Spring is finally here, and it’s time to start planning those awesome spring break vacations. Road trips can be a great way to spend time with the family and see everything this awesome country has to offer without breaking the bank or spending your entire vacation fund on airline tickets. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some great road trips you should take with your family to jump-start your vacation planning.

Enjoy the End of Winter in Vermont

It might be tempting to make a bee-line for the nearest temperate state, but you can have a great spring road trip while still enjoying the tail end of winter. March and April mark the beginning of maple sugaring season in the New England area, which is perfect for enjoying some sweet treats while you’re on your trip.

Smuggler’s Notch Resort in Vermont holds a Maple Fest every year where you can sample maple products, get a free welcome gift and even make maple taffy by pouring heated maple syrup onto snow. Make it a family trip — your kids will be fascinated to see how they turn maple sap into the tasty syrup that they love on their pancakes and waffles.

Start the Beach Season off Right in Florida

It may still be snowing in parts of the country, but in Florida, it’s the perfect beach weather — warm, breezy and most important of all, sunny! Drive down south and start your beach season off right with a trip to any of the state’s white sandy beaches.

You don’t have to spend all your time in salt water, though — there are hundreds of rivers and springs throughout the state that you can enjoy, many of which hold a steady 72-degree water temperature in spite of the ambient air. You might even see some manatees in a few rivers — they love the warmer spring-fed temperatures when the ocean water cools during the fall and winter months.

Do Just About Everything in St. Louis

St. Louis, Missouri is probably one of the best road trip destinations in the country — especially if you’re traveling with kids. There’s just so much to do including watching the stars at the local YMCA. The Edward Jones branch hosts a Night Sky Over the Y event on clear nights and brings in amateur astronomers from the local astronomical society to help kids spot the stars.

Visit the zoo and see some of the hundreds of animals that call St. Louis home. The main part of the zoo is free every day to people of all ages, though there are some attractions such as feeding the stingrays or taking a safari tour that have an additional admission charge. Visit the St. Louis Science Center — also free — or take a trip to Purina Farms and enjoy hayrides, dog shows and learn how to milk a cow. St. Louis may be the most kid-friendly road trip destination in the country.

Visit the Nation’s Capital

You can’t go wrong with an educational road trip, and a visit to Washington D.C. is just that. You can visit the Library of Congress, the Museum of Natural History or the Smithsonian Museum, just to name a few.  Spring is also the best time to visit D.C. if you love flowers — cherry blossoms in particular. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival happens during the spring break season every year when the hundreds of cherry trees that are planted around the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C. burst into their spring foliage. It is a sight to behold.

Head Way North – or Way South

Going on a road trip doesn’t mean you have to stay in the country. Head way north for amazing food and weather in Canada, or way south for some tropical beaches in Mexico. Both countries offer something different for the kids. Kids can visit any of the national parks, marine conservation areas or other historic sites in Canada for free — though adults still have to pay an admission fee. That isn’t too bad if you’re coming from the U.S. since a strong U.S. dollar means it’s cheaper than ever to vacation in Canada after currency conversion.

Mexico is the place to go for beach resorts — many of which are kid-friendly and even have pools, water slides and other activities designed specifically for the younger traveler. Make sure you check with your chosen resort to ensure that they’re kid-friendly before you book your stay. The last thing you need is bored kids being trapped in the hotel room all day because they’re not allowed in most places on the resort.

Start Your Trip Today

Whether you’re driving across the city, the state or the country, there are plenty of places to stop along the way for your spring break road trip. If we missed your favorite road trip spot, let us know. We’d love to include it in our next planned road trip!