Best Spring Flowers in the US: Go Wildflower Hopping this Season!

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Birds are chirping, seeds are sprouting, and tax refunds are depositing. That means it’s Spring y’all!! Or at least, almost Spring. And while there are a ton of party-rockin’ cities blaring up for Spring Break all across the United States of America…maybe you’re craving a different vibe this season. It may come as a surprise, but at the same time people are getting blackout drunk across the nation, there are also millions of beautiful flowers blooming throughout the rolling hills. So perhaps this time, enjoy the season by exploring the best spring flowers in the US!

Spring is one of the best times to travel. Point. Blank. Period. Flights and accommodation are the CHEAPEST they will be for the entire year, the crowds are low, and your wallet is plump from the holidays, tax season, and annual bonuses. You’re good to go!

Along with a few other bloggers with an eye for natural beauty, I’ve rounded up some of the prettiest spots around America to immerse yourself in the wildflowers. So grab your allergy medication and start setting some flight alerts!

Cherry Blossoms in Washington D.C.

By Jordan from The Solo Life

Although Washington, D.C. is a wonderful place to visit almost all year long, it is especially popular during the spring. And with good reason. Springtime in D.C. means the Cherry Blossoms are blooming. Each year, more than 1.5 million people visit the nation’s capital in March and April to catch peak bloom of the famous Cherry Blossom trees that line the Tidal Basin and other areas in D.C.

Although it is a popular -and therefore overcrowded- time to visit, it is definitely still worth it. The blooms vary in color, from white to a spectrum of pinks. They are beautiful even when not quite at peak bloom! The Cherry Blossom Festival also takes place around peak bloom every year and includes a Kite Festival, Parade, and Petalpalooza, with live music and fireworks. If planning to visit D.C. during the Spring, don’t forget to enjoy the Cherry Blossoms as well as all the museums and monuments. 

Cherry Blossoms in New York City

By James from Travel Collecting

New York City has two great botanical gardens and, of course, Central Park, that burst into bloom in the spring.  While almost every park in New York City heralds the coming of spring with daffodils in late March to tulips later in the month, the showstopper is definitely the city’s cherry blossoms. Every year, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens holds a Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival), usually around late April at peak bloom.  The festival boasts an incredible alley of cherry trees that form a tunnel of pink flowers.

Central Park also displays rows of magnificently full cherry trees, perfectly framing the Manhattan’s skyline. Another place to catch the blossoms would be in The New York Botanical Gardens. Located in the Bronx, you have the opportunity to explore a different borough as well as stroll under the wonderfully pink canopies in a less crowded park. The botanical gardens will also be brimming with lilacs, magnolias, and dogwoods!

Tulips in Oregon

By Kay from The Awkward Traveller

Believe it or not, you don’t have to fly all the way to the Netherlands for a vibrant tulip field. Nestled right in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon is home to some of the most beautiful spring flowers in the US! Specifically, the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Oregon. The farm opens in late March until May, with acres of the blooms in every direction!

Weekday prices are $5 USD a person, and $8 USD/person on weekends (max of $20 a car though, so pile in!). Aside from just frolicking in the fields, the farm also has daily activities and weekend festivals every week throughout Spring! There are photo-op boards, cow train (does not use actual cows), vineyard tasting room, and tons of tulip bulbs and other flowers for sale! Weather dependent, there are even hot air balloons!

In terms of accessibility, the majority of the farm is dirt, gravel, and grass. Though, there are some paved areas near the building. If you use a wheelchair or mobility device, keep that in mind along with the weather (it would definitely be more difficult in mud!). Plus, dogs are permitted on a leash, so feel free to bring your furry family members!

Tulips in Michigan

By Olivia from O.Christine

If you are itching to visit Dutch windmill gardens during the tulip season but are stuck stateside, you’re in luck! Visit Holland, Michigan for your flower fix. It is home to the only authentic, working Dutch windmill in the United States and offers a fantastic opportunity for a spring and summer floral getaway. 

This small city in the midwest offers an amazing Dutch garden experience, one of the best outside of the Netherlands! Totally serious. Not only is the Windmill Island Gardens picturesque and near-epic destinations for adventuring, exploring, and stuffing your face (AHEM, – Grand Rapids), it is also part of an amazing dual-weekend tulip festival that welcomes thousands of visitors each year. 

Keep an eye out for all sorts of flowers throughout the spring and summer season at the gardens, but if you want to go there for the colorful tulips specifically, be sure to visit Holland during Tulip Time during early May (over 100,000 bulbs are planted at the Windmill Island Garden alone). This Holland festival is praised as the country’s best small-town festivals!

Bluebonnets in Texas

By Erin from Sol Salute

Texas’ official flower is the bluebonnet and the best place to see fields of blue every spring is, without a doubt, Brenham in Washington County. This is the birthplace of Texas and taking photos in the many bluebonnet fields is one of the best things to do in Brenham. They bloom every spring and the best time to see them is in April. Sometimes they bloom as early as March and hang around into May. 

While the fields are blanketed in blue, you’ll also see red Indian Paintbrushes, buttercups and wine cups mixed in. It’s a true wildflower paradise, and one of the best places to find amazingly beautiful spring flowers in the US.

You’ll see fields and fields of flowers along Highway 290 coming into town from Houston. Most pastures are free and open for you to set up your own little photoshoot but don’t forget to be respectful of private property. Don’t climb fences and don’t smash or pick the flowers.  

While in town, visit the famous Blue Bell Ice Creamery for a scoop or two of the country’s best ice cream. Finish the perfect Spring day by going antique shopping in the historic downtown before driving back to the big city. 

For even more Texas flowers, check out where to find tulips in Texas, by Angie from The Lovely Escapist.

Wildflowers in Arizona

By Janet from Go Learn Things

In the spring, Tucson, Arizona basks in the glory of the Sonoran Desert, cradled by five mountain ranges. Spring wildflowers bloom early in the Sonoran and stay deep into summer, much longer than most flower destinations. The diversity of the desert floor, deep canyons, riparian oasis, and Sky Island mountain peaks provides new types of flowers every month from February to July.

That said, it IS a desert, and water is scarce. Therefore, many of the flowers are very delicate blooms with minimal foliage, such as the fragile Desert Bells and Desert Stars that spread across the desert floor. Each morning, the Evening Primrose closes up in the heat and opens its beautiful lemon yellow petals each evening, so the view varies even throughout the day.

Even the cactuses bloom! Hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and hawks flock to the sweet nectar of blooming saguaros, chollas, and prickly pears. It’s definitely a destination that warrants a road trip and some singalong tunes!

Wildflowers in California

By Cherise from Cherise and Shine

Southern California is a place of unparalleled beauty and a variety of wildflowers. Flowers may not be the first things that come to mind when you’re thinking about Los Angeles proper, but in Ventura County, Orange County, Malibu and even peppered throughout LA’s blank space (it’s a very spread out city), you can find beautiful trails filled with happy wildflowers. Based on where blooms have sprung in past years, here are some areas to consider searching for spring flowers in the US – specifically Southern California! 

(As always, please be a conscientious hiker and remember to stay on the trails. Try your hand at some creative shoot angles or take a stab at photo editing to get the shot you want and avoid trampling any flowers.)

~ Where to Find Wildflowers in California ~

CALIFORNIA POPPIES: If you were anybody on social media during California’s Spring 2019 super bloom, chances are you’ve heard of Lake Elsinore’s California Poppies at Walker Canyon—for better or for worse. If you’re hoping to see poppies this spring, I would actually recommend that you visit Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve (1.5-hour drive north of LA), as it is better equipped to sustain crowds of people. Poppies also appear in other places you may not expect, so keep your eyes peeled! I found a lovely patch of poppies in Simi Valley’s Corriganville Park (45-minute drive northwest of LA).

MUSTARD FLOWERS & COAST SUNFLOWERS: I would make the controversial argument that these other bright yellow blooms are even more fun to photograph than California poppies, and they tend to be easier to find (in the case of mustard flowers, this is sadly due to the fact that they’re an invasive weed…so they grow EVERYWHERE)! Embark on a hike through Point Dume in Malibu, Big Sky in Simi Valley or just take a drive on the 101 through Calabasas to see them everywhere. Or you can head south and check out the wildflowers surrounding San Diego!

BONUS – CHERRY BLOSSOMS: Okay, so not wildflowers. But if you want to see some sakura blossoms in Los Angeles, head over to Lake Balboa! A number of trees dot the pathway around the lake, and parking/entry is free to this lovely little haven.

MORE Wildflowers in California

By Clare from Driving Me Nomad

One of the best spots in California to catch some flower action this spring is the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Every spring, the Carlsbad Ranch turns into a flower paradise with almost 50 acres of brightly colored Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers in full bloom. The Flower Fields officially open from March 1st through May 10th, 2020 and is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM. However, the best time to plan your visit is right in the middle month of April, since the flowers are still blooming in March, and some start wilting in May.

The fields are huge but it’s accessible for everyone. You can also take a tractor wagon ride around the field if you’d like to cover the entire area without breaking a sweat. There are plenty of photo ops throughout the field but if you get hungry, there are many booths and stands that sell refreshments and snacks (like funnel cake). If you get bored frolicking through the flower fields, there are many great beaches and breweries nearby.

Lavender in Washington State

By Melissa from Wit and Folly

Every summer, a vibrant parade of violet and purple hues come blooming in full force to break up the usual monotonous greys of the Pacific Northwest. Not that there’s anything wrong with PNW moody vibes. Buuuut, who can resist the sweet aroma of lavender under open blue skies and a mild sea breeze? Not to mention copious amounts of lavender ice cream. Lots and lots of ice cream.

Only a few hours away from Seattle near the coastal town of Port Angeles, you’ll find “Sunny Sequim.” It is home to over ten lavender farms, each with their own charms and only a few miles apart along the Sequim Lavender Trail in Sequim-Dungeness Valley.

There’s really so much to do and explore on the Olympic Peninsula, but if you’re here mainly for the lavender, then the best time to visit is when the lavenders are in full bloom, typically from early July through August, depending on other environmental factors. There’s also the annual Sequim Lavender Festival (July 17-19, 2020) with additional activities in the area, including U-Pick farm tours, local art, and live music. 

If you’re looking to avoid the crowds though, I’d also recommend visiting anytime during the lavender season. Most of the farms are open to visitors outside the three-day festival period. Some farms even host tours and workshops to help visitors learn more about the lavender oil distillation process. Yanno, something else to indulge your senses in on all things lavender.

Spring Flowers in the US : Conclusion

And that’s just scratching the surface! There are plenty of beautiful destinations to find blooming spring flowers in the US! What are some of your suggestions?

And once you’ve got your fill on spring flowers in the US, consider heading north! Victoria, BC in Canada is home to the Butchart Gardens, and is a world-renown garden. Or jet to the other side of the world to see the Dubai Miracle Gardens in the UAE!

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