The Best Vacation Destinations for April

There is, arguably, no flower more indicative of spring than the cherry blossom. Typically, the blooms begin in the last weeks of March and reach their most fantastic peak in early April. In order to get the best views of the trees, be sure to walk around the public parks—but don’t miss the larger parks on the outskirts of the city. With massive, swirling pink blooms everywhere, it’s entirely possible to forget you’re in an urban environment.

For those who can’t book a trip to Japan in April, D.C. will do just as well. Come April, the city hosts a giant cherry blossom festival, complete with balls and concerts. Take advantage of warmer weather and stroll around the National Mall.

There’s no such thing as “too late to ski” in Mayrhofen. The skiing season lasts until the summer and, although the crowds will start to fade away this month, the snow will remain. If you don’t want to spend the whole vacation on the slopes, time your trip to the Snowbombing Music Festival when DJs and igloos take over the town.

Visit the Amalfi Coast without the hordes of visitors that descend upon it every summer. April is officially shoulder season in Positano, with the perfect combination of tourist scarcity and good weather. The seasonal shops will have just reopened, so visitors will have a chance to enjoy Positano as it wakes from winter slumber—but before it enters full summer frenzy.

Springtime in the Netherlands conjures one perfect image: fields of tulips. But for visitors less inclined to stop and smell the flowers, there’s one other great advantage of visiting in spring: the weather is warm enough that you can actually enjoy the Dutch pastime of bicycling everywhere. Linger by the canal, kick back in an outdoor coffee shop, and meander among the museums. Amsterdam comes alive in April.

Thai New Year takes place every April 13. There are few more exuberant places to celebrate than the country’s capital. During the celebration period (which extends from April 12 through 16), people clean their houses, dress in colorful clothing, and visit their local monasteries. But the most fun aspect of the celebration is that people go out in the streets with water guns and soak each other to “wash off” the misfortunes of the past year. Don’t expect to stay dry.  

April in Paris: there’s a song about it for a reason. The public parks and streets start to come alive in April, with flower buds dotting every inch of green. Discover the city as it starts to warm up but before the hordes of tourists descend upon it for the season. The weather in April may tend toward the rainy side, but Paris looks more romantic in the rain, anyway.

As the city of Vancouver comes back to life with the arrival of spring, so does the coast. April is peak whale-watching season in Vancouver, when orcas and humpbacks navigate their way north. Rent a boat, seaplane or kayak to get as close as possible to the migration.