Looking for those pretty pink flowers in California? The season for the cherry blossom in California happens sometime between the very end of February until mid to late April. But this all depends on the location. From cherry blossoms in San Francisco to Los Angeles and everywhere in between. Spring is a beautiful time and if you want to see cherry blossoms, California has some beautiful gardens and parks to see them. Here are where to find cherry blossoms in California.
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Cherry Blossoms in California | Where to Find Them
Looking for cherry blossoms in California? Below is a list of where to find cherry blossoms in California, broken down into regions throughout the state.
Cherry Blossoms Los Angeles
Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge
admission – $15 for adults
free day – third Tuesday of the month with advance reservations
Descanso Gardens is a 150-acre botanical garden that features many different gardens including the Japanese garden where cherry blossoms are on display. Spring is a popular time to visit so plan accordingly. You can also see what’s in bloom with the Descanso Garden bloom calendar and on their Instagram page. This year the cherry blossoms began to bloom in early April. Descanso Gardens cherry blossom trees are a must-see if you’re in LA.
Huntington Library in San Marino
admission – $25 on weekdays/$29 on weekends for adults
free day – first Thursday of the month, tickets are available the Thursday before at 9 am
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, better known as Huntington Library is an expansive complex housing art galleries, rare books, and over 120 acres of lush botanic gardens. The pristinely landscaped Japanese Garden is one of the most popular spots in the complex and where you’ll find the cherry blossoms.
Lake Balboa Park in Van Nuys
FREE
Have you seen cherry blossoms in Lake Balboa? Lake Balboa Park is a popular park, especially on the weekends. You’ll see families, joggers, yoga classes, and parties. Plan to arrive early.
There are cherry blossoms around the lake but they aren’t flowering like they used to. Unfortunately, due to the droughts in the past the cherry blossom trees have been dying. You’ll find the majority of the cherry blossom trees around the lake.
South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes
admission – $15 for adults
free day – third Tuesday of the month with advance reservations
South Coast Botanic Garden is known as the “The Jewel of the Peninsula”, and is located in Palos Verdes. The 87-acre garden has more than 2,500 different species of plants and so much more. The cherry blossoms can be found most prominently in the Rose Garden, Amphitheatre area, Mediterranean Garden and Sakura Meadow.
The cherry blossoms tend to bloom in late February to mid-March. Do note that the Los Angeles cherry blossom season varies a bit so check out the websites and Instagram to make sure they are in bloom before going.
Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles
FREE
Grand Park has some cherry blossoms by the Vietnam Recognition Marker. This is on Broadway, across from City Hall, between 1st Street and Temple Street. The display is modest however it’s usually not crowded unless there is an event. The cherry blossoms seem to bloom in mid-March to mid-April. If you’re looking to see free cherry blossom, Los Angeles’ Grand Park is a good option.
Cherry Blossoms Orange County
Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach
FREE
Huntington Central Park is a public park located in Huntington Beach. It’s within walking distance from the Huntington Beach City Library. The park has a beautiful display of cherry blossoms that are usually in bloom around late February to mid-March.
Cherry Blossom San Diego
Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park
admission – $12 for adults
free day – third Tuesday of the month, from 10 am – 4 pm (free admission for San Diego County residents only)
The Japanese Friendship Garden is located on a 12-acre plot inside Balboa Park. It features stone arrangements, koi ponds, water features, and more. The cherry blossoms are in bloom in the month of March.
Cherry Blossoms San Francisco
Japanese Tea Garden Golden Gate Park
admission – $12 for adults (March – September non-residents), $10 for adults (October – February non-residents), $7 for SF residents with proof of residency
free days – free before 10 am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
The Japanese Tea Garden Golden State Park is a 5-acre property and the oldest public Japanese tea Garden in the United States. The season of cherry blossom San Francisco usually starts sometime in March to April.
San Francisco Botanical Garden
admission – $12 for adults on weekends ($9 on weekdays) and free for SF residents with proof of residency free days – second Tuesday of every month, Visitors may gain free entry to the Garden on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
The San Francisco Botanical Garden is located in Golden Gate Park. It’s 55 acre and features more than 8,000 kinds of plants from around the world. The cherry blossoms can be found in the Temperate Asia collection.
Japantown San Francisco
FREE
There is a row of cherry blossoms in the Peace Plaza, between the East and West Malls. This is a public space and free to see.
Cherry Blossom Bay Area (outside San Francisco)
Rancho San Ramon Community Park in San Ramon
FREE
Wondering where to see cherry blossoms in Bay Area? Rancho San Ramon Community Park is a public pack in San Ramon about an hour from San Jose. There are rows of cherry blossoms and it’s perfect for photos.
Hakone Estate Gardens in Saratoga
admission – $10 for adults and $8 for Saratoga residents with proof of residency
free day – first Tuesday of every month for Saratoga residents only with proof of residency
The Hakone Estate Gardens in Saratoga was originally a private estate and now open to the public. The Japanese garden features a variety of hillside gardens, historic buildings, multi-tiered waterfalls and koi ponds, a dry garden, a bamboo garden, and more. The cherry blossoms bloom between mid to late March until the beginning to mid-April.
Cherry Blossoms Central Valley
Fresno County Blossom Trail
FREE
The Fresno Cherry Blossom Trail is a 62-mile loop of beautiful orchards. There are many different orchards and you can spend an entire day exploring the area. You can follow the blossom trail map provided by the Fresno County of Tourism here. And this is their Google Map blossom loop however you should reference the color-coded map. If you want to see Fresno cherry blossom trees this is where you need to go.
The blossoming season around early February and last until around mid-March.
Visalia Blossom Trail
FREE
Similar to the Fresno County Blossom Trail, the Visalia Blossom Trail is a trail that features different orchards. The area isn’t as large as Fresno but it does offer quite a variety of orchards. You’ll find blossoms from cherry trees but also a variety of other stone fruit toward the west end of Avenue 384.
Cherry Blossoms Central Coast
Bamboo Giant Nursery in Aptos
FREE
Bamboo Giant is a nursery in the city of Aptos that features cherry blossoms, a bamboo garden, and so much more. It’s important to note that this is a retail business that sells plants so please be respectful of the business when visiting.
Cherry Blossom Festivals
If you’re looking for a cherry blossom festival, here are a few that happen in California. Some have been canceled for 2021 but there is a link for additional information.
Monterey Park Cherry Blossom Festival
April 16 – 23, 2021 (virtual)
Torrance Cherry Blossom Festival
no 2020 dates
East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center Cherry Blossom Festival in West Covina
Saturday, April 24, 2021, from 12 pm – 6 pm, with timed-entry reservations
Annual Bowers Museum Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival in Santa Ana
Sunday, April 25, 2021, from 11 am – 12 pm
OC Cherry Blossom Festival in Huntington Beach (Huntington Beach Cherry Blossom Festival)
2021 canceled
2022 dates – March 11 – 13
Cherry Blossom Festival at Japanese Friendship Garden in San Diego
March 2021
Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco (Cherry Blossom Festival SF)
April 10th, 11th, 17th, and 18th 2021 from 3 pm – 5 pm (virtual)
Hope this helps you find cherry blossoms in California. The season is a bit short but there are tons of other flowers to see in California throughout spring and summer such as The Flower Fields in Carlsbad and lavender fields in Southern California and beyond. There is an abundance of cherry blossom, California has some great places to check out! Enjoy these pretty pink flower trees in California!
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