United States in spring: weather, crowds and things to do

Spring in the United States is not one season. In March the desert Southwest and Florida are already warm and dry, while the Northeast and Midwest are still cold, with snow possible in the mountains and along the Great Lakes. By May the Northeast and Midwest are green and mild, the South is warm and humid, and the low desert is heading toward 40 °C.

The Rockies and northern parks are the exception: April and May there are still winter at altitude. High roads such as Going-to-the-Sun, Beartooth and Trail Ridge open only about June–October, and snow is possible any month at elevation. Plan those parks for summer, not spring.

Two weather hazards matter in spring. Tornadoes are most common on the Plains and in the Midwest from March to June, and afternoon thunderstorms build fast in the South and the Rockies. Both are forecastable — check the day's outlook before a long drive or a hike above the treeline.

Spring sits between the winter lull and the summer peak, so crowds and prices are medium in most of the country. The two spikes are spring break, which fills Florida beaches and parks from early March into early April, and Memorial Day weekend at the end of May, when the summer season opens and campsites and park lodges sell out.

Washington's cherry-blossom week in late March or early April is one of the busiest spring windows in the Northeast; hotel rates there rise and should be booked months ahead. The desert parks — Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Death Valley — are in their high season in March and April, and some start timed-entry or shuttle systems in May.

If you want quieter weeks, aim for the second half of April or the first half of May outside holiday weekends. The Northeast and Midwest are mild then and the South is warm but not yet hot.

Spring is the best window for the desert Southwest. March and April give comfortable hiking temperatures at Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce and Death Valley before the June heat, and wildflowers can be strong in the low desert after a wet winter. The California coast is mild in spring, though fog and marine layer are common — check the day's forecast before a coastal drive.

In the East, spring means cherry blossoms in Washington, the start of the walking season in New York and Boston, and long green weekends in the South — Savannah, Charleston, Nashville and New Orleans, where spring is one of the two comfortable seasons. The Gulf and Deep South are warm and pleasant from March to May before the summer humidity.

The Midwest and Great Lakes come alive in May: Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis are mild, and the lake towns open for the season. The Rockies and northern parks are the ones to leave for summer, unless you are skiing — the ski season in the Rockies runs into April.

Pack for two or three climates if you are crossing regions. Layers are the core: a base layer, a light fleece or sweater, and a packable rain shell. The Northeast and Midwest can still be cold in March and April, while the desert and Florida are warm in the day and cool at night — desert nights can drop close to freezing in March.

Bring comfortable broken-in walking shoes, sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen; spring sun is strong at altitude and in the desert. A refillable water bottle is useful everywhere, and a small daypack covers most park days. If you are heading to the mountains, add a warm hat and gloves for April and May.

Spring in the United States runs March to May in the northern hemisphere. If you are travelling from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or South America, your own spring is September to November — the US spring is your autumn, so the seasons are reversed. That matters for packing and for what is open: a US spring trip is a shoulder-season trip, not a summer one.

For readers used to Fahrenheit, the site shows temperatures in your own unit automatically, and the month-by-month verdicts above stay the same whichever unit you read them in.