Lately, I've developed a love-hate relationship with cherry blossom season. I love the canopy of delicate pink blooms at cherry blossom-viewing spots around the globe. But the hordes of fellow flower lovers jostling to get the perfect picnic spot or selfie? Not so much.
So this year, I started searching for other spring flower moments that deliver the same sense of magic, minus the shoulder-to-shoulder flora fans and sold-out hotels. As it turns out, the world is full of delightful destinations for bloom-viewing. Think: an entire city turning lavender during jacaranda season, hillsides glowing with roses and fields filled with dazzling wildflowers.
Some blooms come with lively festivals while others transform a landscape for a few fleeting weeks each year. If you're craving a spring trip that still celebrates the season but skips the sakura crowds, these bloom-filled destinations are well worth planning a trip around.
Related: The best places to stay for cherry blossom season
Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa, Ontario
Tulips and the Netherlands might go hand-in-hand, but you can also expect peak crowds if you go flower viewing anywhere near Amsterdam. Instead, try a closer, less globally known option in Canada.
More than 1 million tulips bloom across Ottawa each May, filling parks and waterfront paths with bright swaths of red, yellow, purple, orange and more. The tradition dates back to 1945, when the Dutch royal family sent thousands of bulbs to Canada in thanks for hosting them during World War II.
The largest displays in the Canadian capital are at Commissioners Park and along Dow's Lake, where the colorful rows of petals stretch toward the water. The Canadian Tulip Festival, held at the park from May 8 to 18, features concerts, art installations and evening light displays, culminating in fireworks and a drone show over the lake May 18.
TPG tip: Ottawa's most iconic property is the castlelike Fairmont Chateau Laurier. The elegant accommodations beside Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal put you within easy reach of the city's biggest tulip displays. Room rates start at $357 a night in May and can also be booked through the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program, which offers perks such as daily breakfast for two, a $100 property credit and guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout to select American Express cardholders.
Jacaranda superbloom, Mexico City
A purple wave takes over Mexico City each spring as the city's jacaranda trees burst into flower. If walking under the thousands of amethyst-hued trees feels a little like sakura viewing in Japan, that's a bit by design. It was a Japanese gardener, Tatsugoro Matsumoto, who introduced the trees to the city in the 1920s to recreate the feel of cherry blossoms.
As in Tokyo or other spots in Japan, there is no organized festival here, but from mid-March through April, the periwinkle canopies lining the streets become popular spots for strolls, selfies and picnics.
My favorite part of the city to catch the jacaranda bloom is the leafy Condesa neighborhood, home to Parque Mexico. The oval, 9-acre park is a slice of green in the artsy neighborhood. For even more blooms, head to 1,700-acre Chapultepec Park, the green lungs of the city.
TPG tip: The Andaz Mexico City Condesa is set right in prime jacaranda territory and offers a stylish stay. Don't miss the rooftop pool overlooking the neighborhood's tree-lined streets. Rates start at $291 or 12,000 World of Hyatt points per night in April.
Portland Rose Festival, Portland, Oregon
You don't earn a nickname like "City of Roses" unless you really deliver on the fragrant flower front. And Portland truly blooms to life in late spring with 10,000 spectacularly petaled bushes.
The star attraction is the hillside International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park, where you can easily view thousands of rainbow-hued blooms with the bonus of the backdrop of Mount Hood.
Plan your visit to coincide with some of the festivities surrounding the Portland Rose Festival, which brings a city fair, parades, fireworks and waterfront events from May 22 to June 7. One highlight this year is the newly reimagined CareOregon Grand Floral Starlight Parade, which will start with floral floats, marching bands and more before dusk, then transition into illuminated floats and plenty of glowing effects after the sun sets.
TPG tip: The Nines, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Portland is tucked inside the historic Meier & Frank Building and is one of the city's most stylish, centrally located stays. Rates start at $265 or 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points a night in May.
Related: A look inside the tree-lined main terminal at Portland International Airport
Feria de Patios, Cordoba, Spain
Cordoba is known as the City of Flowers, and in May it celebrates with a series of flower-themed events. The one worth planning a trip around is the Feria de Patios, or Courtyards Festival, which runs from May 4 to 17. It starts with a flower-filled parade called Battle of the Flowers. Then the festival, which has a UNESCO World Heritage designation, shifts its focus to the traditional homes in the walled Old City, whose whitewashed courtyards drip with hanging pots of colorful geraniums, carnations and jasmine; their doors are open to the public to come and look and vote for their favorites. The festival also includes flamenco and lots of food.
TPG tip: The NH Collection Palacio de Cordoba is fresh off a renovation that fully restored an 18th-century palace in the city's historic Jewish Quarter and transformed it into a plush hideaway. There's a courtyard pool, and parts of the Old City walls have been incorporated into several of the spacious rooms. Rates start at $208 per night.
Rochester Lilac Festival, Rochester, New York
If you love aromatic flowers, springtime in Rochester is hard to beat. The lilac bloom takes place in Highland Park, where more than 1,800 bushes spanning 500 varieties fill the air with their signature sweet scent. Peak bloom usually lands in mid-May, when clusters of purple, lavender and white flowers cover the park's rolling hills.
The city's annual Rochester Lilac Festival (May 8 to 17) features live music from more than 80 bands (including one of my personal favorites, The Lone Bellow, on May 10), an arts and crafts show, and plenty of local food stands.
TPG tip: The Strathallan Rochester Hotel & Spa, a DoubleTree by Hilton is a short five-minute drive from Highland Park. There's a popular steakhouse with outdoor seating as well as a rooftop bar with views over the city's historic Neighborhood of the Arts. Nightly rates start at $226 or 60,000 Hilton Honors points in May.
Luoyang Peony Festival, Luoyang, China
In China, peonies are known as the "King of Flowers," and nowhere celebrates them quite as royally as Luoyang, where they've been cultivating the ruffled beauties for 1,500 years, since the Tang dynasty.
Every April, gardens across the city burst into a full spectrum of rosy hues as millions of peonies bloom in shades ranging from soft blush pink to deep crimson. Many of the largest displays appear at the Luoyang National Peony Garden, where enormous blossoms the size of dinner plates fill the landscaped grounds.
Beyond the gardens, the Luoyang Peony Festival (April 15 to 25) features cultural performances including traditional Chinese dance and music, workshops in crafts such as calligraphy, myriad food stalls, and lantern displays celebrating the flower's symbolism of prosperity and honor.
TPG tip: In the heart of Luoyang's business district, the modern Luoyang Marriott Hotel offers a central location, a large heated indoor pool, and both an international and Chinese restaurant on-site. Rates start at $84 or 36,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night in April.
Daffodil Days, Newport, Rhode Island
Good day, sunshine! If you survived this year's long Northeast winter, the glowing yellow fields of 1.5 million daffodils in Newport may be the spring awakening you need. After you explore the five fields throughout town filled with miles of buttery blooms, there is an array of festive events to check out as part of Daffodil Days celebrations that extend from March 14 to April 30.
Stroll through Newport to see how shops and restaurants "get the yellow out"; watch the annual Daffy Dog Paw-Rade on April 11, when dressed-up pups parade from the Black Dog on Bannister's Wharf to historic Queen Anne Square; hop on Coastal Queen Cruises for a special Daffodil Days Lighthouse Cruise; or "Dash Past the Daffodils" for a scenic marathon, half marathon or 5K.
TPG tip: Make the boutique Gardiner House hotel your home base during Daffodil Days. Don't miss stopping at its buzzy Studio Bar; its signature restaurant, Flora; or GH Provisions, a cafe specializing in French pastries. Nightly rates start at $240 in the spring.
Tonami Tulip Fair, Tonami, Japan
Sakura aren't the only game in town when it comes to fabulous floral displays in Japan. Instead of looking up at the trees, focus your attention on the ground at the Tonami Tulip Fair. About a two-hour train ride west of Tokyo, the fair celebrates the 3.5 million tulips spanning 300 varieties that burst into full bloom from late April to early May.
Check out the multihued florals from the Tulip Tower and Tulip Skywalk, where you can also eye the geoglyph design formed from more than 200,000 individual flowers. There's also a 13-foot-high tunnel of tulips, a hydroponic flowerbed and a Dutch-style garden among the flower viewing options. The Tulip Fair runs from April 22 to May 5 and includes live entertainment and special areas for children, too. And don't miss the very special Tulip Fair mascot, a giant walking tulip that shares more than a passing resemblance, I think, to the Kool-Aid Man.
TPG tip: The Mercure Toyama Tonami Resort & Spa is the spot to relax after a day of flower-fueled sightseeing. There's an on-site onsen for deep soaking and a mix of traditional tatami rooms and modern hotel accommodations. Rates start at $91 per night in the spring; join the Accor Live Limitless loyalty program to save up to 5% on bookings.
The Flower Fields, Carlsbad, California
This colorful floral attraction just north of San Diego has one of the longest seasons of anything on this list: The Flower Fields in Carlsbad has 80 million (yes, you read that right) Giant Tecolote ranunculus spread across 55 festively hued acres.
Southern California's superbloom destination is open March 1 through May 10, so there's plenty of time to enjoy the carpet of colors. Some popular ways to see the blooms include "pedal to the petals" bike rides and wagon rides. Plus, there's live music, food trucks, arts workshops, wine tasting and even yoga classes among the flowers.
TPG tip: Hotel Solea, a brand-new Autograph Collection hotel, opened next door to the flower fields in early March, just in time for the superbloom. Not only does the hotel offer a prime location near the flower fields, but it also has a private entrance to Legoland California. Rates start at $276 or 41,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night this spring.
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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