Paradise Point Sign, St Thomas. Photo by Chuck Kramer

Another bonus you get is that the trees and flowers are in early bloom, so make sure you choose an area that is generous with natural beauty.

Carnival in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Spring means great weather and Carnival in the Virgin Islands. Like most Caribbean Islands, carnival is a huge celebration. Expect many choices in entertainment and activities, for adults and for children. Try out Caribbean food with your favorite beverage as the kids ride amusement rides.

Cherry Blossoms in Washington D.C.

Through March and the beginning of April, the nation’s capital is in bloom. Visit to see the gorgeous cherry trees in blossom. The best thing about the cherry blossoms is that they are free for everyone to enjoy. While you are there, hop on a bus or trolley for a guided tour. You can also take a river cruise on the Potomac.

If you want a little exercise, rent a bicycle or take a walking tour.

Tulip Love in Holland

Tulips come into their glory in spring. You can take Delta flights to Holland from mid April to mid May to see the country’s tulips and enjoy their tulip festival – or even the Bollenstreek Flower Parade. If you do not want to travel overseas or do not have the budget for it, no need to worry. The town of Holland, Michigan also puts on a tulip festival each year. You will find people dressed in traditional Dutch clothing and experience concerts, parades and more.

Remember the Alamo

This historic mission is located in San Antonio, Texas. Temperatures can get suffocating, hot and muggy during the summer there, so you will have a more enjoyable experience by visiting in the spring.

After you have visited the Alamo and taken the standard, smiling tourist photos and bought a few postcards, wander down to the city’s famous River Walk. – It isn’t far away. There is so much stuff to do in the festive area. You can easily spend days there without a moment’s boredom. Eat at one of the many restaurants along the walk, have a drink at one of the bars, shop for gifts at one of the boutiques or take a boat ride.

In addition to the River Walk, visit the San Antonio zoo and Seaworld San Antonio.

Visit Europe

If you plan well in advance, you can find good airfare before the airlines raise rates for summer travel. There are parts of Europe that are exceptionally beautiful in the spring – these include France and southern Germany.

Temperatures are still crisp in March and April, but flowers will be blooming and the lush green countryside is something you won’t want to miss. Tour vineyards and sample some wine and local cuisine, and visit a castle or two on the way.

All in a good, relaxed pace making you more relaxed than ever on your vacation. No press, no stress to get anywhere before the crowds. Just you and the genuine joy of exploring something new.

Lifecruiser Love Spring Travel
 

There is nothing that gives more summer of a feeling than smultron or a more genuine taste – much more than regular strawberries.

We should have thread them upon a grass straw, that is the old traditional way of carrying them… But they were tasting so good that we never got anyone left to put on the straw!

©Lifecruiser Love Wild Strawberries
 

Here they are under the Japanese cherry tree’s blossoms which are in full bloom. Quite a nice alternative to other form of socializing, don’t you think? Here you really have to use your brain…

©Lifecruiser Love The Kings Garden

Earlier posts with The Kings Garden Photos by Lifecruiser:

Photo: Kings Garden Mingle
Cherry Blossom Spring Love
 

The Japanese Cherry tree’s even have a special day called The Cherry Blossoms Day, which use to be in the end of April when the tree’s are supposed to be in full bloom. So even this year, even though my photos are from another year actually.

©Lifecruiser Love Cherry Blossoms

Earlier post with Cherry Blossom Photo by Lifecruiser:

Cherry Blossom Spring Love
 

Julita existed already in the Viking era and was an medieval monastery that later became a state domain and manor owned by Swedish nobility. You can see that by it’s interiors and surrounded parks, with the architectural different green house and kitchen garden.

It was also the first Swedish Museum of Agriculture that started with gene banks in the seventies, in close collaboration with the Nordic Gene Bank NGB – and still is – for a lot of different plants, fruits and flowers. Their agricultural exhibits may interest garden enthusiasts, as well as their different markets and festivals.

Tours of the Julita Manor house is hold in the weekends in May/September and every day in June, July and August. There are also other different exhibitions, family activities and farm animals which will please the young ones.

There are simply beautiful decorated B&B rooms in the manor wings from the 17th century for around 12-1400 SEK/night and double room. There is also a newer hostel alternative in another building for around 600 SEK/night for a two-beds room.

If you want something different: ask if the more unusual Octagon House – an old distillery from around the 1800s down by the lake – is available.

For the Gourmet’s like myself, there is the Julita Skans Cafe and a well recommended restaurant, also mentioned in the White Guide: Julita Wärdshus, julitawardshus.se down at the lake shore, run by the silver awarded (Bocuse d’Or 2011 in Lyon) chef Tommy Myllymäki and Magnus Saleborn.

If you’re planning an unusual wedding, there is even a Skansen church where you have the unique opportunity to get married with your beloved one. In fact: if we weren’t already married, we would have jumped on this opportunity for sure!

There is other things to do in the area too, many beautiful walking paths or why not go horse back riding? There are around 400 kilometers riding tracks, have a look at www.ridleden.se.

Julita Gård is even offering a guest stable if you’re on the riding tracks, see the wonderful old stable building in the photo below.

If you’re planning to be there in May: don’t miss when the cows are put out to pasture at Julita, the pure joy of the cows are entertainment not only for children, but also for adults. Date and time use to be available at nordiskamuseet.se/julita at the start of May, the date for 2012 is the 6th of May.

Despite the dull weather when we were there in the beginning of March, we succeeded to get a few decent travel photos showing the interesting architecture. We’ll definitely go there again in the summer season when the place have flourished up.

Our reason for being curious of this special Mansion is that my grandparents once upon a time had a farm worker employed, that had been working as some kind of maintenance manager at Julita Gård, before he came to work for them.

Have a look at Lifecruiser Julita Gård photo slideshow here.

In the Google map below you can see were it is located and exactly how rural the area is.

Official info at: Nordiska Museets webpage about Julita.

How to get there: by car on road 214 or take the train to Katrineholm and then the bus to Julita: plan your trip to Julita by Swedish trip robot Resrobot.se.

©Lifecruiser Love Open Air Museums
 

Just the fact that the wall is dark, makes me think it’s extra ghostly and if taking a closer look at the dripstone wall, you can spot animals and monsters as well as some faces here and there.

The dripstone wall was made by Italians in the 17th century and is located in the Wallensteins garden below the Prague castle. We did not take any more pictures from the garden – the wall took all our attention!

Though we have already seen some of the sculptures by Adrian de Vries in the garden, since they are copies. The Swedish military confiscated them during the 30-years war and the originals are still in the Drottningholm Palace Park in Stockholm.

©Lifecruiser Love Unusual Walls

I succeeded to catch a double bee in one photo: a bumblebee and an ordinary bee in the same flower getting themselves some nectar.

We had a nice walk around the park – which is dated back to the second half of the 17th century. You can see a glimpse of the Ulriksdal Palace in the background.

Lifecruiser Love Stockholm Photos
 

This one was just munching grass on the field, but they also do love to step into peoples garden to eat of the apple trees among other things. Sometimes they eat fermented fruits which can make them very drunk and behave in strange ways…

Like the moose stuck in a tree and hanging there making roaring sounds. Imagine finding one in your own garden!

So, obviously, even the loose moose drink booze in Sweden… Cheers!

The Swedish moose are a big tourist attraction, it is very nice to see one, but they can actually become quite aggressive when they’re drunk (someone picturing a bar fight here…? he he).

It has been a case where a Swedish man were accused for murdering his Swedish wife – though it turned out to be a moose who did it!

Lifecruiser ♥ Swedish Animals
 

Even though it is not the absolute favorite of my travel photos, it is my favorite cottage at Gotland so far. A summer dream house.

The photo still do not make it justice, coming closer up on the front there is so many blooming flowers – old grandma ones.

So fairytale fabulous wouldn’t you say…?

Lifecruiser ♥ Old Gotlandic Houses
 

Lifecruiser ♥ Gotlands barns