4 best states to visit for the vibrant spring wildflower blooms
Birds are chirping, the sun is staying up longer, and tax refunds are direct-depositing. That means it's almost spring, y'all!
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 tax season, annual bonuses, and gift cards and red envelopes from the holiday season. However, you don't have to travel abroad for a scenic backdrop. Some of the best destinations for spring flowers are right in America's backyard.
I've rounded up some of the prettiest flower blooms across the USA so you can immerse yourself in wildflowers - wine glass in hand optional. So grab your allergy medication and start setting some flight alerts!
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 iconic 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 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, so if you are crowd-avoidant, visiting a week before or after the projected peak bloom time can help cut both congestion and prices.
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.
Hotels with flower views: Morrison Clark Historic Inn
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! Not only is the Windmill Island Gardens picturesque and near-epic destinations for adventuring, exploring, and stuffing your face, 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!
Hotels with flower views: Haworth Hotel
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, fittingly known as the birthplace of Texas. The bluebonnets bloom every spring and the best time to see them is in April, though sometimes they bloom as early as March and hang around into May so you have some wiggle room for scheduling.
While the fields are blanketed in blue, you'll also see red paintbrushes, yellow buttercups and purple wine cups mixed in. It's a true wildflower paradise, and one of the best places to find amazingly bright and beautiful spring flowers in the US. 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 - ESPECIALLY in Texas. Don't climb fences and don't smash or pick the flowers.
Hotels with flower views: The Dixie Motel Brenham
One of the best spots in California to catch some flower action this spring is the Carlsbad Flower Fields, Lake Elsinore, Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, each a short day trip from Los Angeles.
Every spring, the Carlsbad Ranch turns into a flower paradise with almost 50 acres of brightly colored poppies and wildflowers in full bloom. Most official flower spots, like the Carlsbad Flower Fields open from March 1st through May 10th, 2020 and are open during daylight hours. 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.
If you choose to visit wild wildflowers, please stay on the already trodden paths to prevent damaging the flowers and hindering their bloom for the following years. Be mindful that February into early March is the tail end of Southern California's rainy/mudslide season and April brings the start of music festivals like Coachella.
Hotels with flower views: The Cassara Carlsbad
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