Best Destinations to Visit in March: 5 Trips Worth Planning

Late March is when the cherry blossom front usually reaches Tokyo and Kyoto, and the country organizes itself around hanami — picnics under the trees, evening illuminations, seasonal sweets in every convenience store. Days are mild and often sunny, though evenings stay cool and one windy night can strip a tree.

Book accommodation for late March well in advance, and build a spare day or two into the itinerary: bloom dates shift by a week or more depending on the winter. If your flights are locked and the trees are late, remember that southern cities bloom earlier and northern ones later, so a short rail hop can rescue the trip. Kyoto's famous spots are crowded at peak bloom; the quieter temple gardens reward an early start.

March falls in the dry season, so days are usually sunny and warm with cool evenings — the catch is the altitude, roughly 2,240 metres, which makes the sun fierce and the first day or two breathless. Give yourself a slow arrival day.

It is a month built for walking and eating. Roma and Condesa for cafes and bakeries, Coyoacán for markets and museums, the historic centre for murals and architecture, plus the anthropology museum, which deserves half a day on its own. Day trips to the pyramids at Teotihuacán and the canals at Xochimilco are easy to arrange. Spring break weeks bring US families and higher room rates, so book early if your dates overlap school holidays.

March in Lisbon is spring in slow motion. It is mild enough for tram rides, miradouro-hopping and long lunches, but showers roll through, so pack a light rain jacket and plan museum time as a backup. The payoff is a city without the summer crush: easier tables, more hotel choice and shorter queues at the big sights.

Base yourself in Alfama or Príncipe Real for atmosphere, spend a morning in Belém, and give Sintra a full day for the palaces — it is cooler and mistier up there than in the city. Cascais and the Atlantic coast are a short train ride away if you want sea air. Watch the Easter calendar: when the holiday falls in late March, flights and hotels spike for that week.

March gives Sedona its best hiking window of the year: cool mornings, mild afternoons and, after a wet winter, desert wildflowers along the roads and lower trails. This is the month to tackle Cathedral Rock, Devil's Bridge and the West Fork of Oak Creek without the furnace of June.

It is also spring break season. Trailhead car parks fill early, and the most popular routes can feel like a queue by mid-morning — start at dawn or use the shuttle where it runs. Lodging in town is limited and rates climb, so book months ahead and consider staying in Cottonwood or West Sedona for more choice. Add a scenic drive through Oak Creek Canyon and one long day trip to the Grand Canyon if you have the time.

March is the heart of the dry season on Costa Rica's Pacific side, which means hot, sunny days and very little rain. It is the most reliable month on this list if your main goal is lying on a beach without checking the forecast.

Split the trip between two zones: Guanacaste for swimming, surf lessons and long sunsets, and Arenal or Monteverde for rainforest, hanging bridges and hot springs. Wildlife is easier to spot when the foliage is thinner, and the light is good for photography. High-season pricing runs until Easter, so flights and lodges should be booked early, and transfers between regions eat more of a day than most first-timers expect — plan on two bases, not four.