Spring has arrived in the Northern hemisphere. Along with spring come sunshine, blossom, and an upbeat atmosphere that’s palpable everywhere you go. Join in the feeling of optimism and rejoice in the yearly rebirth of nature, with these 9 ultimate ways to celebrate spring:
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1. Keukenhof, the Netherlands
You know spring has sprung when the tulips bloom. There is no place on earth where they flower as abundant as in the land of clogs, windmills, and, yes tulips. Whether you’ve bought tulips at a florist in New York or Paris, trust me, they came from the Netherlands.
The Dutch have a special place dedicated to tulips: the Keukenhof. Here, about 7 million bulbs bloom to form 37 of the most colorful hectares you’ve ever seen. Not only is this the ultimate way to celebrate spring, but springtime is also the only period you can visit Keukenhof. Open from the 23rd of March until the 21st May, your chance to visit the Keukenhof is now!
2. Luna Park on Coney Island, New York
The Big Apple is a bustling city, no matter the time of day — or season. But in springtime, the period of bumblebees and little lambs, that bustle might prove a little too much. Luckily, New York’s favorite amusement park at the beach offers the ideal escape — and tons of fun for your spring break.
Luna Park at Coney Island can be reached by subway from Manhattan, but has everything the city doesn’t: beaches, clear skies, and famous rollercoasters. And with a ticket that gets you four-hour entrance to all of Luna Park’s 30 rides, you’ll run out of breath long before your ticket expires.
3. A special Vatican day trip
Blossoming flowers, buzzing bees, and chirping birds — with two of the most beautiful gardens in all of Italy (and a green lakeside view!), we have a special Vatican day trip that is most special during spring.
Be unlike the 25,000 tourists visiting the holy enclave every day: have the Vatican all to yourself in the morning, and relax at the pope’s summer palace in the afternoon. For those wanting to unlock the Holy See, our Vatican day trip with VIP access is the best way to see all things Vatican in one day.
4. Newgrange and the Hill of Tara, Dublin
From decay to rebirth, seasonal change really is about the sun. Celebrating spring, therefore, boils down to worshipping the sun. The ancient people of Ireland understood that — they’ve been celebrating the sun for over 5,000 years.
Newgrange and the Hill of Tara are megalithic ruins that predate every ancient monument you can think of: Pyramids of Giza, check; Ishtar Gate, check; Stonehenge, check. And, from April to October, we have a special guided tour that gets you inside the tomb of Newgrange!
5. Bay Cruise, San Francisco
Another great thing about spring is the fog gradually transforming into morning dew. The city that benefits most from this is, of course, Fog City. Springtime is when the City by the Bay again becomes visible from the bay.
The best way to celebrate spring in San Francisco, therefore, is by taking to the water. The Francisco Bay Cruise lets you enjoy spectacular views of the city, paired with an award-winning audio tour (?!) — and a mellow spring breeze.
6. Versailles, Paris
Sun worshippers have existed throughout the ages and in all cultures. France had a particularly extravagant devotee of the sun. As a young king (he already reigned over France as a 5-year-old!), Louis XIV performed in a ballet where he played the sun. He must have done a brilliant job, because the name stuck. Since then, the royal dandy would be known as the Sun King.
From the gardens’ pathways following the sun’s trajectory, to the Apollo room being named after the Greek sun god — the Palace of Versailles is dedicated to the sun. And with its royal gardens, dancing fountains, opulent rooms, and rustic village, the perfect way to celebrate spring is with a day trip to Versailles. This ticket for the Palace of Versailles gives you access to all areas, plus a dancing fountain show!
7. Kew Gardens, London
There’s no way you can go wrong when visiting a garden in spring — but you can go very right. The Kew Gardens have the world’s most significant collection of plants. Most of which will bloom when you visit in spring.
The Kew Gardens are so lush and beautiful they had to be added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. No wonder the queen built a royal palace onsite, it hardly gets more colorful and serene in the UK than this. Excited? I bet you are. Do yourself a favor and grab some skip-the-line tickets here – the lines there can be quite long.
8. Jungle Island, Miami
Springtime gets its upbeat energy from a healthy anticipation towards summer. But why would you stick with anticipation, when you can have a subtropical spring break in Miami?
A lot of spring breakers have asked themselves the same question — which is why Florida is the United States’ most popular spring break destination. So how about removing that ‘sub’ and going full-on tropical? From parrots to primates, at Miami’s Jungle Island you’ll get to feed and play with animals whose names start with a P — or any letter of the Latin alphabet! And, what’s more, you’ll get to sunbathe and swim at Miami’s only private beach. How’s that for a summer’s day out?
9. Casa de les Punxes, Barcelona
While America’s favorite time of year might be Christmas, Barcelona’s favorite season is clearly spring. Because while the United States have Santa, the Catalans have Sant Jordi. This epic hero (slaying dragons is pretty much the epitome of epicness) is the Patron Saint of Catalonia — and his saint’s day is celebrated on the 23rd of April.
Yes, Sant Jordi was an incredible badass — but he was also a knowledgeable guy and a lover. That’s why Sant Jordi Day is a day for lovers, roses, books, and paying homage to the saint himself. There’s no better place to learn abut the story of Sant Jordi than in the Casa de les Punxes, making a visit to this gorgeous Modernisme building an absolute must.
Celebrate spring!
Looking for other ways to celebrate spring? Have a look at our website!
