By The Backseat View
It’s finally time to shake off the winter blues and enjoy some spring sunshine. If you can’t make it to Washington or Michigan for the top flower festivals in America, explore the best of the southeast.
Most floral festivals take place in March and April, providing an excellent opportunity for a weekend excursion. While numerous flower festivals are held almost everywhere, here is a list of the Top 8 Flower Festivals in the southeast that showcases some of the most beautiful locations to visit during the spring season.
Flower Festivals
Yule Forest
Yule Forest Tulip Festival in Stockbridge, GA is located just 30 minutes from Atlanta. Yule Forest has been ranked among the “Top 10 Best Tulip Festivals in America.”
This event is one of Georgia’s premier spring activities, featuring expansive tulip fields, a petting farm with animals such as llamas, alpacas, goats, and sheep, an artisan market showcasing local artists, food trucks, and even dinosaur exhibits.Additionally, visitors can enjoy outdoor games, a discovery zone focused on farming education and various informative exhibits.
Notably, the festival boasts 60,000 tulips in diverse colors. The festival takes place on weekends in March, with an admission fee of $18. On Thursdays and Fridays, the cost is reduced to $12 per person, focusing solely on the tulip displays.
Thomasville Rose Show
Thomasville, Georgia hosts one of USA Today’s “Top 10 Best Flower Shows” filled with roses and orchids. The exquisite floral art displays are enjoyed along with parades, live music, family activities, and plenty of food vendors. Thomasville is located basically on the FL/GA state line with the festival held in late April. The restaurants step up their game to include edible roses with their dishes, desserts, or cocktails.
Thomasville is a historic and award-winning small town. Expect a few crowds as the Rose Tent opens on Friday. It showcases literally hundreds of stunning roses on display. After the roses, head to Broad Street for luxury and trendy boutique shopping. The parade comes right down Broad Street so grab an ice cream and enjoy the floats. Come for the roses and discover the magic that’s Thomasville.
Cherry Blossom Festival
The International Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, Georgia, celebrates spring with more than 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees. Macon holds the title of “Cherry Blossom Capital of the World.” This 10-day festival features live music, food vendors, and the Cherry Blossom Parade.
The event includes unique attractions such as wiener dog races, pig races, seal shows, fireworks displays, and hot air balloon rides. Visitors are encouraged to begin their tour at the visitor center and follow the Cherry Blossom Trail throughout the city. The festival usually starts around the 21st of March. The Cherry Blossom Festival is listed as “One of the Top 20 events to attend in the South.”
Daffodil Festival
Spring unfolds at Gibbs Gardens as over 20 million daffodil blooms cover 50 acres of valleys, hillsides, and fields. The gardens are filled with tulips and cherry trees too. Gibbs Garden was named the “World’s 10 Best Places to See Daffodils” by Flower Magazine.
USA Today named “Gibbs Gardens the Best Flower Festival in America for 2025”. The gardens offer more than 60 daffodil varieties for six weeks of blooming in shades of yellow, orange, white, and peach. Gibbs Gardens is located in Ball Ground, Georgia, about an hour north of Atlanta. The entrance fee is $25 and tickets are available online. You can have lunch at the café and spend 2-3 hours enjoying the unending view of flowers.
Azalea Festival
North Carolina has the Azalea Festival in Wilmington celebrating the city’s many beautiful gardens. The city has celebrated flowers since 1948. It hosts festivities during April, featuring five days of over 50 events.
These include concerts, parades, and a Garden Party. The Garden Party is a fancy event with ladies hats similar to the Kentucky Derby. Historic Wilmington opens their porches for a tour of select homes. The fireworks are Saturday night with viewing along the Cape Fear River.
The Biltmore
The Biltmore in Ashville, NC, hosts the Blooms Festival of Flowers celebrating spring with more than 130,000 flowers on display in the gardens. The gardens show off over 80,000 tulips and 1,000 orchids. It costs around $130 per person for house and grounds tours.
Epcot
I think everyone knows about Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival featuring Disney-themed topiaries. So, this is just a reminder of how beautiful the park is during spring. If you are heading to Disney, don’t miss my Disney Magic Tips!
Callaway Gardens
Callaway Gardens provides a tranquil environment within its picturesque setting. Guests can ride or bike through 2,500 acres of flower gardens and trails that encompass the lake. Boasting a variety of entertainment options, Callaway Gardens serves as a year-round destination for visitors. Enjoy Pine Mountain, Georgia, for the weekend and I have a getaway guide to make planning easier.
Thanks for reading my Top 8 Flower Festivals in the Southeast. I hope you have a beautiful spring! My Washington Travel Guide provides tips for touring the Lavender Farms. My Guide to Michigan will land you on Mackinac Island with all the flowers.
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