Thousands of cherry blossom trees across the five boroughs have begun to sprout their vibrant petals, marking the arrival of spring in NYC. One of the best ways to experience the breathtaking flora is by embarking on a tour through one of the city’s cherry blossom hot spots. Luckily, plenty of locations across the city offer tours of cherry blossoms and spring flowers, including Central Park, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Green-Wood Cemetery, and more.
While the city’s cherry blossoms are beginning to show signs of pink, the peak blooming season typically begins in mid-April. There are roughly 35,000 trees located throughout the five boroughs, the majority of which are Okame, Yoshino, or Kwanzan trees, according to the New York Times.
Cherry Hill in Central Park. Photo © Dana Schulz / 6sqft
To share the beauty of the park’s stunning Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry blossoms, the Central Park Conservancy is hosting 90-minute educational tours along the reservoir, touching on the backstory of how the trees came to the park and their maintenance. The tours start Friday, March 29, and run through April 13. Additional highlights include a stop at the famous cast-iron Gothic Bridge. Tickets cost $35 for adults and can be purchased here.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Photo courtesy of Allison Meier on Flickr
For a free self-guided tour, the Conservancy offers an interactive map that tracks blooming in real-time and helps visitors locate the trees within the park.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden offers tours highlighting its vibrant landscape in bloom. The Garden offers free seasonal highlights tours that showcase plants and trees in the early stages of blooming.
Later in April, the garden will host Hanami Nights, when the magical Cherry Esplanade will be illuminated to show off its peak bloom. The special evenings include live music, a pop-up bar with Japanese beer and sake, and food curated by local grocer Sunrise Mart.
Also in Brooklyn, Green-Wood Cemetery is hosting tours of its historic grounds as its scenic landscape begins to blossom with the colors of thousands of trees, including hundreds of cherry blossoms. The tours, led by the cemetery’s horticulture team, will highlight a few outstanding examples of the roughly 8,000 trees found throughout the grounds. The tours will be held on March 24 and April 14 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tickets cost $25.
Green-Wood Cemetery. Photo courtesy of David Berkowitz on Flickr
In Queens, the Alliance for Flushing Meadows Park will host a Spring Cherry Blossoms Walk with the NYC Parks’ Urban Park Rangers on April 14 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The tour sets off at the Unisphere, and along the way, the Rangers will teach guests about the iconic trees.
Staten Island’s Silver Lake Park invites visitors on a hike through their scenic paved trails along the reservoir, which is lined with stunning apple and cherry blossoms. The hike will take place on April 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register for the free event here.
More on the best spots in NYC to view cherry blossom trees can be found here.
Take a cherry blossom tour in NYC
March 21, 2024
Cover photo: Green-Wood Cemetery. Photo Credit: Amy Nieporent