3 Unexpected U.S. Destinations to Explore this Spring Break

Skip the popular, crowded spring break destinations and take your family travels to one of these unexpected spring break spots instead.

Alexandria, Virginia

Spring break in Alexandria, Virginia, can vary from exploring the city’s museums and historical sites to soaking up the tranquility of the blooming cherry blossoms. An important city for American history, Alexandria is home to many of the country’s major social justice movements, where visitors can educate themselves through self-guided tours at the Women’s History Walking Tour of Alexandria, Alexandria Black History Museum and This Week in Historic Alexandria series. Spring is cherry blossom season in Washington, D.C., located just about a 20-minute drive away. The Alexandrianand Morrison House hotels offer special Cherry Blossoms in Bloom packages for locals and visitors alike.

The Cherry Blossoms in Bloom package at The Alexandrian includes two in-room cherry blossom-inspired cocktails; two complimentary round-trip Water Taxi tickets to travel across the Potomac River for the National Cherry Blossom Festival; and dinner at King & Rye, the in-house Southern American restaurant.

Over at Morrison House, the Cherry Blossoms in Bloom Package includes a welcome gift featuring a novel from a local bookstore written by an LGBTQIA+ author, dinner for two at The Study, two complimentary roundtrip Water Taxi Tickets to The Wharf or National Harbor for the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and a complimentary in-room bottle of wine.

Asbury Park, New Jersey

Part of the Jersey Shore, Asbury Park is a vibrant coastal town offering beautiful views, rich cultural charm and delicious culinary options. Asbury Park comes back alive in the spring after a long winter.

The Asbury Hotel embodies the rock-and-roll spirit of Asbury Park and allows travelers to experience some of the destination’s most iconic attractions, like the concert venue and bowling alley Asbury Lanes. Stop by the lanes April 6 to attend the Full Moon Party, an evening of moon magic, guided meditation, mocktails and cocktails, all hosted by Sarah Potter, resident witch and psychic medium.

Portland, Oregon

Spend spring break outdoors among the Cascade Mountains and the blossoming cherry blossoms, tulips and roses across Oregon. Whether looking for the best hikes, a personalized wine tour or a place to ski through May, Portland is the best place to visit. The Nines Hotel, located in downtown Portland, offers convenient packages and a dedicated and knowledgeable concierge team to help visitors customize their Portland experience. An example of the hotel’s packages is Wine at the Nines, which offers a wine welcome amenity, breakfast for two at Urban Farmer and a private wine tour with local expert Niko Grimanis from Works 4 Wine. Guests can also personalize a visit to Willamette Valley, with stops at wineries like VIDON Vineyard and Arbor Brook Vineyards.