Tidal Basin: Jefferson, MLK and FDR memorials
A loop of about 2.2 miles around the water links three memorials, and the cherry trees that bloom here in late March or early April. Walk it in the evening when the memorials are lit. The seawall has just been rebuilt, and 269 young cherry trees were planted in spring 2026 to replace those removed for the work.
- Open
- Open at all times
- Price
- Free
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Best time
- Peak cherry blossom in late March or early April, or any evening when the memorials are lit.
- Address
- Jefferson Memorial, 16 E Basin Dr SW, Washington, DC 20242Google MapsApple Maps
- Getting there
- Smithsonian Metro (Blue, Orange, Silver), then a 15-minute walk south.
- Accessibility
- Paved paths around the water, mostly flat; the Jefferson Memorial has an elevator.
- On site
- Restrooms at the Jefferson and FDR memorials; paddle boats and snacks in season.
Why go
Around the Tidal Basin's shoreline stand three of the city's finest memorials: the domed Jefferson Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, carved from a granite "Stone of Hope", and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, a sequence of outdoor rooms with waterfalls. The cherry trees given by Japan in 1912 ring the water.
Tips
- Follow the National Park Service's bloom forecast if you're coming for the blossoms; peak lasts only a few days.
- The full loop is about 2.2 miles; the King and FDR memorials are on the west side, the Jefferson on the south.
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