Artist Henri Matisse said, “There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” In the spring, that’s easy in North America, with blossoming lilacs to the Midwest, orange poppies on southern California hillsides, and pink flowers decking banana trees in Hawaii. Seasonal blooms can be especially atmospheric if you book a hotel that’s located amid the flowers, like these nine hotels and lodges.
Waimea Plantation Cottages,Kauai, Hawaii
On a 43-acre former sugar cane plantation, this oceanfront resort holds guest cottages built between the 1880s and 1930s. They’re set amid hibiscus bushes, bougainvillea, and ginger flowers. “It’s stunning and alive everywhere,” says gardener Lois Shore. Fruit trees—mangos, pomelos, oranges, bananas, and limes—also dot the property, and guests are welcome to grab a snack when things ripen. (Mango lovers, book a cottage in May.) The vibe? Extra chill thanks to hammocks scattered around the resort and a two-mile-long black sand beach.
Also nearby: Guests hike on trails in Waimea Canyon State Park or hop on boat tours tracing the stunning Napali Coast.
Cuyama Buckhorn, New Cuyama, California
A two-hour drive north of Los Angeles, this throwback 1950s roadside resort melds vintage style with mod cons like outdoor yoga spaces and e-vehicle plug-ins. It’s located 45 miles from Carrizo Plain National Monument, the largest native grassland in California, where a seasonal superbloom—think daisies, goldfields, tidy-tips, California poppies, and lupines—can occur anytime from February through April. “It’s dependent on several factors, including rainfall and temperatures,” says Philip Oviat, a public affairs officer for the Bureau of Land Management’s Central California District. “It’s a waiting game to see if, when, and where wildflowers bloom.”
Good to know: Ten miles of hiking trails in the 204,000-acre park allow visitors to walk amid the flowers without damaging them.
(These U.S. rail-trails make bike-packing trips a breeze.)
Paradise Inn, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
At their mid-August peak, hundreds of species of blooming wildflowers surround this historic timber-framed 1916 inn. Though the lodge lacks modern amenities like WiFi, televisions, or cell service, its primo location—at 5,400 feet in Mount Rainier’s high mountain meadows—means it can book up well in advance.
Many hiking routes start at or near the lodge, including the popular Nisqually Vista Trail. “It’s a short loop with a lot of wildflower payoff,” says Kim Popek, the park’s plant restoration expert. Still, “visitors should be careful and stay on marked and maintained trails,” says Beth Fallon, a park plant ecologist. “Off-trail hiking leaves lasting and visible damage to this sensitive landscape.”
Good to know: To protect flowers and other resources, the park has a timed entry system from May 24 to September 2.
(How did the bluebonnet become a symbol of Texas?)
Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Towering cottonwoods and fields of lavender grace this 25-acre resort on the edge of Albuquerque. Its guest rooms, restaurant, and spa are located in historic 1930s structures designed by John Gaw Meem, the architect who popularized Santa Fe style in the early 20th century.
The lavender—in purple, sweet-smelling bloom in June and July—goes into house made gin poured at the inn’s bar, lotions used in the spa, and shampoos stocked in rooms and suites.
More to explore: Guests at the hotel or restaurant can also wander amid the kitchen and herb gardens or peep at rose bushes planted among mosaic stonework.
(Learn how climate change may impact France’s iconic lavender fields.)
Fieldstone Barn and Sunflower Farm, Elora, Ontario
From May to October, four luxurious glamping tents are set up next to this southern Ontario farm’s fields of pumpkins, sweet corn, and sunflowers. The sunflowers, which surround a 150-plus-year-old stone barn built by Scottish masons, come in dozens of varieties, from Teddy Bears to Russian Mammoths. “The best time is the golden hour, right before sunset,” says Melinda Croft, who owns the farm with her husband, Tim. “The sun sets behind the sunflowers, making the petals glow.” Each tent, perched on a wooden platform, comes with a hot tub, hammock, and picnic table.
Nice and nearby: Within a short drive, guests can access Elora Gorge trails and kayaking the Grand and Irvine Rivers.
Southall Farm and Inn, Franklin, Tennessee
Go apple picking or take a “bee cruise” amid the wildflower fields and apiaries at this boutique hotel on a 325-acre farm outside of Nashville. Modern farmhouse style infuses the 62-room inn and 16 cottages, which are surrounded by native grass, a massive greenhouse, and sustainable gardens growing heirloom crops.
Visit in May to view the first blooms or in August and September to see the gardens and fields in full glory. “It’s incredible to witness the growth across Southall’s acres,” says property manager David Mishkin. “The millions of bees working in our gardens are tireless contributors, exemplifying our harmonious relationship with the natural world.”
High Hampton Resort, Cashiers, North Carolina
Stay overnight at this restored 1933 hotel on a plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where 1,400 acres include gardens planted with snapdragons, zinnias, marigolds, and dahlias. The last, which range in size from 12-inch “dinner plate” varieties to miniature pompons, bloom from mid-July into fall.
Staff gardener Drew English leads frequent bouquet-making classes for guests. “As a traveler, I often get frustrated when I visit a destination with spectacular flowers, knowing I have no use for them back in my hotel room,” she says. “I want visitors to be inspired by the beauty they see around them.”
More to explore:The resort’s new 18-hole, par 71 championship course has expansive mountain views.
Wildflower Farms, Gardiner, New York
A 90-minute drive from New York City, this luxe resort spreads modernist glass-and-wood casitas across 140 Hudson Valley acres with views of the Shawangunk Mountains. Besides hiking trails and an outdoor pool, Wildflower Farms has an apple orchard, hundreds of berry bushes, and a mushroom forest where shiitakes sprout on oak logs. These plants—plus the vegetables, herbs, and flowers from a two-acre, bio-intensive garden—supply the farm-to-table restaurant and onsite spa. “There are many ways to appreciate flowers as a guest,” says Jax Hughes, the farm manager. “You can look at them, smell them, and taste them.”
More to explore:The resort offers a range of classes, from baking sourdough focaccia to making co*cktails, using herbs and flowers from the farm.
Casa Grande Mountain Retreat, Utuado, Puerto Rico
Three acres of manicured gardens and tropical plants thrive at this 107-acre wellness retreat in a central mountain valley of Puerto Rico. “All year around we have something blooming, from natural ginger to hibiscus,” says chief experience officer Jon Vidar. “We also have paths lined with asucena, which smells amazing.” On the site of a one-time sugar, coffee, and cattle farm, find 20 guest rooms with balconies and hammocks, a yoga studio, and a saltwater pool. The vegan restaurant servespanqueques de calabaza (pumpkin pancakes) with papaya chutney for breakfast, and pastelón, a sweet plantain filled with lentils and walnuts, for dinner.
Also nearby: Mountain hiking trails pass a 100-plus-year-old ceiba tree, a 50-foot-high waterfall, and 100-foot-long swimming hole.
Stephanie Pearson is a 2023 National Geographic Explorer and author of 100 Great American Parks. Follow her on Instagram and X.
