Falling for Fake Spring
And finding the real thing
Spring is my favorite season, at least in theory. Sunny, but not too hot. Flowers about to bloom. Everything feels like it’s coming alive and there’s so much potential.
Unfortunately for me, spring can be pretty awful where I’m from. A kind of muddy, gray middle that you have to trudge through.
Even though I know spring won’t really hit the Northeast until May, I fall for fake spring every year. That week or two in March where the sun is shining and temperatures soar. I feel like a new person. Defrosted.
Inevitably, when it drops back down to 48 degrees and raining for all of April, I’m lost again. So, of course, I turn to travel to get me out of the doldrums.
Spring travel inspiration 🌸
My spring trips are usually long weekend adventures, avoiding school spring breaks at all costs. I love a city break with some garden-y elements and lots of drinks on patios.
So here are a few places I’ve been and a few places I want to go. Let’s plan a trip, shall we?
New Orleans, LA
As you might be able to tell, I wilt in extreme heat and humidity. That’s why spring is the perfect time for me to head south. For New Orleans, try to time your trip just after Mardi Gras (if that’s not your thing). The crowds are smaller and less rowdy, but you still can see some of the decor around the city.
New Orleans might be best known for its party scene, but the food was everything. I did not have a bad meal in the Big Easy. Paired with wonderful walks through City Park, the Garden District, and down Magazine Street, this is a must-visit in the spring.
Charleston, SC
Surprisingly, I’ve never been to Charleston. But high praise from friends and family always puts this city at the top of my list. I love a historic, walkable city center that is definitely haunted. There’s something so quaint about it.
I’m hoping I can pull off a last-minute trip this season, or schedule it in for next spring.
Savannah, GA
Like the little sister of Charleston, Savannah is also walkable, historic, and haunted. The Spanish Moss hanging from every tree gives the city a magical feel. I’ve been here a few times, and I like it more with every visit.
Check out the house of Juliette Gordon Low—founder of Girl Scouts.
St. Augustine, FL
I went to St. Augustine once in fourth grade and have honestly been thinking about it since. The old, Spanish architecture was so different from anything I’d seen at home. The city felt like it was from a different time. I’d love to revisit to see if my memory holds true.
My parents returned a few years ago and had a great time at St. Augustine Distillery, bringing me back an excellent bottle of gin.
Phoenix, AZ
I was pleasantly surprised by Phoenix. I thought the desert might be too monotonous to deliver on the spring vibes, but the cactus blooms were stunning and so colorful. I loved our time here.
I tried fry bread for the first time (yum) and got lost in the dramatic landscapes at the Desert Botanical Gardens. And of course, we had to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West and go to a Diamondback’s game.
While this list is US-based, I think spring is a great time to visit Europe. The spring shoulder season tends to be cheaper and less crowded (unless you go to the tulip festival in the Netherlands), and it seems like Western and Central Europe get spring weather a little earlier than we do in the American Northeast. A springtime weekend in Paris actually sounds pretty dreamy. See you there?