The best places to visit in April in the US

Spring is always an exciting time. Across the United States, winter-weary travelers doff their coats and set off to explore American majesty, from idyllic rural getaways to buzzing urban centers. Here, we round up the top spots to visit in the U.S. during April. Dig into deep dish pizza in Chicago or relish in a quiet stroll on the beach in Nantucket and thank us later as you experience some of the best spring flings on American soil.

Looking to head overseas? Visit our guide to the best places to visit in April around the world.

A scenic destination year-round, Texas’s Hill Country really comes alive in April when its limestone hills are abloom with wildflowers like primrose, Indian paintbrush, and bluebonnets. That’s thanks in part to average temperatures between 60°F to 79°F in April. A loosely defined region that stretches west of Austin and north of San Antonio, Hill Country is filled with rural landscapes and a thriving wine region in and around German-influenced Fredericksburg. There are hundreds of wineries, including Kuhlman Cellars, where both indoor and outdoor tasting areas offer views of the surrounding vineyards.

Stay: To get the full flavor of the region, check-in at Collective Hill Country, a tented retreat where private decks overlook the idyllic landscape just outside the town of Wimberley. Even better, this glamping site is centrally located for exploring the best of Hill Country’s offerings.

America’s Second City is second to none in April, when average temps range from a pleasant 53°F to 65°F. Take a glass elevator to the Skydeck at Willis Tower, the city’s tallest building, and have a gander at the city laid out in grids below. You’ll see Michigan Avenue, a.k.a. the Magnificent Mile, famous for world-class shopping like Gucci and Harry Winston. When you make it back down to street level, make the most of the city’s impeccable dining options like Alinea, one of many Michelin-starred eateries in town, and renowned deep dish pizza joints like Gino’s East and Pizzeria Uno. The city is equally rich in culture, with Art Deco architecture like the Tribune Tower and world-famous museums like the natural history Field Museum, where a giant titanosaurus greets you in the lobby, and the Art Institute of Chicago, which houses George Seurat’s famous pointillist work “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.” Afterwards, make like the park goers in the painting and head to Millennial Park where public artworks like the stainless steel Cloud Gate, aka The Bean, look out over Lake Michigan.

Stay: Expect timeless décor and impeccable service at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago, located in the ritzy Gold Coast neighborhood and walking distance from the city’s attractions. Or, book a stay at Londonhouse Chicago, Curio Collection by Hilton, voted as the best value in the city by our community, thanks to its location and top-notch customer service.

Sure, America’s capital city is jam-packed with history, past and present, from the White House and the U.S. Capitol to the Library of Congress and the Lincoln Memorial. But the city also teems with rich cultural experiences. Among them: the National Portrait Gallery, which houses the country’s only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House, including Kehinde Wiley’s portrait of Barack Obama; and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which features artifacts like Harriet Tubman’s hymnal and will have the “Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures” exhibition on display come April. Plus, the city has an eclectic dining scene, from the buzzy Anju to stalwart Le Diplomate. So why visit DC in April specifically? To see the cherry blossoms bloom across the city, which only flower during this month for about two weeks. The accompanying National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the friendship between the U.S. and Japan through events highlighting Japanese art and culture.

Stay: Line DC, a 19th-century church converted into a boutique hotel, sits in the trendy Adams Morgan neighborhood and offers bright, airy rooms with original art by local female artists.

The Garden Isle offers turquoise waters that you can take to for snorkeling, jet skiing, or just floating along—made all the better by low-70°F average temps in April. On land, the Kalalau Trail runs along the pristine Na Pali coastline and is the perfect route for a leisurely hike. Then there is Waimea Canyon State Park, known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, a 10-mile-long and 3,000-foot-deep natural wonder. But there’s more to enjoy than just nature. There’s a great selection of cuisines, from Japanese flavors at Aina Kauai to regional cuisine at Merriman’s Poipu Kauai, where you can feast on smoked taro hummus. Nightlife in Kauai is more about moonlit walks than dance clubs, but for those in search of entertainment, head to Duke’s Barefoot Bar, which has live Hawaiian music, or visit Stevenson’s Library, where a book-lined lounge serves as a backdrop for contemporary island tunes.

Stay: The Grand Hyatt Kauai is a beachfront escape with wild gardens, pools dotted across the property, and colorful rooms with private lanais.

The 80-degree-highs in Miami are just right as the ocean breeze keeps the city cool in April—as do its attractions, from hip nightclubs like Liv in South Beach to trendy restaurants like Byblos. Soak in Cuban culture in Little Havana and try your hands, and feet, at a salsa dance class at Ball & Chain. Contemporary international art from the 20th and 21st centuries takes pride of place at the Perez Art Museum Miami, while the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens is set in a waterfront estate dating back to 1916 with grandly decorated rooms that will make interior design enthusiasts swoon. But Miami’s best times are spent on its beaches, from nestling in the white sands at the family-friendly South Pointe Park to lounging on a daybed at Miami Beach’s Nikki Beach.

Stay: Faena Hotel Miami Beach oozes glamour, with a red-white-and-blue palette, endless ocean views, an open-fire asado at Los Fuegos by Argentine star chef Francis Mallmann, and a golden wooly mammoth skeleton in a glass cage, by artist Damien Hirst.

Perhaps best savored in April when the average temps are a refreshingly cool 51°F and the summer crowds have yet to descend, Nantucket offers visitors simple charms like seaside cottages along windswept beaches, historic harbors, looming lighthouses, and chowder shacks. Of course, fresh seafood is the order of the day, every day, at restaurants like the extra cozy Oran Mor Bistro and the half-century-old Straight Wharf. History enthusiasts will enjoy the Whaling Museum, which houses artifacts like a complete sperm whale skeleton, as well as a visit to the Sankaty Head Lighthouse that was built in 1850 and is still in use. The island also boasts first-class fishing and visiting anglers can expect to catch bluefish and bonito. For the quintessential Nantucket experience, head to one of its many white-sand beaches like Madaket or Jetties and take in the beauty of the heaving Atlantic.

Stay: The stylish Greydon House is located in a former sea captain’s home. The moody décor recalls a jazzy version of Victorian-era New England interiors, while its location adjacent to the ferry terminal sets the inn squarely in the heart of the island.