Besides warmer weather, one of the best parts about springtime in NYC are the beautiful cherry blossoms that cover the city in gorgeous hues of pink and white. The magnificent flowers tend to begin blooming around March (the first cherry blossoms of last year were spotted on March 8th in Queens). And if you’re on the hunt to catch some of the first in bloom, for 2024 we know just the place to keep your eyes on: The Green-Wood Cemetery.
The Green-Wood Cemetery, located at 500 25th St. in Brooklyn, transforms into a cherry blossom haven during the spring and tends to be a more underrated spot for cherry blossom watching. Since it’s not too known, the location offers a quaint environment to enjoy the blooms with minimal crowds to block your view or photos of the blooms.
The entire landscape of the cemetery contains 172 cherry blossom trees across its 478 spectacular acres. Now a National Historic Landmark, The Green-Wood Cemetery is home to 570,000 permanent residents including known figures such as Leonard Bernstein, Boss Tweed, Charles Ebbets, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louis Comfort Tiffany, Horace Greele, and more.
In the past, The Green-Wood Cemetery has hosted a Hanami Festival, translated from Japanese to mean a flower viewing festival. Visitors were invited to stroll the cemetery’s many winding paths to the sound of music and the sight of blossoming trees.
Industry City’s Japan Village even catered savory and sweet Japanese treats for the event. Unfortunately, the festival has not returned since 2022. Hopefully, this year we can welcome the Hanami Festival back to enjoy the gorgeous cherry blossoms.
For more spots around NYC to see the upcoming cherry blossoms, check out our full guide here.