Places to Visit in April USA: Where Spring Weather Works

Places to visit in April USA that actually deliver on weather are Las Vegas and Phoenix (each with just 1 rainy day on average), the California coast, and Honolulu. Las Vegas is 79.0°F / 26.1°C and Phoenix 86.0°F / 30.0°C, with humidity of 21% in both. Back east, Washington DC (66.4°F / 19.1°C) and New York (60.3°F / 15.7°C) finally feel like spring, but with 11 rainy days each you will want an umbrella.

April rewards patience. It is the month the desert is at its best, the Pacific coast is at its driest, the South gets its heaviest spring rain, and the north is only starting to thaw. Choosing well mostly means knowing which of those four Aprils you are walking into. We have grouped the destinations that way below, and kept the list to ten cities where the average weather is genuinely good for travel.

Places to visit in April USA: weather at a glance

Averages for April across 2006 to 2025, in the order we cover them.

The sunshine column makes the case on its own. Las Vegas and Phoenix get 12.4 hours a day, Honolulu 11.8, and even rainy Seattle manages 9.4. The rain columns split the table in two: the desert and California rows log 1 to 3 rainy days, Honolulu logs 11 (short showers), and the last five all log 10 to 14.

Places to Visit in April USA: The Quick Answer

Phoenix

The honest trade in Phoenix is that March was cooler and May will be hotter. April sits at 86.0°F / 30.0°C for the average high, 58.3°F / 14.6°C for the low, and almost no rain (0.2 in / 5 mm). By May the average high is 93.6°F / 34.2°C, so this is the last comfortable month for midday outdoor plans. Start hikes at sunrise. Pool season is here and the sun is strong, so budget for sunscreen. Best for golfers, hikers and winter-escape travelers who are trying to squeeze in one more warm trip.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas matches Phoenix for dryness (0.2 in / 5 mm, 1 rainy day) but runs about 7 degrees cooler at 79.0°F / 26.1°C, and nights are a crisp 55.6°F / 13.1°C. That is the right range for walking the Strip in daylight and driving out to the canyons. Pools are open but not hot yet; if swimming is the point, aim for late April or May. April is also a busy convention month, so check dates before you pick your week. For clothing, see what to wear in Vegas.

April two: California and Hawaii at their driest

Los Angeles and San Diego

The wet season has ended. Los Angeles averages 74.5°F / 23.6°C with only 3 rainy days and 0.7 in / 18 mm, while San Diego is cooler at 66.9°F / 19.4°C with 3 rainy days and 11.4 hours of sun. Both are green from winter rain and mild enough for beaches, hikes and long walks, but the ocean is still cold and the coastal "May gray" cloud can arrive a little early. Los Angeles is better for a theme-park and city trip, with a warmer afternoon; San Diego is better for a relaxed, walkable coastal break. Neither is a swimming holiday in April. Pack a sweater for evenings, since the lows are 51.3°F / 10.7°C in LA and 53.6°F / 12.0°C in San Diego.

Honolulu

Honolulu has 77.9°F / 25.5°C highs and 70.7°F / 21.5°C lows, and 1.5 in / 38 mm of rain, which is lower than March (2.4 in / 61 mm). Rainy days stay frequent at 11, but showers are brief and the sun total is high at 11.8 hours a day. Spring-break and Easter crowds can lift prices, so look at the calendar first; Easter falls in March or April depending on the year. Our best time to visit Hawaii guide compares each month.

April three: the South and its spring storms

Austin and New Orleans

These two are lovely in April, but the numbers carry a warning. Austin has highs of 79.5°F / 26.4°C and lows of 59.9°F / 15.5°C, with 10 rainy days and 3.8 in / 97 mm. New Orleans has 76.3°F / 24.6°C and 63.3°F / 17.4°C, with 10 rainy days and 4.1 in / 104 mm. You will usually get warm weather and some storms. That works well in a city built around indoor music venues and restaurants. New Orleans in particular is full of spring festivals in April, and the usual timing of the big jazz festival, late April into early May, makes this one of its busiest periods. Book early and carry a light rain jacket. Texas wildflowers are usually at their best in late March and April.

The same warning applies to Houston and Dallas, which average 5.0 in / 127 mm and 4.9 in / 124 mm of rain in April, and Nashville at 5.2 in / 132 mm on 11 days. We would take Austin or New Orleans over those three for a short trip, mostly because the cities are built around being outside in the evening.

April four: the north wakes up

Washington DC

The blossoms are the story in Washington DC. The cherry blossoms usually peak between late March and early April, so an April trip may catch the end of them, and the rest of the city is green and full. Highs of 66.4°F / 19.1°C and lows of 46.2°F / 7.9°C are comfortable, and 11 rainy days leave room for museums on the wet ones. Check the bloom forecast before you commit if flowers are the reason you are going. For the earlier part of the season, see best places to visit in March USA.

New York

New York is 60.3°F / 15.7°C on average in April, with 42.6°F / 5.9°C lows. That is jacket weather rather than sweater weather in the evening. Rain is 3.9 in / 99 mm over 11 days, so keep an indoor option. Spring flowers, outdoor cafes and lighter crowds than summer make it a good month. Sun is 9.1 hours a day, up from 8.3 hours in March.

Seattle

Seattle is the borderline entry. It has 14 rainy days, a high of 55.9°F / 13.3°C and a low of 41.4°F / 5.2°C. Rain is lighter than the winter months, and daily sun reaches 9.4 hours, so clear spells are common. The reason to come in April is the tulip fields in the Skagit Valley, which usually bloom in April; check local bloom reports for timing. If you hate drizzle, wait until July. If you carry a rain jacket and accept it, April is fine.

April versus March: what changes

Several of the places in our March guide are still fine in April, but the balance shifts. Las Vegas drops from 3 rainy days to 1, Los Angeles from 6 to 3, and Seattle from 17 to 14. Highs climb everywhere: Phoenix goes from 77.4°F / 25.2°C to 86.0°F / 30.0°C, New York from 49.5°F / 9.7°C to 60.3°F / 15.7°C, and Washington DC from 55.6°F / 13.1°C to 66.4°F / 19.1°C. Florida and the Keys also stay warm in April, with Key West at 77.5°F / 25.3°C, but they are no longer the clear answer, because the desert and the West Coast now have the drier, sunnier days. The South moves the other way, getting wetter: Houston averages 4.2 in / 107 mm in March and 5.0 in / 127 mm in April.

The practical result is that April suits travelers who want variety. You can see cherry blossoms in the morning in one place and be in a desert pool by evening, if you plan flights in a sensible order. A road trip from Los Angeles through Las Vegas and Phoenix is a very good April itinerary on the weather alone.

Where we would not go in April

Not all places to visit in April USA lists are honest about the cold north, so we will be.

• Anchorage. 42.1°F / 5.6°C highs and 27.9°F / -2.3°C lows. Still winter by most standards.
• Boston and Minneapolis. Highs of 56.5°F / 13.6°C and 54.5°F / 12.5°C, with 8.9 hours of sun each. Boston is busy around the marathon on Patriots' Day, usually the third Monday of April, but the weather is cool.
• Denver and Salt Lake City. Highs of 60.3°F / 15.7°C and 58.6°F / 14.8°C. Spring snowstorms are not unusual in the mountains, so they are not safe for a quick hiking trip.

How to choose

For the best of the places to visit in April USA by goal: choose Phoenix for hiking and golf, Las Vegas for a dry city break, San Diego for a mild coastal week, Honolulu for warmth and green hills, New Orleans or Austin for food and live music with a rain plan, and Washington DC or New York for a spring city break with fewer crowds than summer. For families with school-age kids, the school calendar matters more than the weather: the April break and Easter weeks are busier and more expensive, and we do not have price data to quantify it.

What to pack

April is a layering month everywhere. In the desert, bring sun protection and a jacket for the 58.3°F / 14.6°C mornings. In California, a sweater and a light coat. In Honolulu, swimwear, sunscreen and a thin rain shell. In the South, a light rain jacket, breathable clothes and sandals that dry quickly. In New York and Washington DC, a mid-weight jacket, an umbrella and comfortable shoes. Our what to wear in 60 degree weather post covers the cooler cities.

How these numbers work

This guide to places to visit in April USA uses 20-year April averages, from 2006 to 2025, for U.S. cities in our dataset. They show typical conditions, not a forecast, and tulip, cherry blossom and festival timing are not part of our data, so those mentions describe usual patterns. For a city's daily breakdown, open its page or use our trip planner. If you are choosing between April and the weeks either side of it, remember that May is hotter in the desert and drier in the South. You can also check official climate information from NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals.