Most destinations have an optimum time to visit, whether that’s due to a fun festival or an annual wildflower bloom. We’ve combed through what’s happening in 2023, from significant anniversaries and new launches to lesser-known festivals and nature displays, for this month-by-month guide on where to go – and when – across the US.
Sometimes nature outshines the most talented of artists, and that’s especially true of the canyons, hoodoos and buttes of Utah. In the case of Brent Christensen’s winter season Ice Castles, though, nature and human talent collide with fantastical results. These walk-through wonderlands of frozen falls, caves, thrones and tunnels are crafted from thousands of icicles and illuminated in different colours using LED lights. There are also displays in Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York and Wisconsin.
Maine is (rightly) famed for its display of fall colours, so its winter wonders can be overlooked. Camden Winterfest is the time to rectify that. The event will be held on 28 January 2023, kicking things off with the Winterfest Community Ice Carving Event. The harbour town makes a pretty, if incongruous, backdrop to snow and ice sculpting contests, a dog fashion show and the Polar Plunge, when brave souls jump into the frigid harbour. Meanwhile the US National Toboggan Championships, another Winterfest favourite, take place between 3 to 5 February at the Camden Snow Bowl.
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Easily one of the most famous and iconic sporting events in the USA, the Super Bowl returns this year on 12 February at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The NFL game is hosted by a different city each year, with plenty of festivities taking place in the lead-up to the big game. At Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown Phoenix there will be a multi-day outdoor festival with live music, multicultural celebrations, local food and other entertainment in the week leading up to the game. There will also be a live watching party on televised screens on the day.
Visitors can admire Palm Springs’ mid-century modern structures at any time of year but adoration of the low-rise buildings reaches skyscraper heights during Modernism Week. The festival, running 16-26 February in 2023, will have bus and walking tours, cocktail parties and the chance to peek inside iconic properties owned by Hollywood stars and celebrated architects. All events are open to the public and many are free or low-cost.
The edge of winter is a spectacular time to visit Yellowstone National Park. The thermal springs, geysers and pine forests look even more spectacular surrounded by a blanket of snow, while fewer visitors mean a stronger chance of spotting wolves, elk and bison. Winter adventurers can explore trails on snowshoes, snowmobiles or by cross-country skiing (roads don't open to regular vehicles until mid-April). The solitude makes the scenery all the more magical.
Step back in time with these incredible images of Yellowstone through the decades
Savannah’s first official St Paddy’s parade was held in 1824, organised by the local Hibernian Society. Now it’s the oldest in the US and also one of the biggest. Around half a million people usually descend on the oak-flanked streets each year, adding even more green to the city’s verdant palette. The event is set to take place on 17 March 2023, starting at 10.15am (after Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist).
Even if you're not a runner, there's nothing quite like the atmosphere of a marathon and Boston is among the largest and most famous in the country. In fact some half a million spectators gather each year to cheer on the athletes running through the streets. The event, which takes place on Monday 17 April 2023, draws in the fastest runners from all over the world, so it's a great opportunity to marvel at their superhuman talents, all while enjoying the brilliant crowds cheering them on.
Each year, the capital celebrates Emancipation Day on 16 April, marking the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln signing the DC Compensated Emancipation Act, freeing 3,100 enslaved people and offering them help to emigrate. This year, it will be 161 years since the momentous event, which will see a one-hour television special aired and a public holiday held in DC. The anniversary also happens to coincide with one of the loveliest times of year in DC, when the cherry trees burst with blossom. The National Cherry Blossom Festival (20 March-16 April) celebrates with parties and parades.
Tiny Nantucket blooms in April when the island celebrates the beginning of spring with the annual Daffodil Festival (27-30 April). The yellow flowers pop against beaches, sand dunes and salt marshes as crowds gather for an antique car parade, tailgate picnic, fancy-dress contests, Morris Dancing performances and a flower show. The mild weather and thinner crowds make this an ideal time to visit the island, which lies just off Cape Cod.
Forget Mardi Gras. The French Quarter Festival captures the true, quirky spirit of New Orleans. Live music, fun and frolics are pretty easy to find any day of the year in the French Quarter but for four days in April (13-16 in 2023) it steps up a gear. Outdoor stages host live music while food stalls serve cuisine from the city’s revered restaurants. It is a guaranteed to satisfy souls and bellies.
Flame azaleas, orchids and irises are among the blooms that scatter the mountain slopes, valleys and forest floors of the vast Great Smoky Mountains National Park in spring. These annual flowerings are such an event that the park hosts a Wildflower Pilgrimage (26-29 April in 2023). The event, with exhibits, guided hikes and expert talks, has been going since 1950.
Spring is the best time to explore the trails of this awe-inspiring national park, whether on two feet or two wheels. If you're looking to hike, opt for the trails around the edges of the park, which tend to be snow-free earlier in the season due to being at lower elevation. By late May, most of the roads into the park will be open, with the exception of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which is expected to be fully open by 1 July 2023.
The Grand Canyon’s inky night skies and clear, clean air make it one of the best stargazing spots in the US and the national park is even more breathtaking at night. From 10-17 June there will be a series of events on the South and North Rims for the annual Grand Canyon Star Party. Attendees at the free (aside from park entry fees) festival can peek at sparkling skies, spy Jupiter and Saturn through telescopes, take nighttime walking tours and attend talks held by astronomers.
Every day’s a party in Key West, the quirky town at the tip of the Florida Keys. Yet somehow the fun manages to find a new level during Key West Pride, with fanciful parades, cocktail contests, trolley tours of gay heritage sites, street fairs and pageants. The 2023 celebrations are due to take place 7-11 June, with drag shows, dancing and pool parties galore.
Greenville is the gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains though it’s also a particularly delicious destination in its own right. Several restaurants, including acclaimed pit-master John Lewis’ Lewis Barbecue, have opened in the last couple of years, adding to the city’s burgeoning reputation as a foodie destination. All that delicious Southern cuisine happens to pair perfectly with outdoor adventures and, with average July temperatures rarely exceeding 32°C (90°F), it’s not prohibitively hot.
If you've ever wanted to embrace your inner cowboy, there's no better place to do so than at the memorable Cheyenne Frontier Days. This annual festival, which takes place from 22-30 July 2023, is an all-out celebration of western culture, with events including a rodeo, professional bull rides and a carnival. There's plenty to do after dark too, with live music performances and lots of bars in which to enjoy a glass of something cold.
The most gorgeously geeky of all events is set to return to San Diego’s Convention Center for 20-23 July 2023. It’s the perfect excuse to dress up as your favourite Marvel/Star Trek/Scooby-Doo character and, best of all, kids get free entry with a paying adult – so adults can always pretend they were dragged along. There's also the Comic-Con Museum, which opened last year in Balboa Park, where visitors can immerse themselves in the world of cosplay and comics whether or not they attend the big show.
It’s a short, scenic float plane ride from Ketchikan (around a two-hour flight from Seattle, Washington) to reach Prince of Wales Island – and respite from what can be a sweltering month in many parts of the US. Summer is the perfect time to see Alaska in its thawed state and to enjoy outdoor pursuits in sunshine rather than snow. The island is home to Waterfall Resort Alaska, a cannery turned fishing resort open June-August. Boats take guests out daily with expert guides and all the necessary gear.
August days tend to be sunny and warm in Washington state’s verdant, wildlife-rich San Juan Islands, and the month is also right in the middle of whale-watching season. Orcas (pictured) can often be spied off the coast between May and October. The best chance of seeing these striking mammals in their natural habitat is by joining an organised boat tour or going kayaking.
Powwows (gatherings of Native people) are held throughout the year across the US, and the United Tribes International Powwow – held every second weekend in September – is one of the biggest, with people from more than 70 Native American tribes. Visitors can watch song and dance contests, browse artisan crafts and sample traditional dishes from food stalls.
The earth shakes and dust fills the air during the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Round Up, held the last Friday of every September (this year, it will take place 29 September-1 October). People can watch as trained experts round up a herd of around 1,400 bison to move them onto new grazing pastures. There are two public viewing areas, each offering a clear vantage point of the spectacle yet positioned safely away from the stampede.
With beaches white and soft as caster sugar and rows of seafront restaurants, Biloxi is something of a find. One of the best times to experience it is in autumn, when the heat has eased a little and visitors can feast on seafood even more than usual. During Gulf Coast Shrimp Tasting Festival, on 14 October 2023, restaurants and street-food stalls serve dishes made with local seafood including hot and spicy boiled shrimp. There’s also live music and entertainment and people selling arts and crafts.
The scarecrows do much more than scare crows at this month-long event in the pretty seaside town of Cambria. They charm people too. What began as a display of a few handcrafted figures has become a big draw for the small coastal community. Now visitors can see hundreds of wonderful, whimsical creations propped on porches and positioned outside vintage shops, restaurants and wine-tasting rooms.
San Francisco’s skies tend to be bluer and decidedly less foggy in autumn, and canny visitors can expect thinner crowds around Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf too. The milder weather is ideal for pounding the hilly streets to discover the city’s eclectic neighbourhoods, walking across the Golden Gate Bridge and exploring highlights like the Presidio, a vast park on a former military base.
This festival may not be as famous as Miami’s Art Basel but it’s definitely less crowded and far more affordable. The SHINE Mural Festival is free, in fact, run by nonprofit St Petersburg Arts Alliance to celebrate the abundance of colourful street art in downtown. During the week, which typically runs in October, visitors can view murals created for that year’s festival, see artists at work and join fun street parties.
Twisting and turning through the North Georgia mountains, the 77-mile (124km) 'Dragon Eyes' route – named for the two loops that pass through mountain gaps – is a thrilling way to immerse yourself in Georgia’s beautiful autumn colours. The route has a total of 715 curves and six gaps, and those who take the rather hair-raising drive are rewarded with incredible views and opportunities to hike to waterfalls and up Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s highest mountain.
Strataca is located in the only salt mine open to the public in the US, which is pretty cool. But this underground museum gets even better in winter. During the Season of Lights (November-January) the cavern is decked out with lights and ornaments while Christmas music plays in one of the country’s more unusual festive displays. Visitors can also take a piece of the salt away with them on the Dark Ride tour.
Summer is slammed and harvest (August-October) is hectic. But winter is wonderful in the Napa Valley. Dubbed Cabernet Season because it’s an excuse to drink big, bold reds paired with cosy seasonal menus, it’s a relatively peaceful and inexpensive time to explore the famous wine region. There are often discounts on tastings and tours and fewer crowds in tasting rooms, and the weather remains pleasantly mild.
Puerto Rico’s la Navidad season lasts for 45 days, putting it right to the top of our Christmas travel wish list. The weather is still gloriously (if rather un-festively) sunny, with average highs of 28°C (84°F),while the atmosphere is joyously festive. Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) is the biggest day, though there are celebrations, traditional music, storytelling, decorations and various fiestas from November to February.
Every day spent in this Bavarian mountain village feels like being behind the door of an advent calendar. It’s not so much that it contains sugary chocolate (though you can probably find some). Leavenworth is simply one of the most Christmassy spots in the US, with snowy slopes, endless twinkly lights and mugs of mulled wine. New Year’s Eve is refreshingly chilled-out too – think cosy dinners and wintry strolls rather than fanfare and fireworks.