MARCH 2026

Adventures With Carli

A monthly round of tips, travels, adventures and what's next

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Hello adventurers!

We've made it to Spring! I love spring because the days are longer, the weather is getting nicer and everything is starting to bloom.

I'm still doing A LOT of content catch up with both my blog, and videos of my epic Eurotrip. Since I started my videos in Milan, to stay in real time as much as possible during the Olympics, I started over from the beginning of my trip. I arrived in London, then spent 10 days around in England. So between those two, I'm about 2/3 of the way through my videos (but less for the blogs) 😅

And if you want to see the video that went viral on Instagram/Facebook and had the Brits losing their collective minds, I've got that linked below. Who knew bacon could be so divisive?

England Playlist

Where in the world is Carli San Diego?

Since returning from Paris (by way of London Heathrow) a month ago I've mostly been hanging out at home, getting back into my yoga routine, and enjoy some things around the city.

Spring is one of my favorite times in Seattle, and is one of the most anticipated (after summer) because of the cherry blossom season 🌸

We might not be as famous as the other Washington when it comes to cherry blossom trees, but that doesn't detract from the natural beauty of our trees while in bloom.

Seattle has a number of areas throughout the city which heavy concentrations of cherry blossom trees. These are a few of the best places around Seattle to enjoy the spring bloom.

University of Washington

By far the most popular (and with good reason) are the cherry blossoms at the University of Washington. There are a few varieties of cherry blossoms on campus that bloom at different times during the spring. But, it's the trees in the Quad that draws swarms of crowds year in and out.

Tips for visiting the UW cherry blossoms:

When to visit: Peak bloom is *typically* right around the Spring Equinox, but it varies each year based on how intense, or lackluster the winter was. The blossoms will still be up around 2 weeks after the "peak" bloom.
The best time to visit is 1) during the UW Spring Break (the last full week of March) 2) in the middle of the week 3) early in the morning. This will ensure you have fewer people crowding the Quad.
Parking: Parking around campus is notoriously terrible. The best options are to use the campus parking garage that is off 15th Ave and exit as close to Kane Hall as possible. Just remember how to get back to the parking garage. This is $5.16 for 2 hours.
University Bookstore: You can park here for "free" for up to 2 hours with a $5 purchase. Snag some fun Husky gear, a new book OR go downstairs to the art and office supply area and pick up a new notebook or fancy pens.
Street parking is a pain, and costs the same amount for an hour as parking in the garage for 2 hours.

*photo from April of 2021, expect a lot more people 😅

Washington Park Arboretum

If you head just south of the University along Montlake, then make your way east towards Lake Washington, you can find your way to the Washington Park Arboretum. The park is free to visit and has a number of beautiful cherry blossom trees. However, these are much more spread out, so they won't be as densely populated as at the University of Washington.

Tips for visiting the Arboretum cherry blossoms:

Where do you find the trees? The cherry blossom trees are mostly located along the Azalea Way trail. You can either start at the Visitor's Center, or near the Japanese Garden.
Note: the Japanese Garden also has some trees, but requires a paid ticket for entry, and is not open every day.
Parking: There is parking near the visitor center, at the Japanese Garden and a small lot just north of the Japanese Garden. These lots are free.
See the rest of the park: There are many different types of trees and plants to enjoy besides the cherry blossoms. Give yourself time to have a leisurely stroll and enjoy some of the other trails

Capitol Hill

A short drive west from the park brings you into one of Seattle's liveliest neighborhoods, Capitol Hill. There is a one block stretch at 21st Ave E & E Aloha St that is a must visit. This residential street is lined with trees creating a beautiful canopy over the street and sidewalks.

Tips for visiting 21st & Aloha:

Be respectful: This is a very residential part of the neighborhood. A lot of people want the wider street shot, but don't get in the way of cars coming & going.
Parking: Parking in this part of the hill is relatively easy, but if you dont see anything on this street, just be prepared to walk a block or two.
Visit 19th Ave: after you've had your photo opp, walk 2 blocks up the street to 19th and either stop by Macrina for one of their delicious pasties or sandwiches, or go to a couple blocks south to Hello Robin which has some of THE BEST cookies in the city. You can thank me later.

Queen Anne

Personally, I think Queen Anne is the best neighborhood in the city. Not for cherry blossoms per se, but in general. Although I'm probably biased, because that's where I've lived for 15 years.

Since this is such a residential neighborhood, particularly once you get up the hill, you will find patches of cherry blossom trees scattered throughout Upper Queen Anne.

Tips for visiting Queen Anne:

Where to go: The easiest spot for enjoying the bloom is on W Highland Drive. There are a few spots along the block, but the biggest is at the corner of Highland and 2nd Ave W. Coincidentally, this is also right next to Kerry Park, Seattle's most famous view point.
Keep heading west: If you continue down the street another 5-6 blocks there is another beautiful grouping of trees, but more importantly Betty Bowen Viewpoint, which looks over the Puget Sound and has views out to the peninsula and Olympic Mountains.
Grab an ice cream: If the weather is nice, start at Molly Moon's one of Seattle's most popular local ice cream shops and grab a scoop (or two). Then walk down towards Kerry Park, head over to the viewpoint, and loop back up. Along with the views, you'll be able to enjoy some of the stunning old homes in the neighborhood.

Green Lake

Last but not least is Green Lake, which is a lake, park, and a neighborhood. This is one of Seattle's most popular parks due to the large lake. There are cherry blossom trees scattered along the path around the lake.

Tips for visiting Green Lake:

Walk the whole lake: Now this isn't necessary if your one goal is to view the trees... but it's a very easy and pleasant 2.8 mile loop.
Parking: Parking during the day is never an issue, but if you show up on the weekend or around 5-6 and it's a really nice day, there will be competition for parking. There are different free lots on the north and south ends of the lake. You can usually find a spot, you just might have to look in 1-2 lots first. This is better than paying for street parking in Green Lake (the neighborhood).

Travel Lessons Learned

I was recently researching rental cars in another country and was shocked at how low the price was. But then I looked a little closer and realized why it was so inexpensive. It was for manual transmission.

For whatever reason, Europe and other parts of the world still have lots of manual transmission cars, which barely exist in America, due the rise of hybrid and electric vehicles.

We're going to travel back to the year 2017. I was traveling in southern Spain with my mom for Thanksgiving. We had rented a car so we could see more of the country and cities outside of Malaga.

When we arrived to pick up the car they informed us it was a manual. Now *technically* I know how to drive a stick shift in the sense that I was taught how. But, I've only ever driven an automatic for my own cards. I didn't want to be liable for destroying their transmission or accidentally rolling down a hill. While my mom is more than capable of driving a stick shift, this would limit us to one driver rather than taking turns.

I explained that we needed a different car, which they had, but it was going to cost more. We were lucky in this instance that it ended up only being around 30-40 euros extra (for the 4 days) which was not a big deal.

Costs are much higher now. When we went to Ireland 2.5 years ago, the cost to rent a standard for a week was more than double the cost of a manual.

Lesson:

It's never fun to have surprise fees when you've already created a trip budget.

Always check what type of transmission you are getting when booking your car. Most rental car booking sites will have a filter to select automatic or manual.

Need help with planning a trip?

Starting to think about travel for Spring Break next year, or even a trip next summer? Reach out for assistance with planning and booking your future travels.

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Blog Posts

Catch up on some of my blog posts below:

The Best of Spring: The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Washington is home to the largest tulip festival in the United States. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a favorite spring event as a quick weekend adventure from Seattle, Bellingham or Vancouver, BC.

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How to Visit London on a Budget and Still Enjoy the Trip

London is an expensive city, but that doesn’t mean your vacation has to be. There are lots of ways to enjoy London on a budget.

Read Article

The Best Sites to See When You Only Have One Day in Krakow

Visiting Krakow but short on time? You can easily see many of the city’s most popular sites during only one day in Krakow.

Read Article

Travel Must Haves

Bluetooth Wireless Audio Transmitter Adapter

Sick of using the airplane headphones because your phone has evolved past the headphone jack? This adaptor will connect the in flight entertainment monitor to your bluetooth headphones.

They're currently discounted for the Amazon spring sale.

Shop Here