Spring

When we think about traveling to some of the United State’s biggest cities, I think what comes to mind more often than not is city life. Bars and clubs, world class shopping and dining, people-packed streets, these are things we’ve all come to associate with some of the country’s most popular destinations, places like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and no doubt these are all great reasons to travel. There is, however, one city with all this plus something entirely different and unique. I’m talking about Washington D.C.

While it is true that the nation’s capitol has as much city life as anywhere else, Washington D.C. is perhaps the only city in America you can experience almost entirely for free. From the Smithsonian museums, to the Capitol building, to the Lincoln Memorial and the huge number of other attractions, all steeped in history, just about everything here is admission free and seeing it all can easily fill a multiple day trip. A slow meander through the Smithsonians alone can become a full vacation in and of itself.

Also, while it may be true that we’ve all seen enough pictures of some of D.C.’s most popular monuments to already feel perhaps overly familiar with the sites, believe me, there’s no accounting for the sheer size and grandeur of them when you’re actually standing there. Even if you’re not a history buff, and even if you don’t like museums, and even if architecture isn’t your thing, you would be hard pressed to visit this town without being truly awed by the sheer magnitude of so many famous sites, if nothing else.

RealTravelers Mark & Ciara hit the sites in D.C. as part of their world tour last years, and had this to say:

“We had agreed to spend one full day in DC doing all the sights - the city is so well laid out that its easy to do. We also picked the same day that thousands of girl scouts descended on DC. They were everywhere. You start at the white house, work your way up to the Lincoln memorial, and then down the national mall to the Washington memorial and finally Capitol Hill. the sights really are fantastic, and although they are slightly cliche, they are very impressive once you are there. We spent a nice afternoon checking out the museums which are all up the mall. The natural history museum, the american Indian museum and the national air and space museum were all really interesting and worth a visit - especially when it’s free and you’re on a budget. The American holocaust museum was a sobering place, but a very interesting one to visit also.

It’’s one of the best laid out cities I’ve been in. We walked everywhere, although apparently the finest subway system in the country was beneath our feet. In the evening time we walked up the the trendy neighborhoods of Adams morgan and Dupont Circle. Both were lovely areas and full of bars and restaurants…” (more…)

And now is the time to go! While this may be a fantastic, activity-filled city to visit anytime of year, it snows in Winter and becomes quite hot and humid in Summer, so Spring and Fall have the most desirable weather by far, especially given that you’ll probably be doing a lot of walking when you visit. So why not make this your destination for Spring travel this year? There’s few places where one can experience such a great mix of culture, history, nightlife and awe all in one place, and don’t forget to book your stay in one of many great Washington D.C. hotels because this city full of diplomats, statesmen, lobbyists and lawmakers has some of the finest.

Bookmark to:

The number one goal of anyone on spring break is to get away from the hassles of school or work and do nothing but relax for a while, and there’s perhaps no other vacation that embodies this idea than a cruise. No matter what your budget, the size of your group or your preferred destination, there’s definitely a cruise right for you, and if sand, surf and sun are what you’re aiming for, well then, look no further. For partyers and relaxers alike, these floating cities can accommodate all your needs.

RealTraveler AK Andy recently experienced all the amenities of a Mexican Riviera cruise, and had this to say about her stop in Mazatlan:

“The port area of Mazatlan is a little odd; our ship was docked far enough away from everything that after we got off the ship, they made us get onto a little cart and get a ride to the other side of the port, where shops and taxis await… We took our taxi out to the golden zone, where we soon found plenty of sandy beach to relax on. It was great to lay out on our blankets with hardly any other beach-goers around. There were, however, plenty of people selling things around. It almost became humorous, how often the same people would walk by, trying to sell the same hats/jewelry/beach towel - every time they asked, and every time we had the same answer! It probably didn’t help that when we first hit the beach we got our main essentials (a friend got her hair braided, another picked up some sunglasses, another got a beach towel) and then wanted to be left alone - too late, when others see that you are willing to spend money! The beach was just gorgeous though, the day was hot and the waves were perfect for boogie boarding. We all stayed until we felt our poor, pale Alaskan flesh burning.” (more…)

Not only are cruises great, they depart from many ports of call around the United States, including Miami, Los Angeles and many other great locations, so why not start planning now, and tack on a few extra days at the port of call before or after the cruise? It’ll make for one memorable spring break, no doubt.

Bookmark to: