For many avid vacationers, spring is the best time of all to travel. Rates and fares are generally more reasonable than they will be at the height of summer, yet at the same time conditions in major cities are generally less crowded, which can make for a much more enjoyable vacation experience. Perhaps best of all, springtime weather is ideal since it allows visitors to avoid both the bite of winter and the worst heat of the summer season.

The United States

Weather is particularly important when visiting cities in the subtropical southeast or the desert southwest.
Las Vegas holidays, for example, are best enjoyed when outside temperatures hover in the upper 70s or low 80s, as is true on many spring days. Such lovely weather will allow tourists here to explore the open-air Fremont Street Experience at their leisure or spend hours outside the Bellagio Hotel, admiring the dancing water fountains that perform every 15 minutes during the day. Spring is also an excellent time to visit the tropical Hawaiian paradise of Maui, where beaches, jungles and volcanoes beckon.

France

Paris is known as the ‘City of Light’, but in the spring it should also be called the city of blooms. Flowers abound in the many public squares and gardens that dot this historic city, so much so that tourists will go home with the scent of Paris just as potent a memory as its sights and sounds. A short trip outside the city to the Palace of Versailles is an excellent springtime diversion; the acres of maintained formal gardens can almost make a visitor feel as though he has stepped back in time to the heady days of Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King’.

Spain

The spring destination of choice for the UK Prime Minister last year was Spain, a nation that offers travelers the chance to relax on the Mediterranean shore or explore ancient Gothic castles and cathedrals. In Madrid, tourists can tour the Prado, an art museum that houses more masterpieces than even the Louvre. Spring is also the time when Spain’s amazing fresh produce is at its finest.

United Kingdom

London is a beehive of tourist activity during the summer months, and the upcoming Olympics are bound to make bookings even more expensive and difficult to obtain. During the spring, though, tourists will have much less competition while touring the British Museum and no trouble at all finding tickets to the best new shows in the West End.

The Czech Republic

The capital city of Prague has become the most popular tourist destination in Eastern and Central Europe. Springtime here means long days walking the streets, enjoying the many lovely buildings that date from the 1920s and 1930s, and evenings spent sampling local specialty beverages such as absinthe and a variety of pilsners.

All of these countries have much to offer visitors throughout the year, but as travelers will quickly find, each one of them is particularly special during the spring.