It’s the most wonderful wonderful wonderful time of the year. It’s getting warmer, the day is getting longer, and it’s time to book your spring trip! The crew here at Coupon Beach loves to travel, and we’ve decided to compile our list of favorite destinations to visit in the spring. Follow the links for each of our picks to see flight deals, hotels, restaurant recommendations and more at Tripadvisor!
10. Brooklyn, NY
It might be true that a lot of places are “the new Brooklyn,” but Brooklyn has been the new Manhattan for a while. We still recommend going to the top of the Empire State Building and walking through Central Park, but neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Bushwick have some of the most eclectic and unique spots in the city, newly redeveloped Coney Island is worth the trip on the F train, and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge is not complete without a stop at Juliana’s Pizza.
It’s pretty much always the rainy season in the Pacific Northwest, but the best part of spring in Portland will be the hikes at Multnomah Falls, walks through the Rose Test Garden in Washington Park, Portland Timbers soccer games, outdoor food markets, and all that Portlandia quirk.
Not much to say about London that hasn’t already been said. It’s one of the biggest cultural epicenters in the world, but – like American cities like New York and Boston – the winters can be long, dark, and cold. Wandering the neighborhoods, parks, and historic sites is the best part of a city like London, and spring is a great time to see it all. Don’t forget the Harry Potter studio tour, obviously.
We won’t lie, the best time to visit New Orleans is during Mardi Gras, but if you’d prefer warmer weather (it can be chilly there in early February), smaller crowds and cheaper hotel rates, post-Mardi Gras is the way to go. Since you can drink on the street in NOLA and will spend a ton of your time outside, spring temps will be appreciated. And if you’re a music lover, you could line up your visit with Jazz Fest.
There’s no shortage of breathtaking views at national parks in the US, but none can compare to the first moment you catch a glimpse of the Grand Canyon. You can choose between the north and south rim, the north being higher elevation/views and the south having more tourist conveniences. The spring is a perfect middle ground between the colder winter weather on the rims and the summer break crowds.
Springtime anywhere in Europe is generally a good idea, but Paris in particular is another one of our favorites during this time. It’s ideal for grabbing a ham and butter baguette and people watching in Champ de Mars, or spending an entire afternoon strolling the grounds of the Palace of Versailles like you’re in a Woody Allen movie and saying things like “You’re what the French call les incompétents.”
Imagine golden sunsets, drinking wine in a vineyard, eating pasta, making pasta, seeing the David, getting the best pizza of your life for €6, and staying in a $100 night loft with a view of the dome. That’s just life in Tuscany, yo! And with a central location like Florence or Siena, the day trip options are practically endless.
When you walk up to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park, and everything’s blooming and the 20 somethings are playing frisbee and vaping various recreational substances, you’ll see why San Fran has all those songs written about it. The sweater weather will be in full force, as the average temps in March, April, and May are in the low 60s. You’ll also be getting in right before the foggy season, but you’ll probably still get to see some of that signature fog roll in over the bay.
2. Havana, Cuba
Americans have been allowed to visit Cuba since 2015, and we highly recommend taking the trip ASAP as some of the new laws have been rolled back in recent years. The best and most up and up (read: legal) way to go is with a licensed travel company that’s designed specifically for US citizens. Cuban Explorer is a great, affordable option (compared to others) with different types of tours to choose from. Everything from your hotel to 90% of your meals will be covered, and a local guide who knows more about Cuba than the Castros will be there to answer any question you can think of.
When someone says a place has “perfect weather,” they don’t usually literally mean peeerfeect, breezy, 68 degree sunny days but that’s the kind of perfect we’re talking about when we say “perfect.” Barcelona is hands down the best city we’ve been to in the spring. It offers an endless supply of tapas bars, beaches, museums, parks, hiking, Gaudí architecture, and day trips to places like Sitges, Girona, and Salvador Dali’s home in Cadaques (book this tour). It’s less crowded than more popular European destinations will be in the springtime, and feels a lot less humid. Cause… you know, Mediterranean Sea bla bla bla perfect.
