Flower festivals and visits to local botanical gardens frequently find themselves at the top of vacation itineraries, especially in the springtime. Held across the country throughout the year, these special events offer experiences that can be as educational as they are awe-inspiring. Let’s see what’s budding at these six flower festivals, featuring floral favorites from daffodils and roses to cherry blossoms and azaleas.
Parade across Washington state in style in Sumner, Washington
For nearly 100 years, individuals and communities throughout Pierce County, south of Seattle, have celebrated the area’s bouquet of about 200 daffodil varieties grown in the Puyallup Valley. What started as a home garden party in the 1920s evolved into the Daffodil Festival, a major annual social event held in late February through early April. Beginning in 1934, instead of tossing out daffodil blooms, participants began using the daffodils as decorations for the now-annual Grand Floral Street Parade. Plan your stay in Sumner for this Springtime fest, which now marches across four local communities.
Check out Mickey’s top topiaries in Orlando, Florida
Immerse yourself in the kind of imaginative scenes carved (or, rather cut) from nature that only Disney could dream up.
Leave it to the Disney “fungineers” to host one of the country’s premiere annual flower festivals. The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival occurs over several weeks each spring, usually starting in late February and extending into May. In addition to alluring garden spaces and wildlife habitats—such as a walk-through butterfly garden—attendees can also snap photos of, and with, dozens of striking Disney-themed topiaries. Book your Orlando hotel for this special event, which also features a concert series, several outdoor kitchens serving up fresh plates and drinks, and all the other magical attractions around the Epcot theme park itself.
Catch the capital in full bloom in Washington, D.C.
There's nothing quite like seeing the cherry blossoms come into full bloom against the historic capital backdrop.
Visitors can appreciate the buildings and natural beauty of Washington, D.C. year-round, but no time of year may be quite as scenic as during the National Cherry Blossom Festival each spring. Signature events associated with the festival, which is usually held in March and April. Book a Washington D.C. hotel and join in the fun of the annual festival parade, the Blossom Kite Festival and Petalpalooza, a daylong extravaganza of art installations, as well as live music and assorted activities. Attendees can also enjoy riverboat, bike, driving and walking tours around the monuments, museums and memorials flanking the National Mall as well as photo safaris led by professional photographers around the Tidal Basin—perfect for cherry blossom photo ops.
Walk away enlightened in San Francisco, California
Get hands-on with gardening pros and give flower arranging a try at the San Francisco Flower Garden Show.
Each spring, the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show wows flower fans with stunning gardens, galleries and displays. Since 1985, this annual event has expanded well beyond the gardens themselves to include a wide range of demonstrations and seminars, both hands-on and spectator-based. The lineup changes each year, but may cover anything from medicinal plants and edible gardening to flower arranging and composting. So plan your stay in San Francisco and mingle with the local gardening pros and nursery owners. They'll enthusiastically answer your questions and share their eye-popping, fragrant—and sometimes even delicious—creations.
Celebrate horticulture and heritage in Wilmington, North Carolina
Ah, azaleas! Who doesn’t enjoy seeing these gorgeous blooms at their peak?
Hailed as the largest festival of its kind in the state, the North Carolina Azalea Festival is a southern sensation of botanic beauty, live entertainment, community pride and family-friendly fun. Book a Wilmington hotel and take part in free events ranging from a street fair with a children’s area and music and multicultural performances to the Azalea Festival Parade, coin show, dockside after-party and even a boxing tournament. The azaleas in full bloom throughout the area during this April event collectively highlight the quaint beauty and heritage of the Carolina coast.
Embrace the beauty (and beautiful history) of roses in Portland, Oregon
Home to traditional blooms, as well as unique and rare varieties not found elsewhere, Portland more than earns its title as City of Roses.
The Portland Rose Festival, designated the city’s official festival, has been deep-rooted into local culture for more than a century and earned Portland its moniker "City of Roses." Plan your stay in Portland for this annual flower festival’s diverse roster of events, ranging from three parades and weeklong city fairs to various races and competitions, including the Rose City Sing-Off, Milk Carton Boat Race and, a new addition, the Rose Festival Cup Golf Championship. The festival also features the Annual Spring Rose Show, the country’s largest and longest-running rose show, where thousands of attendees will peruse award-winning rose gardens from growers based across the Pacific Northwest.