Want to have a unique experience? Head to a flower festival or floral attraction.

Yes, this is a thing, and yes, you should make a note of it. Why? Botanical gardens and flower-centric festivals are excellent opportunities to engage with local culture and to explore a destination’s natural environment. Most festivals unfurl during spring or summer, since that’s the time when most flowers are at their peak. Mary Murray’s Flowers has rounded up the best (and closest) such attractions so you can make a point to stop and smell the flowers—lots of them.

Azalea Festival, Muskogee

In Honor Heights Park, 625 types of azaleas explode with color. There are 30,000 here, alongside dogwoods and redbuds. Muskogee celebrates its beautiful flower with live music, art exhibits, wine and food tastings, a car show, a motorcycle run and even a beer fest. The festival runs from April to June.

Myriad Botanical Gardens, Oklahoma City

This urban garden is free to visit and filled with everything from meticulously-kept ornamental gardens to a splash fountain for kids. Stroll the Great Lawn, picnic by the lake, let your littles run through the kid’s garden, or spend the day wandering through the Crystal Bridge Conservatory, with its thousand of tropical and desert plantings.

Philbrook Gardens, Tulsa

This gem is literally in our own backyard. Its 25 acres include a sensory garden, meandering pathways, picturesque bridges and even a sculpture walk. Explore the Secret Garden, meditate at the Tempietto or marvel at the garden sculptures (and cats!) placed here and there throughout the grounds.

It’s easy to become a floral enthusiast when you know all of the best places to go.