I’ve spent the last 12 years chasing that specific ‘April window’ across the U.S. It’s a tricky month—I often found myself gambling between a late winter chill and the first real hit of humidity—but when I got it right, it was an awesome time to travel. These are the 14 spots that, in my experience, actually lived up to that huge springtime hype (and a few tips on what to watch out for, like those unpredictable wildflower blooms)…
1. Naples, Florida
I found Naples in spring to be a fine, pedestrian-friendly gem with 27°C breezes, juicy avocado toast breakfasts, low-rise pastel stucco-style buildings, and even dolphin spotting (which totally made my trip)! It was quiet and uncrowded, a bit like a very elegant Miami but without all the craziness.
I split my days between bouncing around the Everglades on an airboat tour, checking out the latest skincare brands at Bluemercury and watching in awes at world-class athletes during the US Open Pickleball tournament.
I opted for the 4-star boutique Inn at Pelican Bay (I loved the cool little fire pits and my cloud-like Serta® pillow-top mattress) was and I really liked that it was the type of place where I could either hang out on a dreamy white-sand beach or check out an upscale boutique on Five Avenue South!
2. Texas Hill Country
After just a 90 minutes drive from Austin, I became fully immersed into Texas Hill Country’s famed ‘Bluebonnet Season’ where I was driving around the Willow City Loop – a road that was very photogenically lined with sweet-smelling bluebonnets and scarlet Indian paintbrushes – and taking several stops with my trusty camera!
I stopped by the quaint German-style town of Fredericksburg, checked out wine cellars (the earthy-tasting Tempranillo was a stand-out!), tackled the gently curved pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock and filled up with aggressive amounts of peach cobbler and breakfast tacos. The wildflowers bloom timings are unpredictable each year though, so I’d definitely recommend checking the local reports before you go!
Where I stayed: Instead of staying in a standard hotel I went for a cute little Swiss-style log cabin at Barons CreekSide Resort where I sat on the porch at dusk, watched fireflies buzz around the creek and listened to the sound of the live Polka band in the distance!
3. Santa Catalina Island, California
I opted for a spring break here when I wanted a very different type of US break and it was an awesome choice – it actually felt like I was in a completely different country. With its white stucco buildings topped with red tile, it actually felt a bit like the Mediterranean!
My stay at the boho boutique Avalon Hotel was all koi ponds, rooftop sunbathing, and thoughtful turn-down treats (such as the cute hand-wrapped sea-salt caramels)! In fact my whole stay was filled with cute little personal touches that it made the one hour mainland ferry ride from Long Beach feel like a very small price to pay!
The main city Avalon, was really outdoor-activity focused with boats galore and I spent my days paddle-boarding and trekking the wild and untamed Hermit Gulch Trailhead. My evenings were spent with a fiery Dragonberry Mojito in hand at the glamorous (but not luckily not intimidating!) Descanso Beach Club.
4. Antelope Valley, California
Most people head to Lancaster in early spring for the flowers (the orange Californian poppies in particular, but also lupines and cream cups too) and it was my reason too! I headed up there on a two-hour drive from Los Angeles and as well as giving me a break from the smog it felt like a completely different world!
As well as exploring the miles of very photogenic flower-lined trails, the starting up of the BLVD Farmers’ Market was also another big draw for me. There was something just so spring-like about wandering around the artisan food stalls, snacking on tangy green almonds and tucking a jar of smoky, sweet, Bee & Bramble Velvet Amber Reserve into my tote bag!
5. Tidal Basin and Washington DC
Most people head to D.C. for the monuments this was another place I also went for the flowers! I found that the famous pink blooms of beautiful blossoms were still thankfully hanging around this month (they usually peak in March, although definitely check their status before you go)! I loved how the loop trail took me through a hazy cloud of sweet cherry blossom perfume — then suddenly flipped to the zesty scent of crabapples!
With the waterfront Petalpalooza in full swing and miles of pink-canopied paths taking me past the Jefferson and MLK memorials, it felt all very romantic (and very different feel from when I last visited on a winter break). I flew straight into DCA and checked into the elegant city boutique Hamilton Hotel – all in all, it was an easy and very photogenic short city break!
6. Port Townsend, Washington
I have a huge soft spot for quaint little slow-paced towns filled with beautifully preserved historic buildings and Port Townsend most definitely fit the bill! I took a two-hour drive from Seattle, the air turned a little more crisp (7°C to 16°C) and then I finally arrived at a little community filled with 19th- century buildings with spring blossom lined streets. I also admired how the community treated Earth Day Beach Clean Up like a fun local festival!
I split my time between watching whales in Admiralty Inlet, shopping for local honey at the Farmers Market on Tyler Street (the Bluebonnet Bee Farm was a stand-out!) and wandering intriguing trails in Fort Worden State Park before heading back to the century-old (and slightly musty smelling!) Manresa Castle—which was all Prussian-inspired dark walnut wood and ornate red interiors!
7. Sedona, Arizona
I could have patted myself on my back for opting for a stay in Sedona during April. It was warm and sunny (but not melt-your-mascara kind of hot thankfully!) and I loved seeing the towering red rock cliffs glow in the sun. Timing my visit for the soulful four day Sedona Yoga Festival was an extra bonus and it was where I got to try the mystical”Kundalini” for the first time!
I drove from Flagstaff and I balanced strenuous hiking at the steep-but-worth-it Cathedral Rock (via the Back O’ Beyond Trailhead) with an ultra-relaxing Ancestral Basalt Stone Massage at Mii Amo Spa, then headed back to the romantic Inn Above Oak Creek Sedona where I patted Moki – the resident glossy black resident Spaniel – before relaxing in my very own private jacuzzi!
8. Flint Hills, Kansas
I spent time in the Flint Hills during this month and discovered the tallgrass prairie which had photogenically turned electric green and was dotted with pretty little purple, white and yellow wildflowers. I also found that I had the almost unearthly quiet trails mostly to myself — apart from the occasional wandering bison, deer and prairie dog that is!
After traveling just over two hours southwest of Kansas City, I nested down in a boho luxury tent at the Flint Hills Glamping – the cute copper lanterns, macramé cushions and sitting on my porch with a Watt’s Coffee Co. Americano made it feel all very extra special! It was handily located near the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and I found that hiking the Prairie Trailhead (by the Visitor Center) and even cruising along the Flint Hills Scenic Byway (KS-177) all felt wonderfully untamed!
9. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Taking a vacation in Myrtle Beach during this month actually felt like I’d discovered some kind of cheat code — I experienced 20°C to 23°C days, a gentle Atlantic breeze, but (most importantly for me!) none of all that crazy summer chaos and crowds so I could easily find a great spot on the beach.
I flew into MYR then I spent a two week vacation getting vertigo on the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel, diving into Myrtle Beach Food Truck Festival (dangerously good street food, especially the zesty Carolina Gold Fried Green Tomato Tacos!), busting retro “shag” moves at SOS Spring Safari, and swinging by the legendary The Bowery and gorging on their salty, addictive Double D’s Dill Chips. Evenings and mornings were spent at the 4-star Marina Inn at Grande Dunes where I even squeezed in playing tennis on the springy Har-Tru courts.
10. Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
Being a secret Bluegrass fan I always longed to visit Blue Ridge Parkway and last year I managed it. I wasn’t disappointed at all and my week was a heady mix of high-altitude views, deep-rooted culture and music of course! I timed my visit perfectly to catch both the Blue Ridge Music Trails Spring Concert Series and the nearby legendary MerleFest (which is a must-see if you’re in the area later on in the month)!
The trees were just beginning to come out in bud, pretty trillium and mountain laurel lined the tranquil trails, and I experienced a comfortable 15°C to 21°C climate that was just perfect for hiking and scenic drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
A stay at the trendy 4-star Blind Tiger Hotel in Asheville and stop at the Blue Ridge Music Center both turned out to be excellent choices – and in the latter I spent way too much time at the interactive touchscreens exploring different banjo styles and geeking out in their professional-grade sound booth!
11. San Diego, California
I’d visited San Diego in the summer before, but to honest I much preferred the city during the spring. It had just such an easy, more local feel about the place and I didn’t have to deal with all the peak-season crowds either which was a huge plus for me.
The weather was just as sunny though and after I took the scenic route down the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles, one minute I was spotting sea lions basking at La Jolla Cove and the next I was caught up in the awesome Little Italy ArtWalk, which had transformed the streets into a massive open-air gallery.
While the beaches weren’t quite swim-ready without a wetsuit retreating back to the funky 4-star Pearl Hotel in Point Loma more than made up for it. It totally nailed that “Mid-century cool” vibe – I relaxed in hammocks around the swimming pool, sunk into the heavenly Parachute Home bed and donned spa-like Finery x Casetta poplin bathrobes!
12. Nantucket Island, Massachusetts
I much prefer visiting places before peak season crowds arrive, and Nantucket was definitely one of those—even if it meant braving slightly cool temperatures (11°C to 13°C).
Taking the ferry from Hyannis in late April, I discovered an island that was just waking and I could wander the windswept landscapes, salt-crusted beaches and even the chic Historic District boutiques in complete peace (I just found that some of the restaurants were still closed).
It wasn’t all peace though, as I got to join the 50th Anniversary of the Daffodil Festival and the quirky Daffy Hat Pageant which I saw really bought out the island’s fun community-driven side. My mornings began on the veranda with a steaming cup of Sconset Blend coffee, followed by a refreshing vitamin C–infused shower — it was “quiet luxury” done exceptionally well at the 4-star boutique 21 Broad Hotel, which felt like a modern sea captain’s home!
13. Bisti Badlands, New Mexico
There was a particular kind of silence here in spring — a heavy, sun-baked stillness that made me feel like the last person on Earth. I gazed at landscapes filled with pale clay washes, petrified wood, and gravity-defying hoodoos that looked more like a sci-fi film set than a terrestrial canyon (seriously)!
With temperatures hovering between 15°C and 21°C, Yucca were beginning to show signs of spring and a charming mission-style oasis base at Casa Blanca Inn & Suites in Farmington it was a very unique spring break —though I’ll warn you, a reliable GPS was definitely a non-negotiable here, as the lack of marked trails make it very easy to lose your bearings (I got lost a few times)!
14. Caddo Lake, Texas and Louisiana
I personally thought there was a haunting, almost cinematic beauty to Caddo Lake in the spring, the heady maze of Spanish moss and ancient cypress trees actually made it feel like a spooky film set! Temperatures hovered between 21°C and 27°C so it was the perfect window to paddle those surreal waters before the heavy Southern humidity rolled in.
Between the local charm of the Earth Day Festival and the treasure hunting at the Old Vault in nearby Jefferson, the atmosphere was an intriguing mix of “mysterious swamp” and small-town quirk.
I headed out on a Mossy Brake Camp Swamp Tour listening to Patrick’s quirky stories, spotting turtles and eerie alligators (pictured above), and breathing in lungfuls of the earthy smell of moss and wet reeds before retiring back to my quirky base for the week quirky Moonglow Lodge.
Author’s Travel Note:
For over 12 years, I’ve traveled the US year-round, choosing characterful stays and unforgettable experiences over the obvious choices. Everything featured here is from my own trips — and were fully self-funded (no sponsored trips here)!
