Azalea plants are known for their resilience and adaptability. They can survive in a wide range of climates, from the chilly mountains to the warm coastal regions. (Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Tyler is known as the Rose Capital of the World, but the city’s azaleas are the stars of spring. The annual Azalea & Spring Flower Trail brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to Tyler each year.

This spring, even more visitors are headed to Tyler for the total solar eclipse on April 8. Since Tyler is in the path of totality, the city will welcome more visitors than usual.

During this year’s flower trail, which is going on now through April 8, residents and visitors are encouraged to take time to stroll through the Instagram-worthy gardens. With more than 10 miles of residential gardens covered in florals, visitors and Tylerites can take in the beauty of spring on the Azalea Trail as one of Tyler’s biggest attractions.

According to the Azalea Society of America, azaleas come in all shapes and sizes, with colors that vary from red, pink, orange, yellow, white and purple. They typically produce in the late winter to early summer. They can also thrive in a wide variety of growing conditions, which makes them useful in many different landscape situations.

Along with the many azaleas along the way, locals and tourists will also see white and pink dogwoods, redbud trees, Japanese maples, tulips, and daffodils.

There are two trails tourists can take to view these floral wonders: the Lindsey Trail and the Dobbs Trail.

The Lindsey Trail was the original trail. A second trail, the Dobbs Trail (Rusk Trail), was added to accommodate additional homes displaying flowers and azaleas that bloom during the Trail. As more homes were added, it became confusing, if not impossible, to design a single trail that could be easily followed. Both trails have and will be changed as more homes and streets participate.

For the eclipse, the “path of totality” consists of the places the moon will completely cover the sun. That path spreads across Texas, with Tyler, Gilmer, Mount Pleasant and Pittsburg in that path. For information on specific cities, visit tinyurl.com/by65f8d5 .

Visitors and Tylerites can also join in on one of the many community events that take place in Tyler.

Trail-related events

There are several events going on in celebration of the trail. Below are a few of the upcoming events, but you can go to visittyler.com or click here for the full schedule, which features a historic home tour, quilt show, and more.

April 6-7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Historic Tyler on Tour featuring five homes (1890 Free Classic Queen Anne, 1929 Spanish Colonial Revival, 1932 Spanish Colonial Revival, 1937 Colonial Revival, and a 1974 Colonial Ranch). Stroll through and enjoy a glimpse inside some of Tyler’s most significant historic houses. Tickets: $25 or $15 for members. Online ticket sales will close at 5 p.m. April 3 but tickets can be purchased at any home the day of the tour. Information: historictyler.org.

Now-April 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The Fourth Annual Antique Quilt Display with more than 20 vintage quilts from 1830s to the 1940s. Admission: Free but $3 donation to museum encouraged. Goodman LeGrand Museum, 624 North Broadway Ave.

Now-April 28, 1 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, carriage rides through the Azalea District. For more information or to make reservations (for groups of 6 or more only), send a message on Cowboy Carriages’ Facebook Page, or call 903-681-2647. Or you can go to Bergfeld Park at the corner of 2nd Street and College Avenue to get in line. Rides will be first come, first serve during the above-mentioned hours. There will be rides available for $5, $10, $15, or $20 a per person depending on the route chosen. For more information, call Mark at 903-681-2647.

Eclipse-related events in Tyler

Totality Tyler viewing events, April 8, Downtown Tyler and Broadway Square Mall. The downtown square will feature eclipse-themed promotions at local shops and restaurants, live music and more. The mall will offer a limited amount of complimentary glasses and more. Information: visittyler.com

Lunch on the Lawn at the Goodman Museum, April 8, at the Goodman-LeGrand Gardens, 624 Broadway Ave. in Tyler. Enjoy lunch on the lawn and watch the sky get dark. There will be lawn games, music, solar eclipse glasses and more. To purchase tickets, call (903) 531-1286.

Black Out Total Solar Eclipse Festival, April 8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 309 West Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Tyler (The Texas African American Museum/Empowerment CDC Complex). Information: taam@empowermentcdc.org.

East Texas Symphony Orchestra: Totality of the Sun, April 6, matinee 4 p.m.; evening performance 7:30 p.m., 1303 S, Mahon Ave. in Tyler (Rogers Palmer Performing Arts Center at Tyler Junior College). In partnership with Tyler Junior College, ETSO will present a once-in-a-lifetime event celebrating a total eclipse of the sun. The Eclipse Concert will feature East Texas Symphony Orchestra playing celestial favorites with beautiful visuals provided by TJC’s Earth & Space Science Center. Information: etxsymphony.org

Total Eclipse at Tyler State Park, April 8, 789 Park Road 16 in Tyler. Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/calendar/tyler/total-eclipse

Jellystone Park’s 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, April 8 at Jellystone Park, 5583 FM 16 E. in Tyler. This camp/resort will have prime viewing of the eclipse as the sun is completely overshadowed by the moon for a short period of time. Information: jellystonetyler.com

Other things to do in the city

Tyler offers a variety of things to do and there’s something for everyone — from arts and culture, to historical attractions, to recreation and nature activities, and of course, great food and drinks. Visit Tyler, which is the city’s tourism organization, provides a wealth of options on its website. You can also read more at tylerpaper.com.

Activities

Indoor family fun: Green Acres Bowl, iJump trampoline park, Urban Air Adventure Park, Discovery Science Place kids museum, Code Ninjas and more.

The Tyler Municipal Rose Garden features thousands of bushes and over 200 varieties of roses. It’s an absolute must-see while you’re in the Rose Capital of America. These are self-guided tours.

Get outside: Tyler Rose Garden, Caldwell Zoo, Lake Tyler, Tyler State Park, Putt-Putt Fun Center, or numerous city parks and trails.

Arts and culture

Gallery Main Street at 110 W. Erwin St. which features juried exhibits on a rotational basis. Stop by Friday from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. or Saturday 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. See full hours for other days of the week here.

The Tyler Museum of Art, located on 1300 South Mahon, is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. General admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, and free for children under 12.

The Tyler Rose Museum is an absolute must-see. It’s filled with memorabilia, vintage dresses and more from the historic Texas Rose Festival. Check it out at 420 Rose Park Drive and take a tour of the 14-acre Tyler Municipal Rose Garden while you’re there to see thousands of rose bushes with over 200 varieties. The Tyler Civic Theatre Center is also right next door, with ”Harvey” set to premiere April 5. Shows will be held April 5-7 and April 11-14. For more information, visit https://tylercivictheatre.com.

For more activities, please visit tylerpaper.com/azaleatrail.