Best Places To Visit In The USA In April

As the cold starts to mellow down, April is definitely an incredible month to plan a getaway somewhere in the United States.

Not only does shoulder season mean lower rates in general, but April also signifies spring is at its peak. While many places are still chilly, there are plenty of towns and cities that will give you the opportunity to welcome the spring through flower festivals and incredible weather.

Moreover, April is also a great time to visit some of the most popular national parks and nature destinations without having to deal with large crowds or extreme temperatures.

If you’re wondering where to head for a spring escapade, here’s a list of some of the best places to visit in the USA in April (and why it’s a great time of the year to visit) to help you narrow down your options.

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Best Places to Visit in the USA in April

Las Vegas, Nevada

Home to the best casinos in the world, a fabulous dining scene, and some of the top shows in the United States, Las Vegas is the Entertainment Capital of the World.

Even if you’re not a fan of that scene, Sin City is also a great place to head to for nature, with plenty of incredible state parks and desert scenery available a few minutes’ drive away from downtown.

April is a great time to visit Las Vegas for comfortable weather perfect for exploring the city and the nature around it (you’ll love hiking in the desert when it isn’t scorching hot!). Moreover, April is the shoulder season, which means it’s the sweet spot for pricing.

Bonus – most of the hotel pools are open!

Ultimate Guide to Las Vegas

Santa Fe, New Mexico

An incredibly artsy atmosphere, beautiful Pueblo architecture, and a culture that still celebrates its ancestral roots are all part of what makes Santa Fe a treat to visit.

All over this tiny city, you’ll find quaint cafés, adorable vintage shops, and local art galleries.

April’s weather is perfect for exploring the town as well as taking day trips out of the city for hiking. You you can also choose to head to the surrounding mountains to ski or snowshoe at this time of the year.

One of my favorite activities in the USA is in Santa Fe and that is Meow Wolf. This is an interactive art experience that will blow you away!

Things to do in Santa Fe:

San Francisco, California

San Francisco is one of the most charming and exciting cities in the United States thanks to its diverse neighborhoods, colorful buildings, and incredible art scene.

Even though San Francisco is a treat to visit year-round, April is when cherry blossoms blanket the streets of the city. There’s even an annual Cherry Blossom Festival every year held in April at Japantown.

Things to do in San Francisco:

Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

Made up of three narrow canyons, Canyon de Chelly in Arizona features an incredibly dramatic landscape of red rocks, archaeological sites and prehistoric wall art. Canyon de Chelly is still inhabited by the Navajo people and has been continuously inhabited by Native American people for millennia.

Canyon de Chelly gets scorching hot during the summer and pretty chilly in winter, so April is a pretty sweet spot to visit and be able to fully enjoy hiking.

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Enormous glaciers, striking mountain peaks, and vast fields of ice are all part of what makes Kenai Fjords such a sought-after destination.

Some of the activities you’ll get to enjoy include sailing amid glaciers, observing ice fields, and going on wildlife spotting adventures to see bears, moose, beavers, and other animals.

April is the time of the year when California Gray Whales start arriving in Alaska, making it a great time to visit if you want to see these gentle giants amid a glorious landscape.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

Home to four of the tallest mountains in Texas and landscapes that range from deserts to woodlands canyons and lush springs, Guadalupe Mountain National Park is an incredible place to visit if hiking and adventuring are your jam.

Since hiking is the main way to explore Guadalupe Mountains, April is a good time to visit for pleasant temperatures (although starting early in the morning is still recommended to avoid the midday heat).

Woodburn, Oregon

Located close to Portland, Woodburn is a small town known for being the home to Wooden Shoe, a tulip farm where you’ll find yourself amid a kaleidoscope of colorful flowers.

Woodburn is best visited in April when the tulips at the farm are in full bloom and the annual Tulip Festival takes place.

You will be able to walk amid tulip fields, partake in plenty of activities, go wine tasting at the farm’s festival, and even ride a hot air balloon to get a bird’s eye view of the colorful landscape.

Sanibel Island, Florida

A small island off the coast of Florida, Sanibel is a place where you can enjoy dreamy beaches, wildlife spotting inside a national wildlife refuge, and plenty of adventures out in nature.

April is the end of the high season in Sanibel Island, making it ideal to visit for fewer crowds and incredible weather.

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Made up of colorful logs that were petrified hundreds of millions of years ago by volcanic ash, Petrified National Forest in Arizona is a place where you’ll feel as though you’re walking on a completely different planet.

Hiking is the ultimate way to explore the park and get close and personal with its unique (and glitzy!) terrain.

Clear skies, mild weather, and relatively low visitation make April a great time to visit this gem of a park. You will be able to fully enjoy all the hiking trails and get to admire the landscapes crowd-free.

Zion National Park, Utah

Meadows on top of mesas, hanging gardens, gigantic red rock cliffs, and plenty of Native American history are all part of what makes this national park in Utah an absolute gem to visit.

During April, the weather is great for hiking without having to break too much of a sweat, not to mention the snowmelt will make the waterfalls around the park look as striking as ever.

Things to do in Zion National Park:

Pilot Point, Texas

Set near Dallas, Pilot Point is home to Texas Tulips, a farm owned by a Dutch couple where you’ll find over 100 varieties of tulips.

During your visit, you will get to walk around the fields and pick your favorite blooms (most tulip farms in the USA don’t allow visitors to pick flowers, but this one does!).

April is when the tulips at Texas Tulip bloom, so this is really the only time of the year when it is worth visiting.

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Once a mecca for gambling and gangster activity (it was Al Capone’s favorite vacation spot!), these days, Hot Springs is a relaxing place you can head to in order to soak your worries away at the many ancient thermal springs spread all over.

It was turned into a national park in order to preserve the historical bathhouses in the area, which have been around since the 1800s!

April means wonderful weather at Hot Springs and there is also a plethora of events taking place, including the Garvan Woodlands Gardens Tulip Extravaganza and the Arts in the Parks Festival, to name just a few!

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Nantucket is a tiny island off the coast of Cape Cod that was once known as the whaling capital of the world in the early 19th century. These days, the island is known for its beautiful historical buildings, wonderful museums, and high-end dining opportunities.

During April, Nantucket hosts its annual Daffodil Festival where you’ll be able to relish in colorful daffodils, enjoy art shows, and even get to see an antique car parade.

Oahu, Hawaii

As the third largest island in Hawaii, Oahu is known for its beautiful white sand beaches, incredible resorts, and striking nature. It’s also the home to the Aloha State’s capital, making it ideal if you want to delve into nature and beach fun while also having access to a cosmopolitan place.

The weather in Oahu in April is great, not to mention the island hosts plenty of fun festivals worth checking out.

Waikiki Spam Jam Festival is a must for food and music lovers, while Spring Street Jam is a dream for street art lovers.

Oahu info:

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

Palo Duro is the second largest canyon in the USA and a place where you’ll find yourself having to catch your breath due to the beauty of its landscapes.

The entire canyon is dotted by colorful sandstone formations, creating a truly unique terrain for hiking, biking, and even zip-lining!

Weather-wise, April is a great time to visit, with the added bonus that wildflowers and cacti bloom all over the canyon, creating a truly beautiful sight.

Skagit Valley, Washington

While Skagit Valley isn’t a famous destination, during the spring, it becomes the ultimate place to be if you want to see tulips in their full glory.

Moreover, the entire area is also a great place for hiking and wildlife spotting, with plenty of hiking and biking trails available all over the Skagit Valley Wildlife Area.

Every April, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival takes place in this Washington locale, during which you’ll get to see tulip fields, enjoy display gardens, and take part in various events that celebrate spring.

Ennis, Texas

Known as the Bluebonnet City thanks to its access to dreamy trails of bluebonnets (a purple flower endemic to Texas), a visit to Ennis is all about enjoying over 40 miles of landscapes blanketed in blue wildflowers.

The Ennis Bluebonnet Trails usually opens for the season and runs through April 30, but dates can vary depending on when the flowers bloom.

Havasu Falls, Arizona

Havasu Falls is an extremely sacred place for the Havasupai people. Tucked away deep in Arizona, the landscape you’ll find here is made up of striking red rock formations and waterfalls that crash down into azure-toned natural pools.

April is a great time to visit Havasu Falls because the weather is mild and getting to the falls will be easier (the trek to get there is pretty challenging!).

Because the place is sacred, permits are required to enter – low season means you’ll have higher chances of snagging one. Reservations are hard to get, but worth it if you can get one.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Known for its Creole cuisine and culture, vibrant nightlife, incredible music scene, southeastern hospitality, and historical neighborhoods, New Orleans is definitely one of the most unique cities to visit in the United States in April.

While the famous Mardi Gras takes place in February, April is also a wonderful time to visit the city for amazing festivals. The Freret Street Festival, the French Quarter Festival, and The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival are three of the best festivals that take place this month!

Things to do in New Orleans:

Seattle, Washington

With the Pacific to one side and mountains to the other, Seattle is a great place to visit if you want the best of all worlds. The city is great for exploring a big metropolis, all while also having access to beaches and nature trails a stone’s throw away.

Come April, flowers like cherry blossoms begin blooming all over the Emerald City, not to mention you can also take day trips out to various tulip fields.

Things to do in Seattle:

Park City, Utah

While Park City may be known for being a ski resort, this locale in Utah has a completely opposite side that not many people ever get to see.

Once the snow melts, the area around the village turns into an incredible outdoor destination, with plenty of hiking trails on offer as well as adventures that range from ziplining through trees to riding bobsleds.

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