When is the best time to visit the USA?

Visiting the USA in April

In the northern US, the bite of winter starts to ease in April, and although it can still be cold the snow has started melting and temperatures begin to go up. The snow is replaced with some rainfall; especially in coastal regions including New England and over in the Pacific Northwest, but there is a sense that spring is close.

Down in the south, April is a perfect time to travel, with warm sunny weather. The national parks, forests and wetlands are lush and vibrant, the wildlife is more active and there are a wide number of events in towns and cities. This is also when the baseball season starts.

Events & Festivals

• Baseball season (April to September): The baseball season is long enough to be accessible to many visitors. Catch a game in Chicago, Boston or New York for a quintessential American experience.
• Ski season in Colorado and Utah (April): The peak of the ski season in Colorado and Utah is in April, with more than enough snow covering the ground, coupled with sunny days and pleasant temperatures.

Visiting the USA in May

Spring has arrived in almost all areas of the northern US. Sunny days reveal lush green vegetation, attractive prairie grasslands and wildlife as it emerges from winter. It is an excellent time to visit this part of the country, with comfortable temperatures allowing for exploration and outdoor activity.

While Pacific storms can bring Hawaii most of its rainfall in May, the weather across the rest of southern US is typically warm and dry; making it a good time to explore most locations. The Memorial Day holiday takes place on the last weekend of the month and is recognised with popular parades and commemoration ceremonies.

Events & Festivals

• Baseball season (April to September): The baseball season is long enough to be accessible to many visitors. Catch a game in Chicago, Boston or New York for a quintessential American experience.

Visiting the USA in June

June is a lovely time of year to visit the northern US, with sunny warm days and fewer visitors than the summer. The Rockies are perhaps at their most majestic, national parks are lush and verdant, while the great cities of the region take advantage of the weather with outdoor cafés and restaurants, parks and gardens, lakeside trails and cycle paths all bustling with activity.

The lovely warm June weather found in the southern states lends itself to time spent outdoors; with biking, hiking, fishing and sailing all proving popular with visitors and locals alike. Numerous festivals are held in June with a particular focus on cuisine, arts and crafts and music.

Events & Festivals

• Baseball season (April to September): The baseball season is long enough to be accessible to many visitors. Catch a game in Chicago, Boston or New York for a quintessential American experience.
• Wildflowers in Colorado (June): The mountains and valleys of Colorado are a myriad of bright colours at this time of year as a variety of wildflowers bloom, creating wonderful scenery.

Visiting the USA in July - August

The summer in the northern states of the US is a time to explore the outdoors, with many of the region's national parks at their very best. Take a hike into Montana's Glacier National Park, see the steaming geysers of Yellowstone and take a boat trip out on Lake Michigan. The northeast coastline is buzzing through the summer, with the beaches of Cape Cod in New England proving particularly popular. Although the cities of the east are hot and humid in summer, the temperate climate of the northwest can bring slightly milder weather with more average rainfall.

In the southern half of the country, the hot summer months are filled with outdoor events, including the 4th of July national holiday, making it a very popular travel season. The weather does have a distinctly different feel from one coast to the other; with the southwest attracting a dry heat and the eastern states seeing humidity levels increase; particularly in Florida and the Southern states, which feel decidedly tropical and experience occasional thundery storms and heavy rains, which break up the heat.

Events & Festivals

• 4th July celebrations: A day of barbecues, fireworks, carnivals and fun events across the country to recognise the Declaration of Independence. One of the best firework displays is over the National Mall in Washington.
• Baseball season (April to September): The baseball season is long enough to be accessible to many visitors. Catch a game in Chicago, Boston or New York for a quintessential American experience.

Visiting the USA in September - October

In the northern US, autumn welcomes the changing hues of the foliage; a spectacle that, in New England especially, brings lots of visitors. Throughout the region, striking golden and red colours extend across the landscape of national parks, forested valleys and even the urban green spaces of cities like New York and Washington. The weather is usually still fine, with sunny, bright days in many places.

The summer crowds have started to disperse in September and prices started to drop, but storms are more prevalent in the southeastern states at this time of year, with the hurricane season producing wet and windy weather. There is less risk of storms further west, where temperatures are still pleasant. It is a fine time to visit the southwest; particularly if exploring the national parks. Meanwhile, the islands of Hawaii are lovely, with warm sunny days and fewer visitors.

Events & Festivals

• Baseball season (April to September): The baseball season is long enough to be accessible to many visitors. Catch a game in Chicago, Boston or New York for a quintessential American experience.

Visiting the USA in November - December

Colder, shorter days mark the arrival of winter, with many areas in the northern half of the country attracting their first snowfall in November. In southern states, the end of the year is milder and can be inclement in places, with rain showers possible. However, the temperatures in the American South and Florida are still fine and pleasant.

There is a noticeable air of anticipation across the country, with the national celebration of Thanksgiving starting an extended sociable and festive period leading up to Christmas.

Events & Festivals

• New Year's Eve celebrations (31st December): There are few cities in the world that can boast such an incredible New Year celebration with fireworks filling the sky and a party in Times Square, New York.
• Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday of November): A national holiday giving thanks for the harvest and the preceding year, marked with traditional parades in many US cities. Two of the largest and most popular are held in Detroit and New York.