Springtime in Virginia is a magical time to explore one of Virginia’s picturesque wineries or stroll along an uncrowded pristine beach. Put on your hiking boots and see out one of Virginia’s magnificent gushing waterfalls or take a scenic drive enjoying fields of colorful wildflowers.
As the weather warms up and daytime average temperatures begin being in the 60s, it makes it pleasant to get back outside and enjoy a day of fresh air and the beauty of nature.
No matter where you head, you will find plenty to keep you busy during an unforgettable spring vacation in Virginia. So, please bring your camera and head to some of our must-visit locations during spring in Virginia.
Explore Shenandoah National Park
The Shenandoah National Park offers nature-loving visitors so many options of what to do while exploring the park. Choose between traveling down the 110-mile Skyline Drive and stopping at one or all of the 70 overlooks, hiking up to 500 miles of trails that lead to outstanding viewpoints and waterfalls, or camping in rustic or luxurious accommodations.
Virginia Wildflowers
A spring hike is a prime time to visit the waterfalls since some falls tend to dry up to a trickle by late summer, and they are at their highest flow in the spring after the snowmelt.
Throughout the forests and meadows, azaleas, mountain laurel, trilliums, pink lady’s slippers, and other spring wildflowers begin to bloom at lower elevation areas. Mill Prong, Rose River, Hughes River, and South River are great areas to explore for spring flowers since the temperature is a bit warmer at this elevation.
Waterfalls in Virginia
Nothing is better than hiking to one of the waterfalls in the Shenandoah National Park during the spring when the water flow is at its peak.
Top 3 spring waterfall hikes in Shenandoah
South River Falls
Head down the 2.6-mile trail to the year-round flowing South River Falls. A trip here in the spring is impressive as you watch the water plunge into the pool below.
Whiteoak Canyon Falls
Whiteoak Canyon Falls can be a brutal trail even in the best of conditions but is one of the park’s iconic trails with stunning cliffs, massive boulders, and six cascading falls. Choose between heading down the trail that descends 2,335 feet into the canyon or begin from the foot of the mountain in Syria and head up as far as your feet will allow. The six falls range from heights of 35 feet up to 86 feet.
Dark Hollow Falls
To get to Dark Hollow Falls, take the relatively short, moderately complex trail to the 70-foot Dark Hollow Falls twists and turns down 440-feet to the stunning cascade within the steep
valley. If you only have a short time in the park, take 1½ hours to hike to this beauty. No matter the season, you won’t be alone since it is one of the most popular hikes in the park.
More waterfalls in Virginia
Cherry Blossoms in Virginia
Head to Reston and Visit the Van Gogh Bridge
The Van Gogh Bridge is a footbridge linking Lake Anne Village Center to Washington Plaza. The bridge is the perfect place to take your Instagram photo of the cherry blossoms during the spring. Extend your stay by eating a picnic lunch, and then spend the afternoon strolling around the beautiful area.
Stroll the Tidal Basin
On an April visit to the nation’s capital, walk over to the Tidal Basin, where you can take a leisurely 2.1-mile walk around the basin while viewing the D.C. skyline as well as the white Yoshino cherry blossoms that will remind you of billowing clouds.
Washington, D.C.’s Cherry Blossom Festival
Spring in Washington, D.C. means it is time for the gorgeous cherry blossoms to bloom around the city. From mid-March through mid-April, Washington, D.C. hosts the month-long Cherry Blossom Festival with various free events.
Spend some time walking around the Tidal Basin and the National Arboretum to take in the beautiful trees in full bloom. Try taking pictures of the cherry blossoms at sunrise and sunset with the golden rays of the sun shining through.
Wildflowers and more Wildflowers at Burkes Garden
In the southwest corner of Virginia in Tazwell County, you will find lush fields of wildflowers in Burkes Garden. As you stroll along the hillsides, try to find the hard-to-spot trout lily, the short Poor Robin’s Plantain, the white trillium, mountain laurel, and rhododendrons.
If you are a biker, begin a 12-mile bike ride around Burkes Garden’s rolling hills from the mill dam.
Hikers will want to head to the Appalachian Trail access point and hike to the Chestnut Ridge Shelter, where you will be able to view Burkes Garden at the scenic overlook.
Enjoy Seeing Stunning Fields of Bluebells
At the beginning of April, enjoy walking the trails through River Bend Park in Great Falls, where you will be sure to see the stunning light blue flowers blanketing the forest floor. The trails in the park are between 1 and 2 ½ miles long, and Potomac Heritage, Hollows, Bootlegger, and Madison’s Escape Trails feature the most spring wildflowers.
For more bluebells, head to the Bluebell Trail at Merrimac Farm in Nokesville. Here you will be able to see the bluebells across the floodplain.
Virginia Pick-Your-Own
April showers bring May flowers, and that rain also brings to life a wide variety of Pick-Your-Own farms across the state. During the spring, local farms begin to open for picking spring wildflowers and veggies like asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, and greens.
However, the in-demand fresh, juicy red strawberry is the top market seller in the spring. There are fields across the state, but Virginia Beach leads the state in strawberry fields.
The southern Virginia Beach neighborhood of Pungo even has its own two-day strawberry festival at the end of May.
Pick-Your-Own Juicy Red Strawberries!
Spring in Virginia not only means flowers are blooming but the beginning of the pick-your-own fresh fruits and vegetable season.
You will find scads of large and small farms that grow sweet and delicious strawberries each spring throughout the Old Dominion state.
Below you will find a list of some of the farms that feature pick-your-own strawberries.
- Mackintosh Fruit Farm in Berryville is a family-friendly farm. Pets are welcome, and they have picnic tables where you can enjoy a picnic lunch after berry picking.
- Fredericksburg’s Braehead Farm offers delicious U-Pick strawberries as well as a farm market with delicious jams, jellies, syrups, and more.
- Showalter’s Orchard and Greenhouse has pick-your-own strawberries. After picking, stop in for a strawberry slushie and get your picture taken in front of the LOVE sign that overlooks the Shenandoah Valley.
- Holly Fork Farm Produce outside of Richmond in Barhamsville has delicious strawberries to pick, animals to visit, and get your picture taken eating berries in front of the LOVE sign.
Pick-Your-Own Spring Vegetables
- Messick’s Farm Market in Bealeton has asparagus.
- Couch’s Corner Berriesin New Kent is the place to pick both strawberries and asparagus.
- At Purcellville’s Crooked Run Orchard, you can pick herbs, asparagus, and flowers.
- Broccoli, asparagus, and strawberries can be found at the Shockley Farm on Virginia’s Eastern Shore in Cape Charles.
Pick-Your-Own Flowers in Virginia
Burnside Farms
Burnside Farms is like a quick trip to Holland when they have their Festival of Spring each year. Here you can see over 15 acres of beautiful tulips and daffodils blooming.
Not only is it beautiful to look at and photograph, but it is a fantastic pick-your-own extravaganza.
Visit between the end of April to the beginning of May.
Field of Flowers
Field of Flowers is a self-serve Pick-Your-Own farm filled with a wide variety of flowers throughout the summer and fall. To name a few, they have dahlias, asters, hydrangea, lavender, sunflowers, and zinnias.
For the freshest flowers, head to the farm in the morning when the temperatures are cooler.
The farm is dog friendly.
More You-Pick-Flowers in Virginia
Stroll through a fragrant Lavender Fields
The cost of heading to Provence, France, shouldn’t be an issue for those interested in seeing beautiful lavender fields this summer. There are plenty of areas right here in Virginia for you to explore.
Sweethaven Lavender of Williamsburg – Opens Mother’s Day weekend
Add a stop at Sweethaven Lavender of Williamsburg to your Williamsburg/Virginia Beach road trip this spring or summer.
This family-owned farm offers seven acres of lavender, a Mercantile full of their skincare line, artisan-made gifts, and delicious culinary products so that you can take a little Sweethaven home with you.
Tantivy Farm Lavender Fields – Opens mid-April
On your spring weekend road trip to Natural Bridge State Park, make a quick stop at the Tantivy Farm, where you can spend an hour or two away from your usual hustle and bustle and smell the lavender.
This family-owned farm offers beautiful mountain views, a waterfall, and a gift shop full of lavender plants for your garden, along with bath products, lavender culinary items, and sachets.
Check their calendar for lavender workshops and family activities.
More Lavender Farms in Virginia
Fish for Flounder
Choose one of the local chart boats and head out to the Chesapeake Bay to fish for flounder. The flounder begin to bite again in the spring after a cold winter, but you may also catch one of the other 348 species of fish that live in the bay, like the local-favorite rockfish, sea bass, or tautog.
Fly a Kite
As a kid, we knew March was the windy month and perfect for getting those kites out, up in the air, and hopefully out of the trees.
Across the state, there are some great venues for kite flying. Some of our favorites are:
- From the top of Virginia Beach’s Mount Trashmore or along the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
- Take part in the Blossom Kite Festival that is part of the Cherry Blossom Festival on the National Mall.
- Visit Fossil Beach in Westmoreland State Park and set your kite a sail.
- Stay away from the treas and head to the field near the swimming complex at Staunton River State Park, and enjoy flying your kite without obstacles to get in your way.
Climb to the top of Cape Henry Lighthouse
At the northeast tip of Virginia Beach, where the Chesapeake Bay dumps into the Atlantic Ocean, you will find two lighthouses just 350 apart.
The original Cape Henry Lighthouse, built in 1792 and the country’s 4th oldest lighthouse, is open to the public. You can climb the black and white striped lighthouse’s circular metal staircase’s 191 steps to the top, where you can watch ships enter the harbor and take in the lantern room’s 360o view of the surrounding landscape.
The new lighthouse that was built in 1881 and stands 157-feet tall is not open to the public.
Both lighthouses are within the Fort Story Army Post. To get to the lighthouses, all adults must show ID (military, driver’s license, passport) to enter the base gate.
Since the lighthouse has no air condition, a cool spring day is perfect for climbing those stairs.
Visit a Winery this Spring
What could be better than sitting outside on a winery’s patio, savoring a glass of wine as you look out across the enchanting landscape? On a chilly spring evening, you may want to sit around the warm fire pit and toast to a beautiful day.
Some of our favorite wineries to visit in the spring are:
- Stone Tower Winery – Leesburg
- Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyard – North Garden
- Early Mountain Vineyards – Madison
- Chateau Morrisette Winery – Floyd
- Stroll along the walkways lined with wildflowers.
- Beliveau Estate Winery – Blacksburg
- Have a picnic beside the sweet-smelling lavender garden or overlooking the pond.
Take a Spring Bike Ride
Virginia has some tremendous paved bike trails that are terrific for both children as well as avid cyclers.
- Peddle all or part of the 34.3 mile Virginia Creeper Trail from Damascus to the North Carolina State Line. For a mostly downhill ride, be sure to start at the North Carolina line near Whitetop.
- Lynchburg’s Blackwater Creek Trail meanders eight miles along the Blackwater Creek.
- Pedal from Williamsburg to Richmond along the 52 mile Virginia Capital Trail.
- Bike 7 ½ miles from the southern tip of Virginia Beach’s Boardwalk at Rudy’s Inlet to First Landing State Park and then continue along the three-mile Cape Henry Trail to the Chesapeake Bay.
Spring is Festival Season
Spring is the start of a new year of festivals across Virginia. Find one or more that piques your interest and plan a spring getaway.
- Daffodil Festival – Gloucester – First weekend of April
- Rocktown Beer and Music Festival – Harrisonburg – Late April
- The Virginia Hot Glass Festival – Staunton – Memorial Day Weekend
- Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival – Winchester – 10 days from the end of April through early May
- Chincoteague Seafood Festival – Tom’s Cove Park, Chincoteague – 1st Saturday in May
- Famous Fried Chicken Festival – Gordonsville – 3rd Saturday in May
- Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival – Martinsville – 4-day festival over Memorial Day weekend
