Things to Know
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The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the more heavily attended annual events in Washington, D.C., with hundreds of thousands of visitors expected. The National Park Service proudly works with several park partners to help make your visit educational as well as safe and enjoyable. How do I get to the Mall? There are basically three ways to get to the National Mall: public transportation, walking, private car/truck/bus. Public transportation is by far and away the easiest way to reach us. Metrorail runs every day from 7am to midnight with earlier opening times on the weekdays and later closings on Friday and Saturday nights. Fares vary from about $1.50 to $5.00 one way depending upon distance. The Smithsonian Metrorail station, served by the blue and orange lines, is conveniently located within the park at 12th Street and Jefferson Drive. Other nearby Metrorail stations include L'Enfant Plaza, Archives/Navy Memorial, Federal Triangle, Metro Center, and GWU/Foggy Bottom. For more information about Metrorail/Metrobus/MetroAccess, please visit www.wmata.com. You may also reach the Mall by foot from all directions within Washington, DC or via the Arlington Memorial Bridge from Arlington, Virginia. Washington, DC and the Mall are both very pedestrian friendly with plenty of sidewalks and ample crosswalks. Driving to the National Mall during the Cherry Blossom Festival is not recommended. If you must drive, please keep the following things in mind. There is little to no availability of free public parking or nearby paid parking. Free public parking is available beyond the Jefferson Memorial, on Ohio Drive, on 14th Street, and on Constitution Avenue. Public parking is extremely limited. In many locations, public parking is permitted only at certain times - please pay close attention to parking signs. Many locations do not permit parking during rush hours. Towing is strictly enforced in order to keep traffic flowing smoothly. Paid public parking is ample and available north of the White House, however this is a brisk 20 to 30 minute walk to the Tidal Basin area. Finally, because of construction in the vicinity of the Jefferson and Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorials, West Basin Drive is closed. Also, expect heavier than normal pedestrian traffic in the vicinity of the Tidal Basin Welcome Area. |
Did You Know?
Although Yoshino Cherry Trees are the predominant variety in downtown, there are other beautiful varieties? The one in the photo is a Kwanzan... Find out more.... More...