Spring is here, with flowers, warm weather, and festivals celebrating food, art, and music. You can enjoy springtime blossoms, visit tropical locales, and even find some late-season snow before bidding goodbye to skis and snowboards. One of the best reasons to take a trip in April is that you can get ahead of the summer crowds and even save money in what is considered “shoulder season” in most destinations. Here are 12 of the best places to travel in April in the United States and around the world.

Lexington, Kentucky

April is the perfect time to tour one of Lexington’s horse farms, and at Mill Ridge Farm, visitors can see beautiful horses and learn about how they’re bred. Thoroughbred racing returns to Keeneland for the Spring Meet from April 7-28. Bourbon is another local specialty, and in Lexington, you can explore distilleries or chat with the experts at Justins’ House of Bourbon while you sip a favorite at their tiny bar. In the Distillery District, tour and sample spirits at James E. Pepper Distillery, browse the boutiques, and enjoy an al fresco lunch or a craft brew. Watch for the upcoming opening of the nearby Manchester Hotel, bound to be the place to stay in the growing Distillery District. In the meantime, stay at the Origin Hotel or downtown at 21c Museum Hotel.

Click here for the full list from Travel and Leisure.

Article by Patricia Doherty.