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As the English proverb states, “April showers bring May flowers,” but rain during the fourth month of the year also makes North America downright stunning.

While some may associate rain with gloomy days, the month brings warmer temperatures and welcomes some of the most beautiful flowers of spring like the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., bluebonnets in Texas and tulips in Skagit Valley, Wash. Rainy days give travellers an excuse to relax indoors, visit museums and go shopping.

Spring showers also make for great photo opportunities too, particularly in North America. With 31 days in April, here are 31 times April showers made North America look downright stunning.

Miami, Florida, United States

Culturally diverse Miami is home to more than 150 ethnicities and 60 languages. From South Beach to Little Havana, there is plenty to do inside and out in Miami’s 13 neighbourhoods.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

More than 48 million people visit the Windy City each year. Grab a bird’s eye view of Chicago from the 100-story John Hancock Center, stroll through Millennium Park and Navy Pier and go shopping along the Magnificent Mile, a stretch of Michigan Avenue flanked by luxury stores.

Los Angeles, California, United States

The bustling city of 3.8 million in southern California boasts 120 kilometres of coastline stretching from Malibu to Long Beach. There is much to see and do in the entertainment capital of the world. With moderate temperatures and sun year-round, any day is a perfect day for soaking up the culture of the City of Angels.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

More than 600,000 people call Vancouver home. From mountains to the ocean, and everything in-between, you’ll be sure to find something to do, rain or shine.

Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States

Stretching 445 kilometres from end to end, the majestic Grand Canyon is a geological wonder with colourful rocky walls that descend more than a mile to the canyon’s floor.

Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico

Tepic, the capital of Nayarit, one of the smallest Mexican states, is a growing tourist destination. With mostly undeveloped coastline, Nayarit is known for its tobacco production. It’s capital was the subject of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1882 poem “The Bells of San Blas”.

Montreal, Québec, Canada

Architecturally stunning Montreal is picturesque on sunny and rainy days, with its quaint boutique storefronts and charming cobblestone streets.

Washington, D.C., United States

More than 17 million visit Washington, D.C. each year. One of the greenest cities in the U.S., 70 per cent of land in Washington, D.C. is controlled by the National Park Service. Top attractions include the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum which has 7 million visitors annually, Vietnam Veterans Memorial with 3.8 million visitors each year and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial with 1.9 million visitors each year, according to the National Park Service/Smithsonian Institution.

Texas, United States

April showers bring May flowers, including the Texas bluebonnets, the state flower of Texas. Its name derives from the bright blue petal shape, which resembles a bonnet.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto is brimming with attractions, from indulging in treats at the St. Lawrence Market to visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame to strolling through Chinatown and capturing a panoramic view of the city from the CN Tower.

White Sands, New Mexico, United States

In the heart of the Tularosa Basin is White Sands, the world’s largest gypsum dunefield that encompasses 712 square kilometres of desert in New Mexico.

Tulum, Mexico

Ninety minutes south of Cancún, Mexico, Tulum has become a popular tourist town popular for its Mayan ruins, beautiful beaches and delicious food.

 Times Square, New York City, New York, United States

The “Crossroads of the World” – Times Square – is an illuminated playground open 24/7, rain or shine. In the blocks where prostitution and sex theatres defined the area for decades, the area has undergone a renaissance and family-friendly transformation in the past 20 years that is bustling day and night with performance artists, locals and tourists alike.

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Atlanta is a family-friendly destination that has something for everyone. The Centennial Olympic Park is an epicentre of options: take a tour of CNN’s studios, explore the Children’s Museum of Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium, and have fun at the World of Coca-Cola.

Seattle, Washington, United States

More than 812,000 people call Seattle home, according to Visit Seattle, and it’s not hard to see why. Located on the eastern shore of Puget Sound, there is much to see and do in Seattle’s 215 square kilometres from fabulous family-friendly activities to great restaurants and offshore wineries.

San Francisco, California, United States

Connecting San Francisco to California’s northern counties is the Golden Gate Bridge. The orange, Art Deco suspension bridge has grand 227-metre tall towers and attracts more than 10 million visitors each year.

Québec City, Québec, Canada

The only walled city north of Mexico, Québec City is home to a maze of cobblestone streets and European charm.

Duwamish Bridge, Tukwila, Washington, United States

“Blue Lights Over Duwamish” by Norie Sato and Dan Corson is an art installation that is part of the STart Public Art Program, a permanent art project of Sound Transit, Washington state‘s Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority. Trains crossing the Duwamish River trigger a glowing blue line of lights on the Duwamish Bridge, creating a light show that plays off the bridge and the water.

Gravelly Ridge, California, United States

Gravelly Ridge in Glenn County, California is a picturesque ancient cliff formation in northern California that is a peaceful and picturesque spot year round.

Duncan, Oklahoma, United States

A photographer captured the start of a tornado in this small town 145 kilometres southwest of Oklahoma City, Okla. There are roughly 1,000 tornados each year, according to the University of California – Santa Barbara.

Winnemucca, Nevada, United States

A special visual treat after a storm, rainbows serve as beautiful subjects for photographs. These colourful seven-colour arcs are created by reflection and refraction of light in water droplets in the atmosphere.

Brooklyn, New York, United States

The iconic Brooklyn Bridge is the gateway to Manhattan from New York City‘s most populous borough, which is populated with charming brownstones and bustling flea markets. Brooklyn boasts a plethora of dining and bar options along with lush parks like Prospect Park and the perennially popular Coney Island with its iconic roller coaster, Nathan’s Famous hot dogs and beach boardwalk.

Wheat fields, Kansas, United States

Kansas is the leading wheat producer in the U.S. (wheat was actually produced here as early as 1839), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The kilometres of amber waves of grain make for picture postcard views rain or shine.

Morrill Pond, Maine, United States

Located in southern Somerset County, Maine, the 134-acre Morrill Pond is a popular fishing spot for brown trout, white perch and chain pickerel. The pond provides a colourful backdrop for picture perfect portraits, particularly after a spring storm.

Guanajuato, Mexico

The colonial-era city in central Mexico is known for its colourful cobblestone callejones (alleyways) which run up and down the city’s hillsides.

Caddo, Texas, United States

Central Texas is part of “Tornado Alley,” an area of the U.S. susceptible to tornados that stretches from central Texas to northern Iowa and from central Kansas and Nebraska east to western Ohio. While you need to be very careful around tornados, the clouds produced make for some very unique photos.

Santa Monica Pier, California, United States

The century-old Santa Monica Pier is a legendary landmark renowned for its boardwalk fun that includes an amusement park, arcade, funky shops, beachfront restaurants and bars.

Key Biscayne, Florida, United States

Nestled on Key Biscayne, an island east of Miami, is Crandon Park, which features a white powder sand beach, golf and tennis facilities.

Twin Lakes, Colorado, United States

Colorado‘s largest glacial lakes are one hour from Aspen, Colo. Twin Lakes, the historic mountain resort town was once a transportation hub between Aspen and Leadville, Colo. during the gold rush days is a photographer’s paradise.

Bryce Canyon, Utah, United States

Bryce Canyon National Park‘s landscape resembles a Mars landscape. Bryce Canyon is populated with hoodoos, odd-shaped, eroded pillars of rock and native flora and fauna.

Swan Lake, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

The marshland of Swan Lake is part of the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, an ecological park in Victoria, Canada filled with native flora and fauna. The urban oasis is an ideal spot for birdwatching.

Follow @Cheapflights on Instagram for more great photos:

Camdeboo National Park #SouthAfrica #rain #nature #travel #wanderlust #photooftheday #igtravel

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(Main Image: Kevin Wong / Used under a Creative Commons Attribution license)

About the author

Lauren MackLauren Mack has traveled to 40 countries on five continents, including Cuba, New Zealand, Peru and Tanzania. For many years, she called China, and then Taiwan, home. Countries at the beginning of the alphabet, particularly Antarctica, Argentina and Australia are on her travel bucket list. Lauren is a multimedia travel and food journalist and explorer based in New York City.

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