HOTELS, RESTAURANTS AND TOUR COMPANIES BLOOM WITH CHERRY BLOSSOM PROMOTIONS
When pink blooms appear on the city’s famous cherry trees, Washingtonians know that spring has officially arrived. The National Cherry Blossom Festival® is Washington, DC’s signature springtime event, attracting more than one million residents and visitors during the two-week celebration. This year’s event takes place March 25 - April 9, with the National Cherry Blossom Festival parade and Sakura Matsuri street festival both slated for April 8.
Visitors can become a part of this Washington, DC springtime tradition by taking advantage of special promotions and offers from hotels, restaurants and tour companies. Available exclusively at washington.org or by calling 1-800-422-8644, Cherry Blossom/Spring Break Hotel Packages offer exceptional values for overnight stays in the nation’s capital, with rates starting at $99 per night. The Grand Hyatt Washington Cherry Blossom Package includes a welcome cherry amenity, a program of festival events and two one-day Metro passes, starting at $149 per night. The St. Gregory Hotel & Suites is tempting families with complimentary continental breakfast, overnight stays in its spacious suites and a discount on lunch and dinner at the adjoining M Street Bar & Grill, starting at $169 per night. Promotional offers are available March 15 - April 30 at more than 20 hotels in the Washington, DC metro area.
Washington, DC’s restaurants are also taking a cue from the spring blooms by bringing back the annual “Cherry Picks” promotion. Dozens of Washington, DC’s most popular eateries will serve creative dishes prepared with cherries. Sample chef Cesare Lanfranconi’s Polenta Cake with oven roasted cherries, olive oil gelato and crumbled sbrisaolona at Ristorante Tosca; Bryan Voltaggio’s Preserved Bing Cherry and Dark Chocolate brioche bread pudding with vanilla bean sorbet at Charlie Palmer Steak; or chef Rob Klink’s Spiced Hawaiian Opah with Cherry Apple Chutney at The Oceanaire Seafood Room. A complete listing of dishes and recipes will be available at nationalcherryblossomfestival.org by late February.
Tour companies are also capitalizing on the festivities by incorporating the history and lore surrounding the blossoms into their tour offerings. Bike the Sites’ “Blossoms by Bike” tour takes bloom-watchers around the scenic Tidal Basin as guides share facts about the monuments, memorials and the flowering trees. During the festival, tours are offered daily at 3 pm and on weekends at 9:30 am, 12:30 pm and 3 pm. The cost is $30 for adults, $20 for children.
Walking tour company Washington Walks brings back its popular Blossom Secrets Stroll on March 25 and 26. This narrated tour tells the story about the gift of the trees from the people of Japan to the people of Washington, DC with colorful stories about the characters who have made the blooming trees a symbol of springtime in Washington, DC. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children.
Washington Photo Safari also gets into the blossom spirit with daily photo safaris. Aspiring shutterbugs can pick up some photography tips from professional photographer E. David Luria, who will run photo safaris daily from 3 - 5:30 pm and sunrise safaris on April 2, 5, 8 and 9 from 6:15 - 8:30 am. The cost is $49 per person for the afternoon safari, $53 per person for the sunrise safari.
For more information about the National Cherry Blossom Festival®, visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. To book a Cherry Blossom/Spring Break hotel package, visit washington.org or call 1-800-422-8644.
Related Articles
|
Love the cherry blossoms, but hate the crowds? Branch Brook Park, located in Newark and Belleville, NJ, is an inviting alternative to the crowds who flock to the cherry blossoms annually in Washington, DC. The park's 30th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival runs from April 9-23, ... |
|
|
In a recent independent national survey among parents, Orlando, San Diego and Washington, DC were listed among the top 10 cities of choice for a Family Spring Break(R) vacation. Family Spring Break(R) is a travel trend defined as families traveling together with children, hi ... |
|
|
Cherry Wood B&B in Zillah, three hours southeast of Seattle, is a working farm surrounded by 15 wineries. Owners offer wine tasting trips by horseback to and from their family-run orchard. The bed and breakfast offers guests unusual luxury accommodations in 'Ralph Lauren' ... |
|
|
Loews Denver Hotel, American Automobile Association and The Cherry Creek Shopping Center are rounding up their efforts to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the National Western Stock Show, January 7-22, 2006.
The National Western Stock Show, Rodeo & Horse Show has been r ... |
|
|
The Inn at Peralynna Manor, a small Maryland Luxury Inn, was selected "Best in North America," 2005, by Arrington's Inn Traveler Magazine. In competition with 33,000 Inns and B&B's, Peralynna has taken the top spot in 2005. In 2004, Peralynna was awarded "Best Inn in USA" by ... |
|
|
LONDON, ENGLAND (09/06) – The Draycott Hotel, located in the heart of London, is honoring the Englishman who helped shape the history of the modern world – Sir Winston Churchill. From now until March 31, 2007, an overnight stay at the Draycott includes two adult tickets for ... |
|
|
l host three of the "Top 100 Events in North America" in 2006, according to a list compiled by the American Bus Association (ABA). The Michigan events named on this prestigious, all-season list are: Zehnder's Snowfest (January 25-30) in Frankenmuth; Traverse City's National ... |
|
|
|
