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.
In Garden Grove, the folks at the Crystal Cathedral celebrate Easter with an extraordinary production, the Glory of Easter.
Nature
Flowers are everywhere in California in the spring. A few of the most spectacular displays include:
Desert Flowers: Anza-Borrego State Park near San Diego is the place to be for spring desert blossoms. The quality and quantity of blooms varies from year to year - be sure to check before you go to avoid disappointment.
The Fresno County Blossom Trail is a springtime delight as acres of fruit trees burst into bloom. Driving through the orchards is like driving in pink and white clouds and even the ground is covered in a blanket of petals. Blossoms peak in late February to early March.
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.
In the best years, golden California poppies carpet the desert at Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve near Los Angeles. Lupine, coreopsis and more wildflowers add to the profusion of color. Visitors can enjoy seven miles of trails through the flowery show. Flowers bloom from March to May and usually peak in mid-April.
Spring is also a time for migration, and 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
Driving
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/Kings Canyon National Park are open year round, but the road to lower Kings Canyon 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.
Special Events
Many special spring events are centered around fruits, vegetables and animals.
- Apple Blossom Festival, Sebastopol
- Asparagus Festival, Stockton
- Mustard Festival, Napa
- Swallows Return, Mission San Juan Capistrano
