Let it Rain: 5 Places to Get Wet This Spring

It’s a fact. We need spring showers to get beautiful summer flowers. But no one wants their long-anticipated vacation ruined by torrential downpours. Paris in April is supposed to be magnificent, but where’s the fun if you spend an hour waiting on line in the rain to get inside Notre Dame? The secret to spring travel is to pick a destination where getting wet is part of the fun.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is the collective name for the three waterfalls that border the U.S. and Canada. One of the best ways to enjoy this natural wonder is with a ride on the famous “Maid of the Mist“. You’re guaranteed to get wet since you’ll cruise up close to the 600,000 gallons of water that cascade over the falls every second. The 300-passenger ship resumes rides on April 2.

Seattle, Washington

It rains about 150 days a year in Seattle, but gray skies and showers are no reason to skip a visit to the Emerald City. Pack your Hunters and a hooded jacket and explore famous landmarks like the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and the Chihuly Garden and Glass. And the Skagit Valley explodes with color during April as millions of tulips burst into bloom. They’re lovely, even in the rain.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Travel + Leisure called the rain shower at the Chiang Mai Four Seasons one of the world’s sexiest. Sure, that’s one reason to visit, but there’s plenty more to do at this luxury resort, including the opportunity to learn to shop at a local market and prepare Thai cuisine, to witness traditional rice farming methods, and play a round or two of golf at nearby championship courses.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Rain in the desert is a rare phenomenon, except in Vegas. The Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino also includes the Miracle Mile Shops which are actually 1.2 miles of boutiques, restaurants, and live entertainment, including a simulated rainstorm, complete with fog, lightning, and thunder.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Hawaii is known as the Rainbow State because it has the perfect combo of sunlight and rain required to produce jaw-dropping arcs. Make your visit all about the rainbows and stay in the famous Rainbow Tower at the Hilton. Over 30,000 ceramic tiles were used to create the rainbows on either end of the tower where some of the rooms have views of Diamond Head crater.

And, while you’re visiting Honolulu, be sure to check out the Rainbow Drive-In. They’ve been serving Hawaiian fast food for over 50 years (try the Loco Moco – rice, hamburger, gravy and an egg). It’s been featured on television, including Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and Lost, and it’s one of President Obama’s favorites.

Be prepared to suffer through the upcoming gray days with soggy socks and bad hair, because that’s what makes spring spring. But don’t stay inside – go out and get wet!