Best NYC Cherry Blossom Locations for Your Engagement Session Photo Shoot
Spring is here; that means cherry blossom season!
As much as I love snow, I am ready for warmer weather and a change of scenery after what seems like an incredibly long winter. With more sunshine and beautiful weather on the horizon, you may be thinking of having your engagement session. One of the first blooms - and a personal favorite! - of spring: cherry blossoms. Here is a guide on the best locations to incorporate cherry blossoms in your engagement photoshoot around New York City.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE CHERRY BLOSSOMS?
Great question! For the pale pink-white blooms, commonly the Yoshino variant of cherry blossom trees, end of March to early April is a good estimate of the peak bloom period, although it can be slightly earlier or later, depending on temperatures that year. There are other types that bloom the slightest bit earlier, but we’ll keep it simple for now.
For the more vibrant shades of pink, the Kwanzan trees tend to bloom later in the month, from the third to fourth week of April.
WHERE CAN I FIND CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES?
CENTRAL PARK
There are numerous locations within Central Park to find cherry blossom trees. It has become a mission for both locals and visitors alike to track down the flowering trees each season — so much so that a tracker exists for the trees within the park and what stage they’re in!
You can find the tracker here.
If it’s your first time visiting Central Park, be aware that the park spans over 50 blocks lengthwise, or over 2.5 miles. Without stopping to take in the view, walking from one end of the park to the other will take a minimum of forty minutes. Plan accordingly and select the route that works best for you, depending on where in the park you’re headed!
Cherry Hill
Starting with the location whose namesake is related to the trees, Cherry Hill welcomes many visitors each year. The area hosts a 14-foot fountain - originally installed as a drinking fountain for horses. Today, you’ll still see many carriages stop for a break and pick up passengers who opt for an old-fashioned ride.
On the path from the fountain toward the Bow Bridge, you can see the iconic El Dorado building framed by flowering branches. If you’d like to visit another well-known location within the park, Bethesda Terrace is a short (less than 10-minute) walk away.
During peak bloom, I highly recommend getting to Cherry Hill early. By 8AM, you’ll see tourist groups come in waves, with the area filling up with more crowds as the day goes on.
Where: between 71st and 72nd Street, near the west side of the park.
Engagement session ideas: If the Loeb boathouse is open, you can also rent a rowboat and go for a romantic boat ride to see the different views in your own private space while your photographer follows on another boat. Each boat costs $25 to rent for an hour and can hold up to 4 people. It’s a great way to wrap up your session.
The boathouse opens at 10AM and lines can get long so try to get there a little early!
Pilgrim Hill
If you visit Cherry Hill first and are ready to be surrounded by more pink popcorn trees, your next stop would be Pilgrim Hill, a short ten-minute walk away.
Pilgrim Hill is on the east side of the park, recognized by a bronze pilgrim statue greeting guests from atop the hill.
Bring a picnic blanket and partake in hanami - the Japanese pastime of celebrating the beauty and impermanence of spring by enjoying the cherry blossoms in revelry. We can document some candid moments during your engagement session while cozying up under the dreamiest canopy of flowering branches or while enjoying some of your favorite snacks.
Where: 73rd Street and 5th Ave, on the east side of the park.
East/West sides of the Reservoir
If you’re taking a leisurely walk around the Hill, starting on the eastern side of the reservoir (upper 80’s to lower 90’s streets), you’ll also see a grove of lined cherry blossom trees. Staying on Bridle Path and heading north, you can see a panoramic view of the city skyline before heading back south on the west side of the reservoir, this time, with brighter okame cherry blossom trees.
Engagement session ideas: start the day at the Met, have lunch, and stroll through the east side of the reservoir.
Central Park Conservatory
A park within the park, at the Central Park Conservatory, you’ll find formal, manicured gardens. Here, you’ll also find another piece of one of the powerhouses in American history: a donation of the Vanderbilt family, an ornate wrought-iron gate.
English, French, or Italian gardens - the Conservatory has them all for you to enjoy, each garden with a fountain of their own.
Where: East side of the park, 104th-106th Streets
Hours: The hours for the Conservatory differ from the rest of the park.
January–February: 8:00 am–5:00 pm
March: 8:00 am–6:00 pm
April: 8:00 am–7:00 pm
May–August 14: 8:00 am–8:00 pm
August 15–31: 8:00 am–7:30 pm
September: 8:00 am–7:00 pm
October: 8:00 am–6:00 pm
November–December: 8:00 am–5:00 pm
Permit: Depending on the type of photoshoot, a permit may be required.
*The garden is current undergoing restoration with completion estimated by early 2025.
RIVERSIDE PARK
If Central Park is feeling a little too crowded or if you’re looking for something to change things up, try Riverside Park nearby. You’ll get views of cherry blossom trees, the Hudson river, and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.
*As of early 2025, Cherry Walk is under construction with an expected completion date of Spring 2025. Hopefully in time for this year’s bloom!
SAKURA PARK
By the north end of Riverside Park is Sakura Park, “sakura” meaning “cherry blossom” in Japanese. Trees in Sakura Park and Riverside Park were both planted from the same delivery of trees from Japan in 1912. If you’ve made it through the 4-mile walk of cherry blossom trees by the water at Riverside Park, it doesn’t hurt to explore a little farther until you have to wait another year to see these trees in bloom again!
ROOSEVELT ISLAND
Roosevelt Island is also a lesser-traveled path but still draws crowds every year. From a place to be avoided to its reformation, the cherry blossom-lined streets overlooking the Ed Koch Bridge and the Upper East side of Manhattan are not to be missed.
Engagement session ideas: If you prefer an extended engagement session with cherry blossoms at different locations, you can start at the Eastern side of Central Park before heading over to 59th Street and 2nd Avenue to take the tramway to Roosevelt Island, which is a unique experience in itself! You can stop by Serendipity 3 for frozen hot chocolate or lunch, which is another well-known location in NYC with unique decor.
If you prefer to stick to Roosevelt Island as the only location, you can also take the F train to the Roosevelt Island stop or drive. During peak bloom, I highly recommend getting there before 10AM as it can be difficult to find a parking spot closer to the blooming trees. There are EV charging spots at Motorgate Garage but they do close it down once its full.
You can walk along W Loop Rd to see the cherry blossom trees facing Manhattan; you can’t miss it. There are benches at intervals to stop and enjoy the view. You can also go to the northern end of the island to see the Lighthouse and a few more Yoshino cherry blossom trees.
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN
Photo Credit: Michael Thomas
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has so many different varieties of cherry blossom trees! Every year, they host a Cherry Blossom Festival near the end of April. Similar to Central Park, they also have a bloom tracker for all the cherry blossom enthusiasts; the tracker shows stages of pre-bloom, first bloom, peak bloom, post bloom. You can find the tracker here.
Typically, the higan and okame cherry blossom trees floom first. In the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, there are some cherry blossom trees and this location provides serenity and peace in the city.
What draws more attention are the kanzan trees in Cherry Esplanade. You’ll find vibrant pink lined trees creating beautiful framing for the your session, perhaps even some blanketing the ground if the timing is just right.
A permit is required for photography. Permits would need to be requested at least two weeks in advance and cost $350 as well as a 4.5% booking fee. The hours below are available to schedule your session:
April–October, 10 am to 4:30 pm
November–March, 10 am to 3 pm
No additional admission price is needed for the couple and photographer once the permit is shown at the entrance.
How to get to BBG:
BBG is easily accessible by subway, including the 2, 3, 4, 5, Q and B lines. Plan ahead as the B line is not available on weekends. And the Q is also not as reliable on weekends, from my experience.
You can also take the LIRR to the Flatbush/Atlantic Avenue stop and transfer to the numbered subway options.
PROSPECT PARK
An alternative to BBG without the permit fee would be Prospect Park next door.
Throughout Long Meadow, you’ll see Brooklynites picnicking under the trees and enjoying the warming weather.
You’ll have more options to add to your photoshoot as well: including the boathouse and Grand Army Plaza.
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
As a Bronx native, the New York Botanic Garden provides pride as one of the places I visited as a child.
The grounds are vast, offering rotating installations and exhibits throughout the year, one of my personal favorites being Yayoi Kusama’s exhibit.
The number of guests allowed for the permit varies per location and there is a lot of ground to cover at the NYBG. If it’s just the two of you for your engagement session (plus one for your photographer!), you’re in the clear for all permissible locations.
There is no indoor photography allowed, which we won’t need for cherry blossom trees. These can be found on the northern end of the garden, in an area aptly named Cherry Valley. Cherry Valley hosts over 200 cherry trees, transforming the landscape into a sea of pink for a short window in the springtime.
Outside of Cherry Valley, you’ll also find the beloved trees dotted around the Ross Conifer Arboretum and even few - but no less beautiful - outside of the Haupt Conservatory, an elegant glass building serving as a green house for tropical species.
The photography permit for a two-hour engagement, wedding, or other special occasion photography session is $250, which is so worth it given the generous amount of time and the amount of grounds to explore.
Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday: 10am - 6pm
How to get to NYBG by public transportation:
The easiest way to get to NYBG from Manhattan would be to take the Metro-North Harlem line from Grand Central Terminal to the Botanical Garden Station, which brings you right across from the garden’s Mosholu Entrance. The next best option would be to take the 2 train (uptown) to Allerton Avenue and walk 15 minutes to the East Gate.
Other subway lines include B, D, and 4 lines with a bus transfer to the Bx25 or Bx26 or a 20 minute walk to the Mosholu Entrance.
HUNTER’S POINT
Photo Credit: NYC Parks
And last but not least: Hunter’s Point in Long Island City, Queens. Arguably one of my favorite spaces where you get the best of both world: the city skyline and a curve of stunning cherry blossom trees.
If you haven’t ventured out of Manhattan, Hunter’s Point, NYBG, and BBG are all worth it but if I had to choose one, it would be Hunter’s Point. You get to see NYC from a different point of view. It’s perfect for a stroll to start your photography session and to ease into photos.
A short 10- to 15-minute walk is Gantry State Plaza, where the skyline is still visible and you can walk on the pier or relax and take in the view for a bit. From here, you can see the Empire State and One Vanderbilt from across the water. There are plenty of restaurants nearby to grab a coffee or lunch after your session while exploring another side of NYC.
How to get there:
Hunter’s Point is easily accessible by taking the 7 train (express or local) to the Vernon Blvd-Jackson Ave stop or by taking the ferry from Kips Bay for a little more of a scenic route. The ferry will set you back $9 per person.
Helpful Resources
NYC Engagement Session Ideas
Engagement Session Locations Outside of NYC (with mansions, gardens, and beaches!)