The return of spring means the return of warmer weather and wildflower blooms. From hillsides in Oregon to farms in Japan, these flower blooms are a must-visit destination for world travelers and adventurers alike.
These blooms include backcountry destinations that only the hardiest of hikers can reach and roadside farms that can be visited during a European road trip. Luckily for you, the blooms are spaced all season long so this means that no matter where you are in the spring and summer, there are bound to be blooms to be found!
Reminder: When visiting wildflower fields, stay on established trails to minimize damage to these fragile ecosystems.
Homer, Alaska – Fireweed
Homer, Alaska, is one of the most picturesque towns in Alaska, and that beauty is only amplified when the bluffs above town explode with the annual bloom of fireweed. This flower is both beautiful and a delicacy, as local Alaskans harvest it to make tea, jelly, and syrup. Alaskan lore says that when the last flowers bloom on the tops of the fireweed, the start of winter is only 30 days away.
Best time to visit: mid-August through September
Dog Mountain, Oregon – Yellow Balsamroot
For most of the year, Dog Mountain, which sits approximately one hour east of Portland, serves as a short but steep hike with great views of the Columbia River Gorge. But come late spring, the mountain explodes with yellow balsam root flowers that turn this otherwise sleepy trail into a must-visit destination. Prepare for a real hike to get to the best flower views, though, as this trail gains 3,000 feet in just over three miles.
Best time to visit: mid-April through early-June
Diamond Valley Lake, California – California Poppies
Diamond Valley Lake is a drinking water reservoir just outside of Los Angeles that also provides one of the best California poppy displays around. During the early summer months, especially during a super-bloom year, this area becomes a must-visit for wildflower lovers in Southern California. A 2-mile trail winds through the hills above the lake for the best wildflower views.
Best time to visit: mid-February through mid-May
Hill Country, Texas – Bluebonnet
Bluebonnet blooms in the hill country of Texas are among the earliest wildflower blooms in the USA. In some years, these brilliant blue wildflowers can start blooming as early as February, which makes for a welcome diversion for those living in northern states who want a break from the cold of winter.
Best time to visit: late-February through April
Lake Tekapo, New Zealand – Lupin
If you look up images of lupin online, chances are you’ll be shown photos of the famous Lake Tekapo blooms. These blooms take place near the center of the southern of the two islands that make up New Zealand and transform this otherwise sleepy area into a wildflower lover’s paradise. The flowers of these lupins come in an array of colors that range from white to pink to deep purples, which makes photographing them especially enjoyable.
Best time to visit: mid-November through December
Himeji, Japan – Cherry Blossoms
Most United States residents are familiar with the impressive cherry blossom blooms in the Pacific Northwest and Washington D.C., but if you want to see a truly impressive display, it’s best to head across the Pacific Ocean.
Outside of Himeji, Japan lies the Himeji Castle, a UNESCO world heritage site. Surrounding the castle are over 1,000 cherry trees that bloom into a light pink flower display celebrated by the annual Himeji Cherry Blossom Festival.
Best time to visit: late-March through mid-April
Anza Borrego State Park, California – Desert Sand Verbena
People don’t usually associate the desert with vibrant wildflower displays, but the desert floor can explode with flowers when the conditions line up just right. In recent years, the deserts of the American southwest have seen huge amounts of rain, which has led to super blooms at deserts like Anza Borrego State Park. This park is located 75 miles inland from San Diego and is a must-visit destination in the late winter and early spring when these blooms appear.
Best time to visit: March through April
Andalucia, Spain – Sunflowers
Andalucia, located in the southwestern corner of Spain, has become an international destination for the thousands of acres of sunflowers planted across the countryside each year. These fields turn into a sea of yellow in late spring/early summer when these dazzling flowers fully bloom.
Best time to visit: May through June
Sao Miguel, Azores Islands – Hydrangea
The Azores Islands, a collection of nine tropical volcanic islands stuck smack dab in the middle of the Atlantic, are a popular tourist destination for European jet setters. Hydrangeas, introduced to the island centuries ago, also find the climate and soil of these islands perfect for growing blue ribbon-sized flowers. Each spring, the hydrangeas produce prodigious amounts of blue, pink, red, and purple flowers that transform the landscapes of these tropical islands.
Best time to visit: May through August
Goeree Overflakkee, Netherlands – Tulips
The Dutch have a rather rich history with the tulip, but the ups and downs of their past haven’t stopped them from continuing to grow massive fields of these gorgeous multicolored flowers. So next spring, hop a flight to the Netherlands, rent a bike, and tour this flat-as-a-pancake countryside to take in the tulip farms and windmills that make this country a must-visit destination.
Best time to visit: late-April through late-May
Brussels, Belgium – Hyacinth
Any time a wildflower festival is hosted in a forest, you can bet that the flower displays will be good. That is the case in the Hallerbos forest just outside of Brussels, Belgium, where the hyacinth blooms turn the forest floor into a sea of purple. Each spring, this forest plays host to the Hyacinth Flower Festival, where tourists come from near and far to take in the two-week-long bloom of these beautiful flowers.
Best time to visit: mid-April through early-May
Crested Butte, Colorado – Aspen Sunflower
Crested Butte, Colorado, is universally considered the best place in Colorado, if not the entire Rocky Mountains, to see wildflower displays. While these high-elevation meadows produce a prodigious amount of flowers, it is the Aspen Sunflower that really shines through. These tall yellow flowers grow against the rugged Rocky Mountains backdrop, producing a scene that is right out of a fairytale and are a photographer’s dream.
Best time to visit: June through mid-July
Provence, France – Lavender
There is something magical about walking through fragrant rows of lavender on a warm summer day. The scenery from the flowers combined with the fresh lavender scent is straight out of a dream. In Provence, France, you can make this dream a reality as this is one of the top lavender-growing regions in the world. If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, consider Sequim, Washington, which has built up an impressive lavender-growing industry of its own.
Best time to visit: mid-June through mid-August
Namaqualand, South Africa – Daisies
Namaqualand, South Africa, a region that has a fairly barren look for most of the year, is transformed come late summer as the local Namaqualand daisies bloom and engulf the countryside in an explosion of orange. This annual bloom attracts thousands of visitors to an area that otherwise sees little tourist traffic.
Best time to visit: late-August through late-September
New South Wales, Australia – Canola
Like the sunflowers and tulips, canola is a cultivated crop rather than a wildflower. But that doesn’t mean the flower displays when these plants bloom are any less impressive when they take over the countryside. New South Wales, Australia, is a significant canola producer; thus, massive tracts of land are dedicated to this plant. When in bloom, the land, as far as the eye can see, is transformed into a rich yellow. If you visit, keep out of the fields as these are working commercial farms.
Best time to visit: September
Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina – Rhododendron
Rhododendrons are medium-sized shrubs that produce beautiful pink flowers in late spring and early summer. While most people know them as ornamental shrubs, especially around the Pacific Northwest, there are many areas where these flowering bushes grow wild and put on a dazzling display of color when they are in bloom. The Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is one such place where an already beautiful drive through the mountains is further enhanced by these gorgeous flowers.
Best time to visit: June through July
Eagletail Mountains, Arizona – Owl’s Clover
Located just outside of Phoenix, a place not necessarily known for its wildflowers, the Eagletail Mountains are home to impressive blooms of the little-known owl’s clover flower. These purple flowers grow amongst the native cacti to create gorgeous photo opportunities in this otherwise inhospitable slice of the country.
Best time to visit: late-February through March
Cascade Mountains, Oregon – Beargrass
There are a lot of myths about when beargrass super blooms appear. Some say every 7 years, others every 8, while others say it isn’t cyclical and relies instead on climate conditions. Whatever the correct answer is, there is nothing more magical than hiking through the mountains of Oregon and stumbling upon a hillside full of these fluffy-as-a-cloud-looking flowers. There are plenty of hikes around the state where you can find these flowers, but one of our favorites is the Coffin Mountain Trail.
Best time to visit: late-June through late-July
