Best cities to welcome the warmer weather
February 25, 2022
Spring is just around the corner and we can look forward to shaking off the thaw of winter with warmer temperatures, bluer skies, and longer days. As we await a return to a new normal in the international travel industry, there has never been a better time to explore what’s on our doorstep in the United States.
These are the best cities in the US to visit during the spring season, combining culture, wine, nature, and seasonal flora.
Washington DC is resplendent during the spring months when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. These trees were gifted to the city by Japan in 1912 and have wowed residents and visitors ever since. The National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in mid to late March for four weeks when the blossoms are in full bloom.
During the month of March, the city’s museums honor National Women’s Month with special exhibitions at the likes of the National Portrait Gallery, Hillwood Estate, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
New Orleans is one of the liveliest cities in the US and there is always something going on. The New Orleans Jazz Festival takes place in April and is always guaranteed to put a ‘spring’ in your step. The event celebrates the indigenous music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana which means that beyond jazz you will hear the likes of blues, Cajun, Afro-Caribbean, folk, Latin, bluegrass, and beyond.
Furthermore, Jazz Fest features a full program of crafts events and food opportunities.
Although summer brings the warmest weather and the midnight sun to Alaska, visiting in the spring months provides a wealth of opportunities. You will bear witness to the last of the season’s snow on the mountain peaks, encounter wildflowers, and have more chances to spot whales.
Gray whales migrate back to the Gulf of Alaska during spring and whale watching cruises depart from Seward from mid-March until mid-May. Inland, you are more likely to see moose and brown bears as you head closer into late spring.
There’s no better way to welcome the warmer weather than with a chilled glass of wine with a dazzling view. The orchards and meadows of California’s Napa Valley erupt with color in spring with a carpet of wild yellow mustard flowers and blooming fruit trees.
Visiting the Napa Valley in spring is perfect if you wish to combine photographic scenery with light hiking and exceptional food and drink.
Established by Dutch immigrants, this Michigan city thrives every May when millions of tulips blanket the city’s downtown area and its green spaces. If you visit the city, be sure to take a stroll through the Holland Tulip Gardens & Lanes and Centennial Park as well as along the waterfront.
The Windmill Island Gardens feature a 250-year old Dutch windmill that looks spectacular in the spring when it is surrounded by the most iconic export from The Netherlands.
Contact me to discuss arrangements for your visit to one of these US cities in the spring season.