This fun guide covers all the best places to see cherry blossoms in NYC! Whether you're visiting the city, or you're a local, there are so many spots to view these beautiful trees in the city. This helpful guide covers all the best parks, festivals, and other places to see them!
When I moved to New York from San Francisco, I was so excited to experience my first spring in over six years.
And after a long, cold NYC winter, everywhere I turned something seemed to be blooming … including a gorgeous cherry blossom tree right outside my apartment door. The pretty flowers only lasted a week, but every time I left the building, someone was taking a picture.
Soon, I started seeing sakura (cherry blossoms) blooming everywhere in NYC and became obsessed with seeing each and every tree … or at least as many as I possibly could! And they’re everywhere once you start looking.
If you’re searching NYC cherry blossoms, too, look no further! I’ve rounded up the BEST places to see these gorgeous trees (there's at least one location in every borough), plus all of NYC’s cherry blossom festivals.
Jump to:
- History of New York City Cherry Blossom Trees
- Types of Trees
- Where to See Cherry Blossoms in NYC
- Cherry Blossoms in Manhattan
- Brooklyn Cherry Blossoms
- Cherry Blossoms in Queens
- Bronx Cherry Blossoms
- Cherry Blossoms on Staten Island
- Cherry Blossoms in New Jersey
- New York Festivals + Events
- NYC Cherry Blossom Map
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- More U.S. Locations to See the Trees
- Other Things to Do in NYC
History of New York City Cherry Blossom Trees
If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting Japan during cherry blossom season or attending the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., you may be surprised to learn that NYC also has quite a few of these trees!
In fact, when the mayor of Tokyo gifted those famous cherry trees to Washington, D.C. in 1912, he also gave 2,500 trees to New York City. The trees, which were meant to enhance the friendship between Japan and the U.S., were planted in Central Park, Riverside Park, and Sakura Park, a small park located near Grant’s Tomb.
Today, there are about 6800 trees in the city's parks, according the the director of tree planting for the NYC's Parks Department!
Types of Trees
While there are many types of trees (Brookly Botanic Garden has 26 varieties!), you’ll typically see three varieties of Japanese cherry blossom trees in New York:
- Yoshino Trees - These trees bloom first and produce light pink flowers that create a fluffy, cloudlike appearance when in full bloom.
- Kwanzan Trees - This tree blooms later and has pink, double-petal flowers.
- Okame Trees - These lovely trees have fluffy, rosy pink flowers and a mild fragrance.
Cherry trees typically live about 60 years, so most of those original trees are gone. But the trees have been replanted, and these days, you can find cherry blossoms throughout the city.
Where to See Cherry Blossoms in NYC
There are tons of place to see these gorgeous trees in New York! Below, you will find a list of locations (grouped by borough), festivals guide, map, FAQs, and more. If you'd like to read everything, just keep scrolling. Otherwise, use the links below to jump to a specific section:
- Locations by Borough: Manhattan | Brooklyn | Queens | Bronx | Staten Island | New Jersey
- More Tips + Info: NYC Cherry Blossom Festivals | Map | FAQs | Other U.S Cherry Blossoms Locations
Cherry Blossoms in Manhattan
You'll find tons of places to view gorgeous cherry blossom trees in Manhattan! Here are the best spots:
Central Park
Central Park is one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in NYC! You’ll spot sakura throughout the park, but my favorite place to view them is on the path around the Reservoir. The trees surround the reservoir, and the lovely blooms, combined with the water, make for a gorgeous sight and wonderful spring walk!
The reservoir isn’t the only place to view Central Park cherry blossoms though. Here's where you can enjoy the two main species:
- Yoshino Trees: Reservoir (east and west sides), Cherry Hill, Pilgrim Hill, Nell Singer Lilac Walk (northeast of Sheep Meadow), and Delacorte Theater
- Kwanzan Trees: Reservoir (east and west sides), Cedar Hill, The Glade (just south of Cedar Hill between 74th & 77th Streets), Behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Great Lawn.
East River Greenway
Looking to stretch your legs and see some beautiful blooms on the Upper East Side? The East River Greenway is a great place to do it!
This path follows (you guessed it) the East River. As you walk or run along the path, you’ll enjoy views of the river, bridges, and a few blooming trees, too. The photo below was taken near 71st Street East.
Madison Square Park
If you’re planning to visit the Flatiron District, make sure to stop by Madison Square Park. This popular park boasts a number of Kwanzan Cherry Trees, as well as one Yoshino Cherry Tree located along 5th Avenue. And if you angle your camera just right, you can get a shot of the blossoms with the iconic Flatiron Building in the background.
Randall’s Island
This expansive park / island in the East River is the perfect place to view cherry blossoms in a unique setting that’s convenient to Harlem, the Bronx, and Queens. To view the trees, head to Fields 62 and 63, as well as the Urban Farm. Randall’s Island Park also plays host to one of NYC’s cherry blossom festivals … more info on that below!
Riverside Park
For my favorite viewing spot in Manhattan, head to Riverside Park's Cherry Walk on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. I love this park’s picturesque location on the Hudson River!
Though this park is well-used by locals, it doesn’t get as many tourists as other popular city parks. Which means you may have those stunning sakura trees all to yourself. Go on a weekday for the best chance of a private viewing, and look for the trees between W 100th and W 125th Streets.
Roosevelt Island
For another unique viewing location, take the tram or subway to Roosevelt Island. As you walk along the promenade lined with Japanese cherry blossom trees, you’ll also enjoy spectacular views of Manhattan and the East River. And make sure to stop by during the Cherry Blossom Festival, too … more info below!
Sakura Park
If you’re visiting Riverside Park to view the cherry trees, make sure to stop by pretty Sakura Park. This petite park is located near Grant’s Tomb on the Upper West Side, and it’s one of the locations where the original 1912 cherry blossom trees from Japan were planted. You’ll find a number of trees planted on the lawn here, as well as a Japanese lantern donated by the city of Tokyo in 1960.
United Nations Headquarters
Did you know that you can visit the United Nations headquarters in Midtown Manhattan? Taking a tour of the U.N. is a great way to learn more about this fascinating organizations history. Before you leave, make sure to check out the grounds which are find planted with a number of gorgeous sakura trees!
Brooklyn Cherry Blossoms
Brooklyn has some of my favorite places to view these gorgeous trees. Head here from some of the most iconic displays and the city's most popular festival.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
We can’t talk about NYC cherry blossoms without mentioning the Brooklyn Botanic Garden! These beautiful gardens are the #1 destination for viewing sakura in New York City. You’ll find over 200 trees and 26 species to ogle in the Cherry Esplanade, Cherry Walk, and Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, and they are stunning!
Make sure to check the cherry watch tracker before your visit to see what’s in bloom. And for the full experience, plan on attending during the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Sakura Matsuri festival … more info below.
Green-Wood Cemetery
A visit to mesmerizing Green-Wood Cemetery, with its hills, valleys, glacial ponds, and paths, will leaving you feeling like you’ve stepped back in time! No ordinary cemetery, Green-Wood has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Its popularity helped inspire the creation of NYC’s most popular public parks, including Central Park and Prospect Park.
As you wander the collection of 19th- and 20th-century statuary and mausoleums, you’ll find many lovely cherry blossoms planted among the graves. It's absolutely stunning, and this is definitely one of my favorite places to spot these gorgeous trees in New York. And you won't want to miss their festival either (details below)!
Prospect Park
After you’ve visited the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, head next door to Prospect Park. This huge park has plenty of places to view cherry blossoms. For the best cherry-tree-spotting luck though, look for them near the Grand Army Plaza entrance, as well as the path by the Long Meadow.
Marine Park
For a lesser known viewing location, take a trip to Marine Park, which is Brooklyn's largest park. The Yoshini cherry trees here first planted here in the 1980s. You'll find the older trees along Avenue U and the younger cherry trees along Stuart Avenue.
Sunset Park
Over 100 new trees were planted in Sunset Park in 2024, and they're expected to bloom for the first time this year! The grove features several varieties of trees, and with the park's amazing views of Brooklyn and Manhattan, this is sure to a wonderful place to enjoy the spring blooms.
Cherry Blossoms in Queens
Don't forget about Queens in your tour of the city! There are plenty of places to find them here.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Planning a visit to Queens? Stop by one of my favorite NYC destinations, Flushing Meadows Corona Park! The expansive park, which was home to two World’s Fairs, is also a prime cherry blossom viewing location. You’ll find numerous trees surrounding the Unisphere, as well as near the Queens Museum, the Queens Theatre. Also worth a visit? The park’s annual Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival … more details below!
Hunter's Point South Park
Located in Long Island City, Hunter's Point South Park features a gorgeous display of flowering trees wrapping around the oval. Grab a photo with the trees and the view of Midtown Manhattan.
Lewis Latimer House Museum
This historic building was once home to Lewis Latimer, a noted African American inventor. The museum itself is worth a visit, and while you’re there, make sure to check out the backyard garden which is free during museum hours. It’s filled with a jaw dropping display of cherry blossoms!
Queens Botanical Garden
This large botanical garden is the perfect place to view spring blooms in Queens! You’ll spot a variety of blooming flowers here, but for cherry blossoms, you’ll want to check out Cherry Circle.
Bronx Cherry Blossoms
The Bronx is home to beautiful botanical garden with some of the NYC's best blooms!
New York Botanical Garden
If you’ve never been this lovely botanical garden in the Bronx, then spring is the ideal time to visit! The New York Botanical Garden is home to more than 200 cherry blossom trees. Look for the bountiful blooms along the curving path in the Cherry Collection, nestled between the evergreens in the Arthur and Janet Ross Conifer Arboretum, in front of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and among the daffodils and crabapple trees on Daffodil Hill. Before your visit, make sure to check out the garden’s cherry blossom tracker.
Cherry Blossoms on Staten Island
Stop by Staten Island to complete your NYC tour!
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Would you like to view cherry blossoms in an authentic classical outdoor Chinese garden? Then you need to head to the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden on Staten Island! This beautiful garden was based on the design of Ming Dynasty gardens, and all of the architectural components you’ll find there were built in Suzhou, China using traditional Chinese construction methods.
Silver Lake and Clove Lakes Parks
Silver Lake Park (Staten's Islands answer to Central Park) and the adjacent Clove Lakes Park are also great place to view these beautiful blooming trees.
Cherry Blossoms in New Jersey
Coming from New Jersey? You've got some gorgeous trees right in your backyard!
Branch Brook Park
We can’t talk about cherry blossom trees without mentioning Branch Brook Park, which stretches through Belleville and Newark, New Jersey. Branch Brook Park has more sakura than you’ll find in Washington, D.C., and it’s just a quick hop, skip, and a jump (about an hour drive) from NYC!
In the park, you’ll find over 5,000 cherry blossom trees of 18 varieties. Start your trip at the Cherry Blossom Welcome Center to discover where they’re all located. For peak blossom viewing, make sure to plan your visit during the park’s cherry blossom festival … details below!
New York Festivals + Events
NYC cherry blossom festivals are a wonderful way to view cherry blossom trees at peak bloom, while also learning about Japanese culture.
When planning your day, keep in mind that most of these festivals will be VERY crowded. Try to get to these events as early in the day as possible to avoid transportation issues and overcrowding.
Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival (April 5 - 13, 2025)
View the largest collection of cherry blossom trees in the east at this week-long event in New Jersey! The festival features a bike race, fun run, a Family Day with free kid-friendly activities, and Bloomfest, featuring Japanese cultural demonstrations, live music, a crafter's marketplace, food, and more.
Green-Wood Cemetery Buds and Blossoms Walk (April 13, 2025)
Experience hanami (flower viewing) in a beautifully unique setting this spring! During Green-Wood Cemetery's Buds and Blossoms Walk you can stroll winding paths lined with blossoming trees during this guided walk.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park Spring Cherry Blossom Walk (April 13, 2025)
Enjoy the blooms and learn about the history of the trees during a special Spring Walk at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. If you can make it to this event, there is another walk on April 27.
Brooklyn Botanical Garden Hanami Nights (April 22 - 25, 2025)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a number of events for you to enjoy! Check out Hanami Nights, where you can enjoy illuminated cherry blossom trees, stroll through the garden, try your hand at origami, and more! During Weekends in Bloom, you can experience different events each weekend (including music, dance, family programs, and more), from April 26 to May 11, 2025. You can also spend a festive evening in the garden during the Spring Gala on June 3, 2024.
Randall’s Island Earth Day Festival (April 26, 2025)
Celebrate spring and take photos with the flowering trees at this fun, family friendly event, featuring live music, arts and crafts, cooking demos, free treats, live performances, and more!
Cherry Tree Heaven at Marine Park (April 26, 2025)
Visit Marine Park to learn about and walk through their grove of Yoshino trees, which were planted in the 1980s.
NYC Cherry Blossom Map
Wondering exactly where to find all these Japanese cherry blossom trees? I made a cherry blossom map that includes all the locations listed above. Open it up on your phone (or computer) to help you plan your trip.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
NYC cherry blossom trees typically begin blooming in mid to late March / early April. Peak bloom is usually mid to late April. Weather plays an huge role in when the trees bloom though, and a warm or cold spring, rain or snow, and even wind can affect the standard blooming season.
For your best chance of catching peak bloom, monitor the bloom trackers at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the New York Botanical Garden, as well as local NYC news.
Peak bloom usually lasts about one week (or less), so if you find out a park’s trees are blooming, go immediately! Windy or rainy weather can also shorten bloom time.
In 1912, Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo gave 3,000 cherry blossom trees to Washington, D.C. and over 2500 trees to NYC. The trees were meant to be a symbol of friendship between Japan and the U.S. Three years later, the United States returned the favor by sending dogwood saplings to Japan, again strengthening the ties between nations. Read more about the history of cherry trees in the U.S.
Cherry blossoms are a symbolic flower of the spring, signifying renewal and the fleeting nature of life. The blossoms lives are very short, which also reminds us that life is beautiful but also very ephemeral.
Are you interested in learning more about cherry blossoms in Japan? Read this local’s take on the significance of these beautiful flowering trees.
More U.S. Locations to See the Trees
Can’t make it NYC? Not to worry, because Japanese cherry blossom trees thrive in many U.S. cities! Check out my guide Where to See Cherry Blossoms in the U.S. for the 28 best locations, from big cities to small towns ... plus, a roundup of the cherry blossom festivals nationwide!
Other Things to Do in NYC
After you've check out the cherry blossoms, check out some of my other favorite NYC activities:
- Domino Park - While you're in Brooklyn, head over to Williamsburg and visit Domino Park. This unique park was built on the site of an old Domino Sugar factory and features lots of industrial remnants. Check out my guide to the Best Parks in Brooklyn for even more awesome parks!
- Central Park - No visit to NYC is complete with a stroll through this world-renowned park! My favorite time to visit is in fall, but it's stunning anytime of year.
- Rockaway Beach - Escape the bustle of the city and go chill at Rockaway Beach ... truly my happy place! It's kind of a hike, but totally worth it on a beautiful day. I especially love walking the beach in the off-season (like spring) when it's less crowded.
- High Line - A visit to the High Line, an elevated park that was built on a deserted train track is never a bad idea. You'll be treated to public art, great NYC views, yummy food, and more.
- Heading to NYC during the holidays? It's magical ... before you go, make sure to check out my comprehensive guide to Christmas in New York. Make sure to check out all the Christmas Markets and take a tour NYC's best Christmas windows while you're there, too!
- Governors Island - If you want to escape the city for a bit, head to Governors Island. This unique park / National Monument is only a 10 minute ferry ride from Manhattan and Brooklyn.
- Brooklyn Bridge - Walking the Brooklyn Bridge is one of those activities on everyone's NYC bucket lists, and my guide has tons of tips to help you do it!
- Want more ideas? Check out my A to Z guide to visiting (or living in) New York, as well as my list of NYC favorites after living there for my first eight months!
I love cherry blossom season in NYC. The Central Park Conservancy offers inexpensive tours in the spring so you can learn more about the trees and the history of the park.
Thanks for the tip, Cathy!
Your photos are lovely...I've never thought about blooming cherry trees in NYC. What is nice is that they are spread across the city and there won't be masses of people like in Washington D.C.
Thank you so much, Karen! It's kind of funny that NYC is not more known for its cherry blossom trees, because there are so many. I love that you can spot them everywhere, too! 🙂
Hey Ginnie,
Greetings from the New York Botanical Garden staff! Thanks so much for including us in this roundup 🙂 I love that you included all five boroughs! 🙂 If you ever want to visit let us know!
Hi, William! So nice to hear from you. I absolutely love the New York Botanical Garden in spring or any time of year! 🙂 It's been too long since I've visited though ... hopefully, that will change soon!