³ÉÈËXÕ¾

MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Where you can (and can’t) see tulips, cherry blossoms in Washington

Mar 16, 2021, 1:44 PM

tulip festival spring weather...

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival under cloudy, rainy skies. (MyNorthwest photo)

(MyNorthwest photo)

There’s good news and bad news for flower fans this spring in Washington state.

CDC recommends you do not travel for spring break to limit COVID spread

Starting with the good news: The Tulip Festival in Skagit County plans to return for 2021 with new rules, and with reserved tickets available for both Tulip Town and RoozenGaarde.

There will be restrictions on how many people can visit the fields and gardens based on COVID guidelines established by the state and county, but the ticketing policy is set for both sites. The does warn that tickets are nonrefundable, and visitors will have to pick a time and date to see the flowers.

will limit the number of guests, but is planning to open earlier and stay open later. Daily attendance will also be limited at this year. If you or anyone in your group is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, you’re asked to stay home. As in any public place statewide, face coverings are required.

As of March 7, the tulips were not yet blooming in Skagit County. When they start to bloom each year depends on the weather in March, but mid-April is historically the best time for peak tulip blooms in the gardens and fields.

Tourist-oriented La Conner copes with losing biggest festival of year

Now for the bad news: The University of Washington in Seattle is asking people to view the cherry blossoms from home again this year in order to reduce crowding and limit the spread of COVID-19.

UW Video has a overlooking the Quad, and there’s a with photos from campus that will be updated throughout the blooming season. You can also follow updates from the UW’s cherry blossom Twitter account .

is not tracking full bloom timing this year due to the pandemic.

“Please avoid coming to campus to see the cherry blossoms and instead enjoy them virtually,” UW News writes. “Campus buildings along the Quad are closed to the public and restrooms are not available.”

If you’re lucky, maybe a neighboring house or street, or even a local park, has a cherry blossom tree you can view up close, safely distanced from others. The UW says there are dozens of different varieties of blossoming cherry and plum trees in the Seattle area, with blooms visible from early February until May for some. Keep an eye out for those beautiful pink blooms in the next few weeks.

The Seattle Department of Transportation also has an i across the city. Search for trees with the “Prunus” genus to find cherry and plum trees near you.

MyNorthwest News

sea-tac flights europe...

Julia Dallas

Sea-Tac screenings to scale back as homeland security ends surveillance program

DHS terminated the Quiet Skies program, affecting Sea-Tac airport screenings. Learn more about the changes and their implications.

2 hours ago

SIFF Cinema Egyptian in Capitol Hill (Photo courtesy of SIFF Cinema)...

MyNorthwest Staff

SIFF non-profit slashes staff after festival ends

SIFF announces layoffs of nine full-time employees, reducing its workforce by 21% after the festival wraps up.

4 hours ago

Travis Decker (1)...

Luke Duecy

Court records reveal custody issues for man at center of a national manhunt

Court records expose custody challenges faced by Travis Decker, shedding light on his personal struggles and family dynamics.

4 hours ago

Tree collision WB 90 near milepost 21 (Photo: Trooper Rick Johnson)...

MyNorthwest Staff

Chihuahua missing after crash on I-90 injures driver near MP 21

A westbound I-90 crash near milepost 21 leaves a driver injured and a chihuahua unaccounted for after the accident.

5 hours ago

sequim fisherman the Dungeness Spit Headland...

Jason Sutich

Body of lost Sequim fisherman found, missing since May 14

Ty Coone's body was found near Dungeness Spit after he went missing in mid-May, shedding light on local fishing safety concerns.

6 hours ago

Seattle mountaineer Mt. McKinley...

Jason Sutich

WA mountaineer dies after 3,000-foot fall on Mt. McKinley mountain route

Tragic accident claims life of mountaineer on popular Denali route, highlighting risks of climbing in Mount McKinley National Park.

8 hours ago

Where you can (and can’t) see tulips, cherry blossoms in Washington