Things to Do in Baguio in February
February weather, activities, events & insider tips
February Weather in Baguio
Is February Right for You?
Advantages
- Peak Panagbenga Festival season - the entire city transforms into a flower showcase throughout February, with the Grand Float Parade typically happening late in the month. Streets are lined with blooms, and you'll catch weekend street dancing competitions and garden exhibitions that locals actually attend, not just tourist shows.
- Strawberry harvest season hits its absolute prime - farms in La Trinidad (20 minutes from city center) are bursting with fruit, and prices drop to ₱150-250 per kilo compared to ₱350-400 in off-season. You can pick your own, and the strawberry taho vendors appear on every corner of Session Road.
- Comfortable daytime temperatures averaging 18-20°C (64-68°F) make this ideal for hiking and outdoor exploration without the bone-chilling cold of December-January mornings. You can actually enjoy sunrise at Mines View Park at 5:30am without needing three layers.
- Shoulder season pricing on weekdays - while weekends get packed with Manila tourists escaping the heat, Monday through Thursday accommodation runs 30-40% cheaper than peak summer months, and you'll have popular spots like Burnham Park relatively to yourself mid-morning.
Considerations
- Weekend crowds are genuinely intense - Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, the population essentially doubles with domestic tourists from Manila. Traffic on Kennon Road can add 90 minutes to what should be a 4-hour drive, and popular restaurants have 45-60 minute waits without reservations.
- Those 10 rainy days listed in the data are misleading - February actually tends to be quite dry in Baguio, but when rain does come, it's unpredictable and can turn mountain roads slippery. The 70% humidity creates a damp chill that feels colder than the actual 13°C (56°F) nighttime temperature suggests, especially in concrete buildings without heating.
- Panagbenga Festival means inflated prices during peak weekends - accommodation rates can triple during the Grand Float Parade weekend, and you'll need to book 8-10 weeks ahead for anything decent. Street closures for parades also make getting around the city center genuinely frustrating if you're trying to do non-festival activities.
Best Activities in February
Strawberry Farm Picking in La Trinidad Valley
February is peak harvest season when berries are sweetest and most abundant. The cool morning temperatures 13-15°C (55-59°F) make the 20-minute jeepney ride from Baguio City Center comfortable, and you'll avoid the midday sun that can make the open fields uncomfortable. Farms open at 6am, and going early means you get first pick of the ripest fruit before tour groups arrive around 9am. The experience includes unlimited eating while you pick, which locals know is the real value.
Mount Ulap or Mount Kabunian Day Hikes
February offers the best hiking conditions of the year - trails are dry from minimal rainfall, morning temperatures around 13-15°C (55-59°F) are perfect for climbing, and you'll get clear views of the Cordillera mountains that are often cloud-covered in wetter months. The sea of clouds phenomenon happens about 60% of February mornings if you start your hike by 4:30am. These moderate trails take 3-4 hours round trip and are manageable for reasonably fit beginners.
Panagbenga Festival Events and Street Dancing
This month-long flower festival is genuinely worth planning your trip around. The Grand Float Parade (typically last weekend of February) features elaborate floats covered entirely in fresh flowers, but the Session Road in Bloom exhibits and weekend street dancing competitions throughout the month are actually more enjoyable - less crowded, easier to photograph, and you can interact with performers. The flower market at Harrison Road operates daily with prices at their lowest of the year.
Tam-awan Village and Ben Cab Museum Cultural Circuit
February's dry weather makes the outdoor components of these cultural sites much more enjoyable. Tam-awan Village recreates traditional Cordillera indigenous huts on a hillside with sweeping valley views - the walk between huts involves uneven terrain that gets muddy in wet season. Ben Cab Museum combines contemporary Philippine art with Japanese-inspired gardens that are in full bloom during February. Both are about 20-30 minutes from city center and can be combined in a half-day trip.
Sagada Cave Connections and Rice Terraces Day Trip
February is ideal for the 5-6 hour round trip to Sagada (150 km/93 miles north) because roads are dry and mountain views are clear. The cave connections (linking Lumiang burial cave to Sumaguing cave) are significantly safer when water levels are low, and the famous hanging coffins are more accessible. Rice terraces in the area show bright green new growth in February. This is a full day commitment leaving Baguio by 5am and returning around 8pm.
Night Market Food Crawl and Local Eateries Circuit
February evenings are perfect for outdoor eating - cool enough around 15°C (59°F) to be comfortable but not the freezing temperatures of December-January. Harrison Road night market runs Thursday-Sunday 5pm-11pm with the best street food concentration in the city. The cooler weather means grilled meats, steaming bowls of pinikpikan (traditional chicken soup), and fresh strawberry taho are at their most appealing. Local students and families actually eat here, keeping prices reasonable at ₱50-150 per dish.
February Events & Festivals
Panagbenga Flower Festival
The month-long festival is Baguio's biggest annual event, transforming the entire city into a flower showcase. Session Road gets lined with elaborate floral floats and garden installations. Weekend street dancing competitions feature local schools and community groups in flower-themed costumes. The Grand Float Parade (typically last weekend of February) is the main event with 30-40 massive floats covered entirely in fresh blooms, but honestly the smaller weekend events throughout the month are more accessible and less chaotic. Flower market prices drop significantly, and you'll find temporary garden exhibitions at Burnham Park, Wright Park, and the Botanical Garden.
Chinese New Year Celebrations
Baguio's significant Chinese-Filipino community celebrates with dragon dances, temple ceremonies at Bell Church and various Chinese temples, and special food offerings at restaurants along Session Road. The timing varies (late January to mid-February depending on lunar calendar), but when it overlaps with Panagbenga, the city gets doubly festive. Expect firecracker displays in Chinatown area near Baguio Cathedral and special tikoy (rice cake) vendors appearing on street corners. Less touristy than Manila celebrations but more authentic.