California Spring Events: March | April | May
California in Spring
In the spring, the Golden State turns green. After the winter rains, flowers burst into bloom, turning deserts into flowery carpets and fruit trees into clouds of blossoms.What to Expect
- Clearest skies of the year in San Francisco and along the coast.
- When schools are on spring break, theme parks get very crowded. With schools staggering their schedules, spring break extends through March and April.
- Wildflower blossoms vary from year to year, depending on the weather. Which makes recommending the best place to see them nearly impossible. We've listed some of the most promising areas below.
- Spring weather varies, with snow falling in the mountains as late as April in some years. Check the average temperatures and rainfall
Places at Their Best in Spring
- The Spring Weekend Getaway Guide has some great ideas for you.
- Yosemite is scenic in spring, as the winter snow melts and the waterfalls are in full flow. It's also less crowded than in summer.
- Weather is most comfortable in Anza-Borrego Desert and Joshua Tree National Park and in a good year, you'll find flowers blooming, too.
- Spring is a good time to visit San Francisco, before the crowds (and summer fog) arrive.
Mother Nature in Spring
Flowers are everywhere in California in the spring. A few of the most spectacular displays include:- In the best years, spring wildflowers carpet the desert, but if you remember all the fuss about the blooms in Death Valley a few years ago, it's a rare phenomenon. The best spots to check are Anza-Borrego Desert and Joshua Tree National Park.
- It doesn't happen every year, but when the California poppies bloom in Antelope Valley, there's not a prettier spot in the state. If they bloom, it's between March and May, peaking in mid-April.
- Hite Cove Trail near Yosemite is said to be one of the state's best wildflower trails.
- For a more man-made show, the fruit-growing area around Fresno erupts in spring blossoms, which you can enjoy by taking the Fresno Blossom Trail.
- In the Carlsbad Flower Fields, just north of San Diego, a fifty acre sea of ranunculus flowers put on their best for visitors. The flower fields are at their peak from early March through May.
- California's public gardens are an obvious spring choice. Try Huntington Garden near Pasadena for camellias or Mendocino's Coast Botanical Garden for rhododendrons.
- March begins nesting season for herons and egrets. Our guide covers the best places to see them.
Spring is also a time for migration. California grey whales can be seen at many points along the coast, making their annual journey from Mexico back to Alaska. Every year like clockwork, the swallows return to the mission at San Juan Capistrano on March 19.
Driving in Spring
Late spring rain or snow and mudslides keep some California highways closed well into spring. Roads that may still be closed include:- Tioga Pass in Yosemite may open any time after April 15.
- The main entrances to Sequoia National Park are open year round, but the road to lower Kings Canyon in its sister park is closed until early summer.
- California Highway One is especially susceptible to mudslides and closures during rainy winters. A big slide can keep the highway closed for months. Check its status if you plan to travel on it.
Holidays and Festivals in Spring
Glory of Easter, Garden GroveIt's not a holiday or a festival, but in spring, special Hearst Castle night tours give a glimpse into daily life at the castle.
