11 Best Places to Travel in April

Don’t wait for late-arriving Easter to fire the starting gun for spring: April 1 is a good excuse to slough off the doldrums of winter and start exploring again. Why not try to squeeze in an extra trip this month before the summer rush, making the most of still-affordable shoulder season rates in many destinations?

Whether you want to experience Easter in a new way or see the world’s most precious rose crop bloom in the unlikeliest of locales—or even pitch in on a fully legal streetside water fight—these are the 11 best places to travel this April.

10. Lexington, Kentucky

April is great for: prequalifying horse races and top-tier bourbons.

Heading to Kentucky in April to catch some qualifying races at Keeneland will be less fraught than May, as fewer visitors mean a much more local vibe.

In the run-up to the Kentucky Derby, check out the Bluegrass Race on April 5, and Lexington a week later, which is one of the last qualifiers. And make time to visit one of the 14 distilleries in and around the city. The Woodford Reserve made headlines when it appointed Elizabeth McCall as master distiller (the first woman to hold that role) two years ago.

Where to stay: The Manchester

The star attraction of this two-year-old boutique hotel: the Lost Palm, its indoor-outdoor rooftop bar with a retro, tiki-driven menu and a vibe that’s South Florida Palm Royale.

Insider Tip

The Manchester’s food and beverage director, Garrett Coats, sends all his whiskey-loving visitors to the Paddock Bourbon Club. “It has easily the best and most thorough bourbon selection in town,” he raves. “I’ve never had a guest come back to the hotel that wasn’t blown away.”

Click here to read the full article from AFAR.