Timing is Everything!

Ever wonder what the best time of the year it is to travel to certain places? Is it Summer? Is it Fall? Is it Winter? Is it Spring? The answer is, of course…YES! All of them! You just need to consider your itinerary. Are you driving? Are you flying? Are you taking the train? Are you on a cruise?

Spring
The temperatures are usually tolerable. Not too hot…not too cold. A good time to explore and enjoy the rebirth of the earth after the winter months. The trees are sprouting their new green colors and buds. The flowers are blooming. The grass is green. The rivers are flowing. The waterfalls are overflowing. It’s a magical time of year.

So, where do you want to go in the Spring? If you are interested in traveling internationally, then may I suggest Amsterdam, Netherlands? April and May may be my most favorite time of the year to visit Amsterdam. Why, you ask? One word – tulips! Visiting the beautiful countryside and seeing the multi-colored tulip fields is breathtaking. Visiting Keukenhof Gardens is amazing. The canals are busy with water traffic and lined with interesting houseboats. And the windmills at Kinderdijk! Definitely a must see! Love cheese? Visit a farm and help make some. Want a bouquet of tulips? Head to the canal for boat loads of fresh cut tulips in all the colors of the rainbow. We bought a bunch and put them in our stateroom on the ship to enjoy during the week.

Can’t make it to Amsterdam? Try Holland, Michigan instead! Tulips, windmills, Dutch girls and boys in traditional dress, wooden shoes, shops and more await.

Plan for the weather. As we all know, April showers bring May flowers!

Summer
Best place to head in the summer is somewhere to escape the heat and humidity. A nice drive up the Atlantic coast will have you eating fresh seafood, enjoying small town ambiance, lighthouses and lots more. Road trip? Take a circular route back home through the New England states for more small town cuteness.

Personally, I don’t care overly much for traveling during the summer months as school is out and it’s high or peak season. We generally prefer to travel in the ‘shoulder’ months – those that fall before or after high demand times. There’s generally less people, shorter lines, better deals and more tolerable temperatures.

Cruising to the Caribbean is very popular. If you long for a sandy beach, sunshine, waves crashing nearby or love to explore under the sea, the Caribbean is very popular. Or heading to Florida (unless you are a snowbird!) or other toasty climates for various amusement parks and attractions is also popular. Keep in mind, however, that it is hurricane season from May-November.

Fall
Fall used to be our favorite time to travel. Cooler temperatures, less people. The trouble with some destinations is that they close after Labor Day. So, before you plan that road trip, do your homework so there’s no disappointments. We recently took a fall foliage cruise in the beginning of October. Our hope was to see the beautiful fall colors along the Atlantic shore. Unfortunately, Mother Nature wasn’t dressed for our visit even though the ‘leaf peepers’ website said she was. So, perhaps plan to go a bit later in October if leaf peeping is of interest.

Fall is also a great time to travel abroad. Whether taking a cruise or simply flying over for a visit, the weather is likely to be cool and tolerable. Keeping in mind, however, that it is hurricane season from May-November.

Winter
One of our favorite trips during the winter is Christmas Markets, both here in the states and abroad. I will be posting another blog post in a couple weeks about these wonderful markets.

If you’re a snowbird, you head south for the winter. Or cruise to an island paradise for a visit. Or perhaps you enjoy the cold and head to Vail or another ski area for your get-away. If you are heading into snow country, please use caution as road conditions may be dangerous, especially if passing through mountain areas. If the signs indicate tire chains, be sure to use them!

A fun family-type activity to do year-round is Geocaching. This sport engages everyone from young to old. Take a road trip! Log in to http://www.geocaching.com to locate caches in the area you are planning to visit. Enter the coordinates into a hand-held GPS and you’re off on an adventure! Geocaching has taken us to areas that we always just drove by or to areas that we wanted to visit. Pack some swag to swap and a writing instrument to sign the cache log. It’s a great way to spend time outdoors and see new sites at the same time. We’ve geocached both here in the states and abroad. Finding a travel bug was always exciting then sending it on its way again. Over the years, we also hid a few caches ourselves. If you log on to the website, I bet you’ll even find a few geocaches near you!

Timing is everything – make sure you are aware of holiday dates/closures, weather conditions, and other important-to-you factors, such as special events like birthdays at home that you don’t want to miss. Or celebrate a special event during your trip! It will usually net you a complimentary dessert and a song!

Each of the four seasons presents different opportunities to get away, whether you are active or just need some R&R and pampering for a few days. So, start making some plans! Go! Seek! Explore!

Travel adventurously
– Josh Gates