Each year as March fades into April, acres of Indian paintbrush and Mexican poppies blossom across Arizona’s Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park. It is one of America’s best spots to watch the desert bloom each spring—and it’s just an hour outside of Phoenix.
For much of the country that has spent this lingering winter cooped up indoors, once the weather begins to warm, the urge to take off for some long weekend getaways can be overwhelming—so why resist?
We’ve planned easy weekend getaways from major U.S. cities to help you take advantage of the rising temperatures. Each itinerary includes suggestions for where to stay, eat, and play.
Sporty types can ditch D.C. to watch a horse race in Middleburg, VA, or chant “Hey batter batter” during spring training in Port St. Lucie, FL. Since state and national parks are most crowded later in the year, a weekend getaway in spring is an especially peaceful time for nature lovers to stretch their legs, be it for a hike through Franconia Notch in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, close to Boston; a wildflower tour around red rock formations at California’s Pinnacles; or a kayak around Maine’s Acadia National Park.
Don’t let the last few weeks of winter get you down. Instead, browse these spring getaways, and sign up for T+L’s weekend getaways email newsletter for more warmer weather ideas. —Lyndsey Matthews
