Best Places to Visit in Spring
Spring is my favorite season to travel, and it is not close. The world wakes up, the days stretch longer, and everywhere feels like it is shaking off the dark winter. Warmth returns slowly, flowers explode into color, and the crowds of summer are still weeks away. Over the years I have found the places that do this season best, and these are the ones I keep returning to.
Kyoto, Japan
The cherry blossom season in Kyoto is the most famous spring on the planet, and it earns every bit of that reputation. The parks and riverbanks turn pink and white, and the whole city celebrates. I time my trip to the bloom as best I can and wake early to catch the quiet before the crowds. Hanami, the tradition of picnicking under the blossoms, is a joy I will chase for the rest of my life.
Washington DC, USA
Washington in late March and April is a sea of pink. The cherry trees around the Tidal Basin put on one of the great shows of the American spring, and the city blooms around them. I love walking the monuments under the blossoms, the pale color softening all that stone. There is a festival and a proper buzz in the air. It is spring in its most patriotic, photogenic form.
The South of France
The Riviera and the Provence countryside are magic in May. The light is bright, the wildflowers are out, and it is not yet the furnace of summer. I drive the coastal roads with the convertible top down, stopping at hilltop villages and swimming in the cool sea. There is an optimism to the south of France in spring that I find completely addictive. It is my definition of living well.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Spring is tulip season in the Netherlands, and Amsterdam is the launchpad for the great flower fields. I ride a bike from the city out into the bulbfields, a hypnotic patchwork of color stretching to the horizon. The Keukenhof gardens are magnificent, the canals are showing off, and the Dutch spring weather, when it cooperates, is perfect. It is the most colorful spring destination I know.
The Amalfi Coast, Italy
The Amalfi Coast in May is ideal, before the summer crowds turn the narrow roads into a parking lot. The lemon trees and bougainvillea are in full bloom, the sea is calm, and the villages are yours to wander at a relaxed pace. I hike the Path of the Gods above the coast, then descend for a long lunch of seafood. Spring is the secret season here, and it is glorious.
How to Travel in Spring
Spring weather is changeable, so I dress in layers and pack for both sun and showers. I also try to plan around key events, like cherry blossoms or tulip season, because those windows are short and specific. Booking a little earlier than you think you need to is smart, since spring shoulder season is increasingly popular. The reward is moderate weather, spreading color, and a sense of new beginnings everywhere you go.
Why Spring Wins
Spring travel is about renewal. There is a lightness to the world, a sense that everything is starting over, and it is contagious. Whether I am standing under blossoms in Kyoto or driving through the fields of Holland, spring reminds me why I love to travel. It is the season of the long game, of taking your time, of watching the world wake up. Go somewhere in spring and let it wake you up too.
