights. The Park dates all the way back to 1895 — and is, in fact, also the very first public county park in the country.
The beloved cherry blossom trees became syonymous with the Park when they were gifted in 1927 from the Fuld family. Caroline Bamberger Fuld donated 2,000 Japanese flowering cherry trees to the Park, and eventually the collection grew to more than 3,000. The first Newark Cherry Blossom Festival, which now takes place the first two weeks of April, happened in 1976.
Though peak bloom technically took place last week, you know the period when the cherry blossoms have fallen on the ground make a stroll through the gardens even more enchanting! Currently, Kwanzan cherry blossom trees are in full bloom and will be for the next 10 days. The popular Yoshino cherry trees have finished their bloom for the season. Branch Brook Park’s IG page frequently goes live so you can check the current status of blooms in the Park.
There’s even a brand new Cherry Blossom Welcome Center at the entrance of the Park where you can learn more about each bloom; and, there are Cherry Blossom Talks every Thursday & Saturday in April at 11 a.m.
Branch Brook Park is only 30 minutes away from NYC by car, or via public transit it’s around 40 minutes. You can take Morris & Essex line on NJ Transit Rail from Penn Station and then jump on the local 29 bus to the Park. There’s also a direct stop at the Park on the Newark Light Rail, which you can get to via NJ Transit or PATH Trains from NYC.
The Park is open 365 days a year, seven days a week, from sunrise to 10 p.m.!