WELCOME to TIDAL BASIN AND WASHINGTON WATERWAYS collection GO to TIDAL BASIN CHERRY BLOSSOMS gallery RETURN to SCENIC EXPLORATIONS: GARDENS TO PARKS menu The tidal basin is an outdoor exhibition that is familiar to both Washington residents and out of town guests. The cherry blossoms are of course stunning every spring and some of the trees are over a century old. It is possibly the most popular tourist attraction in Washington, but it nonetheless remains possibly the greatest art exhibition in the nation's capital, and viewing it each year is always a new and exciting experience. It never gets old.