- The Points Guy showcases several spring flower festivals worldwide as crowd-lean alternatives to cherry blossoms, with bloom windows roughly March–May (Ottawa tulips; Jacaranda in Mexico City; Portland roses; Cordoba Feria de Patios; Rochester lilacs; Luoyang peonies; Daffodil Days in Newport; Tonami tulips; The Flower Fields in Carlsbad). - Each listing includes lodging tips and typical rates or points costs (examples: Ottawa from $357/night; 12,000 Hyatt points; Portland from $265 or 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points; Luoyang from $84 or 36,000; Rochester from $226 or 60,000; Cordoba from $208; Tonami from $91; Flower Fields from $276 or 41,000). - Takeaway: plan early around specific festival dates to enjoy blooms with fewer crowds while leveraging loyalty programs for savings.

Skip the sakura crowds at these lesser-known flower festivals Lately, I've developed a love-hate relationship with cherry blossom season. I love the canopy of delicate pink blooms at cherry blossom-viewing spots around the globe. But the hordes of fellow flower lovers jostling to get the perfect picnic spot or selfie? Not so much. So this year, I started searching for other spring flower moments that deliver the same sense of magic, minus the shoulder-to-shoulder flora fans and sold-out hotels. As it turns out, the world is full of delightful destinations for bloom-viewing. Think: an entire city turning lavender during jacaranda season, hillsides glowing with roses and fields filled with dazzling wildflowers. Some blooms come with lively festivals while others transform a landscape for a few fleeting weeks each year. If you're craving a spring trip that still celebrates the season but skips the sakura crowds, these bloom-filled destinations are well worth planning a trip around. Related: The best places to stay for cherry blossom season Canadian Tulip Festival, Ottawa, Ontario Tulips and the Netherlands might go hand-in-hand, but you can also expect peak crowds if you go flower viewing anywhere near Amsterdam. Instead, try a closer, less globally known option in Canada. More than 1 million tulips bloom across Ottawa each May, filling parks and waterfront paths with brigh...