12 Best Places to See Cherry Blossoms Without Crowds

Relaxing under a fragrant canopy of cherry blossoms, or sakura, is a peak springtime experience—and something every flower lover should enjoy at least once. In Japan, the traditional practice of viewing cherry blossoms is called hanami, and serves as a reminder that life is fleeting.

While cherry blossoms are most closely associated with Japanese culture, sakura season sends floraphiles to a surprising number of locations around the world, all in search of the most sublime setting. Each spring, thousands flock to famous cherry tree sites, including the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., and Trocadéro Gardens with its views of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, as well as the Meguro River promenade in Tokyo.

One drawback: When you’re in a world-renowned cherry blossom destination, the mass of people can make it challenging to get your shot, let alone achieve a moment of zen as you inhale the blossoms’ delicate, powdery fragrance. 

Fortunately, cherry trees bloom far and wide, and there are plenty of lesser-known, stunning yet tranquil places to view them. Here are some unexpected places to enjoy the exquisite sight and scent of white and pink cherry blossoms, and celebrate the return of spring, without battling a crowd.

Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City

350 N State Street

Utah’s Capitol building is one of the most scenic in the West thanks to the halo of Japanese cherry trees that bloom around it each spring. “It’s a very popular time for people to come to the Capitol and enjoy the grounds and the blossoms,” says Sandi Archibald, visitor services manager at the Utah State Capitol. These 433 Yoshino cherry trees are planted along the Memorial Walkway, a 0.7-mile path that frames the Capitol Hill complex. 

The Capitol’s original cherry trees were sourced from a Seattle nursery and planted on Arbor Day in 1931, says Archibald. In 1945, Japan shared more trees as a symbol of friendship, but they struggled to adapt to their new home, and many were damaged by a 1999 tornado.

The new Yoshino trees were cultivated in Portland and planted here during a restoration project from 2004 to 2008. They boast special features: Cherry tree tops were grafted onto straight trunks, so the branches form a canopy over the pathway. “It’s a beautiful effect while you’re walking the path,” says Archibald. “And when they’re blossoming, they have a pretty flowery scent.”

Late March and early April are usually the peak times to visit. There are no blossom events or festivals—just pure, tranquil hanami enjoyment.

Main City Park, Gresham, Oregon

219 S. Main Avenue

Most cherry blossoms are viewed by day, but in Gresham, Oregon, a small community east of Portland, flower lovers admire them at night. The word yozakura means “night cherry blossoms” in Japanese, and there’s something special about an evening walk among the blooms. 

As soon as the 12 Akebono cherry trees in Ebetsu Plaza at the south end of Main City Park start to bud in March, the lights go on, says Sue Protz of Gresham Japanese Garden. When the blooms peak, usually toward the end of March, they’re feted at the Yozakura Cherry Blossom Festival for two weeks. “It’s magical at night,” says Protz. The trees symbolize Gresham’s flourishing relationship with its sister city, Ebetsu. Guests at the free festival can also enjoy live performances of taiko drums and koto, a traditional Japanese string instrument. 

It’s also worth a daytime trip to see the bonsai exhibition, pollinator garden, and the rest of Gresham Japanese Garden on Tsuru Island, says Protz. The local Japanese American Citizens League first designed the garden, which includes a moon bridge, in the mid-1970s. A major renovation that began in 2013 added hinoki cypress, ornately pruned pines, dogwood, weeping maples, and an azumaya (pavilion). When the current renovation is complete this fall, the garden’s weeping maples will have their own autumn light show.

Yonne Region, Burgundy, France

Domaine du Clos du Roi, 17 rue André Vildieu 

Cherry trees cover the countryside here, pruned in a cascading umbrella style and planted along the edge of vineyards, on hillsides, and tucked in between houses. Though Burgundy is best known for pinot noir and chardonnay wines, most grape farmers here have also grown cherries for generations. When an insect destroyed thousands of grapevines in the late 1800s, farmers leaned into cultivating the firm, juicy Marmotte cherry, a variety named for a beloved local farmer who used to nap under trees like a hedgehog.  

To see Burgundy’s cherry blooms in late March, take a 90-minute train ride from Paris to Auxerre, famous for its Saint-Etienne Cathedral, then rent a car for a drive through Jussy (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) to Coulanges-la-Vineuse. Take the D606 to see vineyards and hillsides covered in blooming cherry trees. Stop in Coulanges-la-Vineuse to sip pinot noir, chardonnay, and rosé while peeping cherry blooms at Domaine du Clos du Roi. The wine bar serves lunch, as well as EARL de la Jaunière’s famed ice cream in flavors like cherry (cerise) crème fraîche. Visit Domaine Borgnat, a family-owned winery, for tasting and a tour of nearby cherry orchards; it offers overnight stays, too. For a different vista, rent a houseboat in Auxerre and float past blooming trees that line the Nivernais Canal.

Church Row Park, Waimea, Hawaii (Big Island) 

65-1196 Mamalahoa Highway 

Tropical blooms usually steal the show in the Hawaiian islands, but cherry blossoms are the big draw in Waimea, an unincorporated community on the Big Island that’s also known as Kamuela. The first cherry trees here date to the 1950s, imported from Taiwan to honor the passing of Fred Makino, founder of an influential Japanese-language newspaper. But it was in the early 1970s that cherry trees became a real attraction in the region, when—amid talk of a new bypass road—members of the local Lions Club came up with a plan to ensure visitors didn’t skip their community. The club planted 20 bright pink, ornamental Formosan cherry trees at Church Row Park in 1972. Another 50 were planted in 1975 to mark the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration and to honor a visit from Japanese Emperor Hirohito. 

Each February, the Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival celebrates Japanese culture with koto music, bon dancing, bonsai demonstrations, traditional tea ceremonies, and lion dances. There’s plenty to taste between cooking demonstrations by local chefs, mochi pounding, food booths, and—of course—shave ice. Fred Nonaka, an acclaimed local landscaper who helped plant Church Row Park’s cherry trees in 1972 and still cares for the plants today, was honored at the 2026 festival.

Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

Yuchi Township

Nearly 5,000 Formosan cherry trees make Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan’s Central Mountain Range one of the most dramatic destinations in the world. From late January through early March, thousands of bright pink cherry blooms erupt around Taiwan’s largest body of water. Don’t miss a sunrise hike to watch the changing skies framed by blossoms and dark mountains. 

The surrounding landscape, meanwhile, offers several hanami experiences. Take a short hike along Tsen Pagoda Trail, then ascend Ci’en Pagoda, a nine-story structure on Shabalan Mountain, for a panoramic view. Step back in time at the Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, an amusement park and museum that offers a glimpse into 16 indigenous Taiwanese tribes and their traditional homes and garments. You’ll also find extensive European gardens, cherry trees, roller coasters, and the tallest free-fall ride in the country.  

Traverse City, Michigan 

101 W. Grandview Parkway 

More than 2 million cherry trees call Michigan’s Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas home, which explains how this region earned the nickname Cherry Capital of the World. The microclimates and coastal fog are especially nourishing for Montmorency and Balaton cherry trees, as well as grapes. The cooler temperatures mean cherry trees develop slowly, with the bloom starting in early May and peaking mid-month, says Mike Kent of Traverse City Tourism.

The best way to enjoy the region’s bounty is to download the Blossom Tour Guide, then head out for a scenic drive. Explore Old Mission Peninsula by taking M-37 past the farms and vistas of East and West Grand Traverse Bay. The Leelanau Peninsula is home to many wineries in addition to cherry farms, like family-owned Rennie Orchards, so give yourself time to check out all the goodness the region has to offer. While you’re there, see why Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was voted the most beautiful place in the United States by Good Morning America viewers.

For some exercise with a view, rent a bicycle and go on a slow-motion cherry blossom voyage. Just remember that most of the cherry trees here are on private property, so ask permission before entering orchards. And if all this cherry talk has you craving pie, consider returning for the National Cherry Festival July 4–11.

Osaka Castle, Osaka, Japan

1-1 Osakajo, Chuo Ward 

The 4,000 blooming cherry trees surrounding Osaka Castle belie the site’s rather violent history. Toyotomi Hideyoshi started building the castle in 1583 as a symbol of unified Japan. But around 30 years later, it was destroyed by rivals—and in the 1660s, it was severely damaged by lightning. Thanks to major upgrades in the late 1990s, the castle now has a modern tower with an elevator, which will take you to an epic view. Buy tickets online in advance so you can skip the lines and head to the top for a panoramic vista of Nishinomaru Garden.

While you’re there, visit the teahouse, museum, and the rest of Osaka Castle Park, a popular picnic spot during late March and early April. And if you still need more hanami time, it’s just a five-minute drive to the Osaka Mint Bureau, where coins are made. The mint’s private garden opens only one week a year in mid-April, so visitors can stroll through 100 cherry varieties, including late-blooming yae-zakura with showy blossoms.

Jackson Park, Chicago

6401 S. Stony Island Avenue

One of Chicago’s South Side marvels is Jackson Park, an expansive urban oasis with a series of lakefront islands and lagoons designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. The park is well-known—but many people don’t realize that, for a brief period each April, nearly 200 cherry trees bloom along the Columbia Basin near the east side of Cornell Drive. Spread a blanket on the bank overlooking the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, and welcome spring with a brisk hanami picnic. The display includes Yoshino, Snow Fountains, and Snow Goose trees with white blossoms and Accolade trees with medium-pink flowers.

You’ll also find cherry trees in the Garden of the Phoenix, a vestige of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition on Wooded Island that boasts a Shinto gate, moon bridge, and koi pond. Today, the historic garden symbolizes Chicago’s friendship with its Japanese sister city, Osaka. Get there easily across the Nancy C. Hays Bridge, a short walk from the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.

The gardens have hosted many famous visitors, including singer and artist Yoko Ono, who created a lotus sculpture installation called “Skylanding,” a symbol of peace. 

Brogdale Farm, Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom

Brogdale Road, Faversham  

If you’ve been dreaming of a cherry blossom picnic in the English countryside, then head to this stunning tree library in Kent. You’ll find more than 400 varieties of cherry trees, each with a slightly different flower, at Brogdale Collections, about 90 minutes southeast of London. The 150-acre site on Brogdale Farms is home to the National Fruit Collection, which comprises more than 3,500 varieties of fruit trees.

The cherry blossoms typically appear in early spring, around the second week of April. The collection is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for self-guided tours. Guests can also book a private hanami picnic on April 11 or 12. Or reserve a spot on a guided tour offered from late March to late April to admire the flowering orchards that also feature plums, apples, pears, and quince. 

Carolyn Crayton Park, Macon, Georgia 

150 Willie Smokie Glover Drive 

With 350,000 cherry trees and counting, Macon, Georgia, is a place where you can count on seeing white Yoshino cherry blooms just about anywhere in town. If late fall and winter temperatures were cool, the first blossoms usually start to pop around late March. The city should be in full bloom for its weeklong International Cherry Blossom Festival, set for March 20–29. Put on something pink and join the fun at the fest, which includes bed races, live music, beauty pageants, and food fairs. Most of the action happens downtown near Carolyn Crayton Park, but download a Cherry Blossom Trail Map so you can go blossom-spotting across the city.

Real estate developer William A. Fickling Sr. planted Macon’s first Yoshino cherry trees in the 1950s. “They were so beautiful, he started making cuttings of them and giving them to his friends,” says grandson Bill Fickling III. One of those friends was Carolyn Crayton, who went on to found Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful, a nonprofit that has since planted thousands of trees in the area over the decades. They sporadically share free cherry saplings with local residents who want to think pink.

Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, Australia

Mrs. Macquaries Road

There’s no doubt that Sydney’s biggest cherry blossom spectacle is the Cherry Blossom Festival at Auburn Botanic Gardens. But for a more calm, comfortable sakura experience in Australia, your best bet is Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden in July. 

The oldest botanic garden in Australia has a collection of hybrid trees that show their colors in a picturesque setting near the iconic Sydney Opera House. As soon as you pass the visitor center, you’ll see the Yvonne Matthies or Millennium cherry trees, known for their vibrant fuchsia color. Graeme Richards of the Western Sydney University crossed Taiwanese and wild cherry trees to create plants that thrive in warm New South Wales. He named them Yvonne Matthies after the mother of garden historian Judyth McLeod. 

Just be sure to have your camera ready. The bright early blooms attract bees and hungry rainbow lorikeets who put on an acrobatic show while feeding on the flowers. 

Ionia Cherry Farm, Ficksburg/Fouriesburg Region, Free State, South Africa 

Route 26 Fouriesburg

The cherry capital of South Africa is Ficksburg, a picturesque town that hugs Imperani Mountain in eastern Free State. In the early 1900s, German immigrants planted cherry trees in Clocolan, which expanded to nearby Ficksburg and Fouriesburg. Today, there are hundreds of acres of red and yellow cherries, including Royal Hazel, Bing, and Giant Hedelfinger, an old German variety beloved for its big, dark fruit. Peak cherry harvest season happens from October to December, so early September is usually the best time to enjoy the blooms. 

People come to the area to explore nature reserves, so towns are dotted with charming inns like Victoria House in Ficksburg, as well as farms and shops offering cherry treats year-round. At Constantia Cherry Farmstall on R 26, you’ll find cherry jam and cherry chile balsamic syrup. Ben Nevis near Clocolan is the country’s only winery specializing in cherry wine, while Ionia Cherry Farm, between Ficksburg and Fouriesburg, is famous for its cherry liqueur.