You may know the Pacific Northwest as a destination for unequaled coffee, excellent restaurants, and access to the outdoors. However, when spring rolls around, visitors take to frolicking in huge fields of flowers! We’re talking cherry blossoms, tulips, daffodils, and more. The window on seeing some of these plants at their peak can be short, so we’ve rounded up the best places to get your floral fix—including farms, mountainsides, and festivals!
Chasing Cherry Blossoms
Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, WA
Spanning 760 acres, Point Defiance Park has more plants and flowers than we could possibly ever count. While we recommend checking out the tulips and magnolias in the park as well, there’s one thing you can’t miss: the cherry blossoms. While there are a few different places the trees can be seen in the park, we suggest going straight to the Japanese garden for a beautiful concentration of them.
Lakewold Gardens, Lakewood, WA
If you’re looking for an idyllic garden scene straight out of a romance movie, look no further than Lakewold Gardens. The 10 acre estate boasts several amazing cherry blossom trees with benches beneath to sit and take in the sights. This is the perfect place for those of us looking for some Instagram worthy pics, or to take a stroll in a serene environment.
Wright Park, Tacoma, WA
If you’re looking for views similar to the University of Washington’s iconic quad cherry blossoms, skip the hour plus long drive and go to Wright Park. Not only does the park have cherry blossoms that give UW a run for their money, but you can actually enjoy the trees with little to no crowds. A much better way to take in their beauty if we do say so ourselves.
Totally Tulips
Knutson Farms, Sumner, WA
At Knutson Farms you can enjoy their stunning tulips and daffodils while also taking in a breathtaking view of Mt.Rainier. Aside from the gorgeous flowers they also have farm animals, a coffee stand, and food trucks on the grounds so you can spend the whole day there!
W.W. Seymour Conservatory, Tacoma, WA
Located inside Wright Park, the W.W Seymour Conservatory has a plethora of plants for visitors to look at. They've got orchids, hydrangeas, azaleas, and our personal favorite, tulips! With free admission it’s a no-brainer to go visit the conservatory if you’re in the Tacoma area.
Watching for Wildflowers
Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, WA
Park visitors will need to hike to see the wildflower valleys of Mount Rainier National Park but we promise it’s worth it. Prepare to see views that look like something out of a painting. Purple, pink, red, yellow, and orange flowers all surrounded by lush green with the mountain right behind them, we can’t imagine anything better. You'll need timed-entry reservations this summer, so here's how to go about that.
Van Lierop Park, Puyallup, WA
If hiking into the mountains isn’t your thing, you don’t have to miss out on wildflowers! In Puyallup, they have the four acre Van Lierop Park. You can expect to see tulips, daffodils, purple lupine, and more as you walk through the fields. This is a great choice for families as none of the park paths are too difficult.
Spring Celebrations
Daffodil Festival, Pierce County, WA
The Daffodil Festival has been happening for the last 90 years! Its mission is to celebrate and invest in the communities that make up Pierce County. There’s a parade on April 6 that goes through Puyallup, Tacoma, Sumner, and Orting, an auction, a daffodil princess and queen coronation, a high tea, and so much more. Come celebrate one of Pierce County’s oldest traditions!
Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival, Tacoma, WA
Happening a little later in the year in June, the Point Defiance Park hosts the Flower & Garden Festival. This consists of garden tours, plant sales, and interactive activities like make and take workshops, arts and crafts, and paint and sip classes. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time and can sell out, so get them sooner rather than later!
We love Spring and want you to be able to get the most out of it! Hopefully this list has helped you plan what flowers and activities you want to check out this year. Let us know on @traveltacoma on Instagram and Facebook what your favorite Spring sights and activities are, or if we missed your favorite!
