Though it might not feel like it, spring has arrived across the world. The snow is melting, flowers are starting to bud and birds are chirping. March is nearly half over, and so it’s time to start thinking about some spring city breaks for 2011. This year, we’re thinking that the U.S. is the place to go, but the options are virtually endless in the United States for wonderful cities to see.
We’re sure you’ve been to New York and San Francisco, so instead, why not check out these six alternative spots for great spring city break destinations!
Chicago
The blooming tulips along the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago brighten up the Windy City after its long and brutal winter. The locals are out in full force once the weather gets nice – shopping, eating and socialising on the streets. Just make sure you plan your trip for late spring – warmth doesn’t descend on Chicago until May!
Austin
Spring is the perfect time to check out the bohemian, laid-back Texan capitol – before the heat of summer sets in. The lazy waters of Lake Austin (a reservoir of the Colorado River, right in the city centre) makes the perfect place for inter-tubing with a local brew under the sunshine.
San Diego
Sunshine is a key element of San Diego’s comfy California climate, and while it never gets truly cold here, in the spring, flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing and the animals at the world-renowned San Diego Zoo are roving.
New Orleans
The fair New Orleans (sometimes referred to by trendy Americans as “NOLA”), is a great springtime destination because, like it’s sister to the west, Austin, it gets unbearably hot and humid during the summer. There is no better way to enjoy a the French Quarter than by an balmy evening stroll.
Savannah
Sweet Savannah is Atlanta’s older, more refined and certainly more Southern sister, sitting about 250 miles southeast of the metropolis, right along the Gulf Coast of Georgia. Warm days are shaded by the leaves of giant oak trees in a place that time almost seems to have forgotten.
Portland
Like most of the Pacific Northwest, Portland, Oregon is rainy, to be sure, but in the spring, the clouds part for a few moments and allow through enough sunshine to bring out the locals and the cherry blossom trees. A stroll along the waterfront under pink falling petals followed by lunch at gourmet taco truck really can’t be topped.
Boulder
Whether you’re yearning to stretch your winter legs in the grand spaciousness of the Rocky Mountains or simply want to linger of a delicious microbrew on a patio surrounded by hipsters, Boulder’s your city. Upscale yet approachable, this beer-loving college town has high fashion and outdoorsy in the bag.
Tags: Austin, Boulder, Chicago, City breaks, New Orelans, Portland, San Diego, Savannah, Spring
