Last Updated on February 15, 2024
I know well the crazy wild rains that have drenched North America’s West Coast this winter. My family in San Diego has experienced them.
There’s a positive side to all this rainfall. We are about to experience another year of super blooms bursting from the West Coast into areas of the Southwest and Midwest. I can say that we’re already seeing evidence of this in my hometown.
Let’s look at destinations where botanical lovers can spot this year’s most amazing super blooms!
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, the waterfront capital of British Columbia, embraces the region’s natural beauty year-round. It holds the title of Canada’s “City of Gardens,” and is home to incredible cherry blossoms, wildflowers and curated gardens.
The city also touts numerous sustainability designations, serving as a global leader in eco-friendly tourism and citywide initiatives to help preserve and improve its green spaces.
Thanks to the mild climate, Victoria’s thousands of cherry blossom trees begin to bloom as early as February and into May. Flower lovers won’t want to miss a visit to the iconic Butchart Gardens, which features thousands of blooms in the colorful botanical wonder. It celebrates its 120th year in 2024.
Don’t miss the Sunken Garden, which is a sight like no other. Encompassing five acres, this garden is home to 65,000 bulbs planted for the spring season. Additionally, the destination hosts the Greater Victoria Flower Count which will begin March 6, 2024.
This is a celebration of springtime, where the local community is urged to report on the number of blossoms they can see in a challenge to become the “Bloomingest Community” of the Greater Victoria area.
Richmond, British Columbia
Located just outside of Vancouver in British Columbia, Richmond is a hub for spring blooms across the city.
Running from March to May, visitors can enjoy cherry blossom season to marvel at the beautifully colored trees, making for scenic views and great photos. Some of the best places for spotting the blossoms include Garry Point Park, Grant McConachie Way and Larry Berg Flight Path Park.
The city hosts the annual Richmond Cherry Blossom Festival in April (exact 2024 dates to be announced), which is a free event celebrating the arrival of spring and the Japanese tradition of cherry blossom viewing (or “hanami”).
The festival includes live music and cultural performances, demonstrations about kimonos, sushi rolling, calligraphy, origami, bonsai pruning and more, as a robust celebration of the vibrant Asian culture that can be seen throughout Richmond.
Beyond cherry blossoms, visitors to Richmond can also check out Lavenderland, the first lavender farm in the Greater Vancouver area boasting seven acres of eco-friendly farmed lavender. Travelers can experience Lavenderland from the early summer through the end of September to enjoy their carefully cultivated selection of four different lavender species, stroll through the fields, purchase wellness products and more.
San Luis Obsipo County, California
Last year, SLO CAL (San Luis Obispo County) saw historic rains sweep across the central coast which brought historic super blooms that could be seen from space. With the recent 2024 showers, more showstopping florals are expected to bloom.
Every spring, SLO CAL sees beautiful spring flowers blossom in various hues. As you enter the county from Highway 58, travel past the town of Santa Margarita and turn left on Shell Creek Road, you’ll find a tapestry of blooming flowers.
Avenales Ranch is where the ultimate wildflower viewing is located and the Stinton family owners have kept the land unfenced to share with visitors. From Baby Blue Eyes and yellow Goldfields to white-tipped Tidy Tips, it is a true sight to behold.
Afterward, head further east on Highway 58 until reaching Bitterwater Road to spy the orangey tones of the California poppy, blues of the lupine, and golden Fiddlenecks for miles.
Next, travel further into Santa Margarita to the Carrizo Plain National Monument to witness the nearly 250,000 acres of rolling hills. This untouched portion of SLO CAL fills with incredible colors each spring that can only be described as something out of a Van Gogh painting.
Lastly, venture towards the coast to the Montana de Oro State Park to peek at the array of coastal flowers. Whether choosing to hike the beautiful Point Buchon Trail for purple hues or the Valencia Peak trail covered with California poppies, the wildflower display is one to be savored.
Modesto, California
At the heart of California’s Central Valley, agricultural hub Modesto blushes with petals every spring. Millions of tiny white and pink flowers fill the branches of almond trees in anticipation of the year’s coming harvests. The city eagerly awaits and prepares for visiting petal-peepers from around the world.
For the fourth year, visitors can explore the self-guided Almond Blossom Cruise, an “agri-tourism” driving tour through the region, supporting local farms, businesses and attractions, marrying agriculture with tourism.
A downloadable audio tour for purchase supplements the tour, highlighting the history of the region, interesting facts about Modesto-native celebrities, and agricultural tidbits. While most of the orchards are best viewed from the car, a few farms provide a closer look at the trees from their fruit stands though only two allow picnicking and walking through the orchard.
San Francisco, California
In San Francisco, travelers can celebrate Cherry Blossom season at the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, one of California’s most prominent celebrations of Asian traditions and the biggest Cherry Blossom festival on the West Coast.
Travelers can enjoy the spectacular parade over two weekends (April 8-9 and April 15-16), known to welcome over 220,000 attendees.
The event takes place in one of the three remaining Japantowns in the nation, and visitors can spend time experiencing traditional Japanese foods and activities during the festivities. Aside from the festival, cherry blossoms can be found at the 5-acre Japanese Tea Garden in Golden State Park, the US’s oldest public Japanese tea garden.
March and April are the best times for travelers to admire the beautiful pink trees while sipping traditional Japanese tea.
San Diego, California
It looks like America’s favorite city is set for another super bloom season.
In addition to the always-popular blooms of Southern California’s nearby Anzo-Borrego Desert State Park and Joshua Tree National Park, you won’t want to miss northern San Diego’s impressive Flower Fields of Carlsbad Ranch.
For over 60 years, Mother Nature has transformed the rolling hills of North San Diego into a spectacle of breathtaking beauty where 70 million flowers bloom within 55 acres of a kaleidoscope of color. The Fields reopen March 1, 2024 with a variety of events, activities and educational programs.
Though the Carlsbad Flower Fields are open every year from early March to early May, the peak season (weather and rainfall considering) is usually in early April. As this is such a popular event, the best time to visit is during the week with Tuesdays being the least busy days.
Tucson, Arizona
Wildflower season in Arizona is just beginning and experts predict the 2024 season will be one of the best seen in years.
As Theresa Crimmins, a University of Arizona School of Natural Resources professor said, “Good rains are important not only for large quantities of flowers, but also for seeing a greater diversity of species in bloom.”
Where to spot the best wildflower blooms?
After living in Tucson and still having family there, I can unequivocally say that Picacho Peak, just north of Tucson, and Alter Valley, west of Tucson, will absolutely wow wildflower lovers.
March and April are generally the peak times to see wildflowers in the Sonoran Desert. Both visitors and locals can get some really good updated information on the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum site that covers both blooms and seasons.
Traverse City, Michigan
Not the West Coast, but worth mentioning, the Cherry Capital of the World boasts an impressive display of cherry blossoms every spring. The highly productive region is spread across three counties and the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas, which are kept cool thanks to breezy Lake Michigan. Peak bloom is staggered through the destination, allowing visitors plenty of time to experience the bright and delicate blossoms.
Explore Traverse City’s orchards on a self-guided tour along state highway M-37 for a picturesque view of cherry blossoms swaying against the deep blue waters of Lake Michigan. On the Leelanau Peninsula, sightseers can drive through the heart of the country, bursting with orchards, barns and the region’s vineyards, conveniently nearby for a wine-excursion.
Get a sneak peek of Traverse City’s world-famous cherries before the summer harvest at Cherry Republic, which serves up homemade ice cream, cherry pies, and other cherry products. Traverse City is also host to fragrant lavender fields each spring with farms selling lavender products. Lightwell Lavender hosts pop-up sales just in time for Easter and Mother’s Day.
At the Secret Garden at Brys Estate, 6,000 lavender plants are artfully maintained in this 12-acre flowery oasis. From May to October, the gift shop crafts homemade oils and other lavender products.
