5 Fantastic Flower Festivals Herald the Arrival of Spring

Winter will be a distant memory before we know it, and there’s never been a better year for RVing to the best flower festivals in the U.S. Mother Nature is preparing for what promises to be the most vibrant and cheerful flower festival season yet. It’s time to seed your road trip itinerary with some ideas from our cross-country RV flower festival tour through the blooming landscapes of Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Washington and Oregon.

Tulip Festival, Skagit Valley, Washington
April 1-30

If you miss the famous daffodil bloom in March, don’t worry. Springtime presents one spectacular wildflower show after another in the fertile aggie lands lining the riverbanks just south of Bellingham. Come and enjoy endless flocks of swans, snow geese and ducks zoom fly across the skies. But keep an eye on the ground too, because local farmers grow more tulip and daffodil bulbs here than anywhere else in the U.S.  The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival celebrates the colorful harvest in area-wide events that keep the region hopping between April 1 – 30. Designed as a driving tour through vibrant fields lining the hills between La Conner and Mount Vernon, the month-long festival spotlights local flower farmers and their endless fields of technicolor beauty. Tourists are welcome to view and photograph their crops as long as Mother Nature cooperates. Meanwhile, local communities celebrate the coming of spring with tulip-themed art shows and family activities including a street fair, barbecues and dinners, a parade and more. Create your home base on the water at La Conner Marina & RV Park, and you’ll be within walking distance of local events, restaurants and outdoor activities that take advantage of the region’s temperate climate and the Pacific Northwest’s prettiest scenery.

Azalea Festival – Wilmington, North Carolina
April 6-10, 2022

Come for the annual Azalea Festival but plan on staying longer to experience this undiscovered Atlantic Coast gem. There’s so much to see and do in Wilmington during springtime. Start with the annual festival to get a feel for this welcoming community. The Azalea Festival shines a spotlight on the region’s native Azalea plants that bloom each spring. From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the sea, azaleas paint the terrain with a welcome sign that spring has arrived. This is the best time to enjoy cool mornings and nights, with humidity-free days and bright, sunny skies. Celebrate like a local and when you need a break from the concerts, art fairs and garden tours, spend some quality time at Wilmington area beaches. Cast your line from the oldest fishing pier on the Atlantic, paddle around the Intercoastal waterway and step back in time for amusement park fun on the Carolina Beach boardwalk. Set up base camp at nearby Lanier’s Campground and you’re just a few minutes from all the best springtime fun in Wilmington.

Bluebonnet Festival—Burnet, Texas
April 8-10

Park your home on wheels at Sunset Point on Lake LBJ in Marble Falls, and you’ll be just minutes away from the 33rd year of the Bluebonnet Festival in the cute little town of Burnet. Close to Austin but far enough away to feel like a throwback in time, Burnet is the heart of the Lone Star State’s world-famous wildflower season. Each spring a blanket of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, purple coneflower and prairie verbena carpet the lush rolling fields of the Hill Country in every direction. Officially known as “The Wildflower Capital of Texas,” Burnet’s Bluebonnet festival attracts over 30,000 people between April 8 and 10. Come for the arts and crafts vendors, stay for the flowers, food and legendary concerts. Every event is family-friendly, and many are free to enjoy. All events at the festival are within walking distance of one another too, making it easy to soak up the fun and get to know the locals. Enjoy a biergarten, music, pet parade, demolition derby, and many more small-town activities that will bring you back next year for more.

Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival—Winchester, Virginia
April 22 to May 1