Daffodils are popping out of the ground and Daylight Savings Time is now in the rearview mirror. Wait, is Spring Break really later this month? If you haven’t planned a trip, the good news is that there’s still time to get the heck out of town. Here are 10 ideas, from a pampering resort stay an hour’s drive north of Milwaukee to a sun-soaked desert adventure at the end of a four-hour non-stop flight, plus a jaunt to Florida beaches where you can be there by lunchtime and a family-friendly trip to the Big Apple.
Within a One-Hour Drive
Kohler, Wisconsin
As golf season isn’t in full swing yet, rates at Destination Kohler’s three properties, including the fancy American Club, are more affordable in March and April. While last-minute spa reservations might be difficult to snag, the entire village is a wellness mecca, with Yoga on the Lake, Bold Cycle and Sports Core. Or, there’s the spa’s pools, sauna and steam room. Stroll through the Kohler Design Center for home-reno ideas and if you’re serious about food, book a table at The Immigrant Restaurant, offering a tasting menu with wine pairings. More casual dining outlets are The Green House, a stained-glass conservatory flown over from England and now functioning as a café; The Horse & Plow, a tavern dating back to 1924; and River Wildlife Lodge, on a 500-acre wilderness preserve.
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Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark, Lake Geneva
Is it even spring break if you aren’t considering a water park for the kids? The property’s new Explorer Guide program further engages young guests as they collect stamps on a scavenger hunt, earning them an Explorer certificate. There’s also a Junior Lifeguard program that coaches in water safety. With the “Spring Break Longer” package, rates start at $104 for a minimum two-night stay in March and April, and also include arcade and pizza credits. The more nights you stay, the more perks you get. Grown-ups might even like a romantic date night at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa next door: just hop on the trolley service between the two properties.
Illinois Beach State Park, Zion, Illinois
If all you want to do is hop in the car, sleep in a hotel room overlooking a body of water, and plow through a few books, then the newly remodeled Illinois Beach Hotel in Illinois’ only state park along Lake Michigan is perfect. The park provides hiking trails and 6.5 miles of shoreline access. Nolan’s Restaurant, inside the hotel, serves lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday. On the menu are salads, sandwiches, shareable starters, pizza, surf and turf entrées, and pasta dishes – enough to satisfy a stay of a few nights.
Within a 90-Minute Train Ride
Chicago, Illinois
With 12-14 daily trips to downtown Chicago via Amtrak’s Hiawatha route, you can take a cat nap and wake up in the Loop, refreshed for a day of sightseeing. If spending the night is needed, there are dozens of hotels at various price points within walking distance of Union Station in Chicago and also near cultural attractions. Some of the exhibits this spring are two focused on Panafrica at the Art Institute of Chicago (“Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica,” through March 30; and “After the End of the World: Pictures from Panafrica,” through April 21) and “007 Science: Inventing the World of James Bond” (through April 6) at Griffin Museum of Science & Industry.
Within a Four-Hour Drive
Door County, Wisconsin
With fewer crowds and – fingers crossed – no snow, Door County is a lot more accessible during the spring. You can still hike at four of its five state parks (access to Rock Island opens on Memorial Day weekend) but rarely wait in line to eat at a restaurant. That said, two pizza spots are currently trending and require arriving early: Bad Moravian Pizza in Ephraim and Inland in Baileys Harbor. If you like to shop, the county’s many boutiques and art galleries are a thrill, including Irish-import goods at O’Meara’s and home décor at Sister Golden in tiny Fish Creek, which also has a bookstore (The Peninsula Bookman); all are open year-round. In terms of a boutique hotel, The Dorr Hotel in Sister Bay is in high demand during summer, but not as much this time of year.
Within a Five-Hour Drive
Indianapolis
Indiana’s largest city has a little bit of something for everyone, whether that’s an award-winning food scene, enough museums to fill a weekend, pro sports games, or outdoor activities like bicycling and kayaking along the three-mile Canal Walk, accessible from White River State Park. (Remember, this city is a short drive but boasts warmer temperatures.) Similar to the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Art in Bloom, the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields hosts an Art in Bloom event March 20-23. Any other time this spring, stroll its 52-acre gardens or sculpture park. A fun hotel that’s also across the street from a food hall (called The Garage Food Hall) is Bottleworks Hotel, tucked into a former Coca-Cola bottling plant.
Within a 2.5-Hour Flight
New York City
With non-stop flights to all three of New York City’s airports – JFK, La Guardia and Newark – it’s easy to price out a flight that works for you. While many head here for Broadway shows, spring is also a time to get outside more (such as renting a bicycle and pedaling through Central Park) or checking out art off the beaten path (such as the Affordable Art Fair, March 19-23). A visit would also not be complete without seeing the cherry blossoms in bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or, closer to the grittiness of the city, strolling The High Line, a former rail line transformed into a green space and featuring art installations. Wherever you say, make sure it’s near a subway or bus line and near most of what you want to see. It’s no fun to spend most of your vacation commuting, after all.
Within a Three-Hour Flight
Tampa, Florida
Three airlines (Southwest, Spirit and Frontier) now fly direct to Tampa, which is on the state’s Gulf of Mexico side, with the newest being Frontier Airlines’ three-times-per-week service, launching March 7. If you think you’ll get bored lounging at the beach (yes, it can happen) then Tampa’s vibrant energy cures that problem. Yet you can still have a beach day at Ben T. Davis Beach, Picnic Island Park or Cypress Point Park—all without leaving Tampa. Stay at JW Marriott Tampa Water Street so you don’t need a car as you experience activities like a shipping-container food park, exploring the 2.6-mile Riverwalk, Tampa Bay History Center, nightlife, or gawking at yachts as they cruise on by.
Within a Four-Hour Flight
Phoenix
A popular destination for Wisconsin snowbirds, Phoenix and the nearby community of Scottsdale are nearly always sunny and also accessible via nonstop flights on American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. For example, if you take an early-morning American Airlines’ flight at 7:10 a.m., you’ll land in Phoenix at 9:14 a.m. Golfing, spa-ing and hiking are prime activities in this part of the country, and there are at least a dozen resorts that have this all rolled into one. To be close to Old Town Scottsdale, Hotel Valley Ho has a fun poolside vibe and is a reboot of a 1950s hotel, while ADERO Scottsdale Resort is in the complete opposite setting, in nearby rural Fountain Hills.
European Cruise
With last-minute travel, there’s not a lot of time to make decisions, which is why a cruise is ideal. You only have to unpack once; you only stay at this “floating hotel,” nowhere else; all meals are included; and there’s no need to consult driving maps. Spending the day in ports means you can explore on foot, or by booking a guided excursion through the ship, but also not have to worry about the details. Flights to Europe this time of year are historically cheaper than during the high season of summer. For example, at $849 per person (double occupancy in an interior cabin), you can sail Princess Cruises’ brand-new ship, Sun Princess, in early April out of Barcelona and disembark in Rome. The 7-day itinerary also includes Gibraltar, Marseille (France), Genoa (Italy) and Florence/Pisa (Italy). There won’t be lines to see the David as it’s low season and your gelato won’t melt as quickly without the blistering heat – both win-wins.
