Spring is the best time to visit Phoenix, especially for sun-starved-yet-heat-intolerant Portlanders. After flying into Sky Harbor Airport, head first to neighboring Tempe for pour-overs and pastries at Cartel Coffee Lab, followed by sun-dried locals and dive-bar fare at Casey Moore’s Oyster House. Take a walk at Tempe Beach Park, where there’s always a festival, concert, or weird drum circle happening.

In Phoenix itself, hit up Valley Bar for speakeasy vibes (peep the rotating shadow puppets above the bar) and cocktails named after Arizona politicians, like the Sandra Day Old Fashioned and the McCain. Don't miss Heritage Square, a Victorian-era plaza now home to restaurants and bars like Pizzeria Bianco and neighboring Bar Bianco. After catching a Suns game at the Footprint Center, nurse a nightcap at Crescent Ballroom and see who’s playing on the mainstage.

Outdoor types can take a stroll through the Desert Botanical Garden or hike Camelback Mountain. Feeling antsy? Mystic vortexes in Sedona, historic hillsides in Jerome, and fresh mountain air in Flagstaff are a day trip away. Don’t forget to check out everyone’s favorite hole in the ground: the Grand Canyon. —Gabriel Granillo

When we think of spring break in Southern California, we think of San Diego (though Laguna Beach, Balboa Island, and San Clemente deserve honorable mention). 

Start your day at Better Buzz Coffee’s La Jolla location before a morning hike along La Jolla Trail. Continue soaking up the sun with big ocean views and dramatic scenery at Sunset Cliffs, and then scoot to Mission Beach Boardwalk for some roller-skating. Sate the appetite you’ve worked up with fish tacos at Miguel’s Cocina, enjoy the local charm of McP’s Irish Pub, and then explore Pacific Beach (PB, as those in the know call it), which has some of the best nightlife in SoCal.  

As long as you brought your passport, you can make it to Rosarito, Mexico, in under an hour. Surf, tacos, and a Corona with lime before heading back to California the same day? We’re here for it. —Shannon Daehnke

Vegas isn’t all about the glitz and glamor of the Strip. Technically, the Strip isn’t even in Las Vegas—it resides in unincorporated Clark County. Outside the glimmering casinos and fear-and-loathing strangeness of the Strip, you’ll find a burgeoning arts scene, eclectic late-night food options, and vibrant history.

Explore the labyrinth that is the Arts Factory in the 18b Arts District and meet the locals who use the space to create. Afterward, stop by Cornish Pasty, which serves up signature meat, veggie, and vegan pasties (think of them as old-school hot pockets). Enjoy drinks there over a game of pool, or swing over to ReBAR, a vintage-retro antique store and neighborhood bar. Hungry again? Near Fremont Street, Container Park offers an abundance of cuisines—just don’t get burned by the giant fire-spouting praying mantis.

Looking for a touch of old Vegas? Find buzzing lights at the Neon Museum and learn about the mafia’s deep roots at the Mob Museum. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the trails at Red Rock Canyon, which feature petroglyphs, ancient rock walls, and rolling desert hills. —GG

New Orleans is one of the most festive cities in the world. With the excesses of Mardi Gras over and the shimmery, oppressive summer heat still a few months away, spring is the perfect time to visit the Big Easy. And there’s so much more to the city than Bourbon Street, booze, and beads.

For starters, New Orleans’ food scene is a decadent delight. Visit the world-famous Dookey Chase to get your Creole fix, order shrimp and grits at Evangeline in the French Quarter, try Mother’s for baked ham, and find a fried seafood feast at Bucktown’s New Orleans Food and Spirits. Once you’ve eaten yourself into oblivion, shed your Cajun calories by perusing local shops on Magazine Street or make your way to the Garden District to see the area’s most beautiful homes.

Seeking a bit more adventure? Familiarize yourself with the creatures that lurk in the bayous on a Swamp tour. —Dalila Brent

While we may share a catchphrase with Austin, the capital of Texas (like our own dear city) has a lot more going for it than weirdness. A thriving live music scene, beautiful parks, and eclectic eateries that include some of the country’s best barbecue means that there’s a little something for everyone in Austin.  

Take in some history with a tour of the Texas State Capitol Building before an afternoon of paddleboarding at Lady Bird Lake. The Barton Creek Greenbelt has 12 miles of hiking trails along with opportunities for biking, rock climbing, and swimming. For dinner, head to East Austin, one of the city's largest and more diverse neighborhoods, or to Rainey Street, which is lined with old houses transformed into hip restaurants and bars. Consider Emmer & Rye for heritage grains, on-site whole animal butchery, and an in-house fermentation program, and then pile in with the masses on the massive patio of Banger’s Sausage House, where you’ll find more than 200 taps of beer, cider, and mead. No trip to Austin is complete without dancing at classic honky-tonk the White Horse.  

While Austin’s cultural landscape is lively any time of year, early spring breakers get an extra dose with SXSW, the festival filled with live music, film, art, and speakers, which runs March 8–16 this year. —Michelle Harris

As American cities go, Miami is Portland’s polar opposite: bright sunshine, bulging muscles, and oh, the implants! And that’s exactly what makes it an ideal spring break destination.  

Once you arrive, beeline for Calle Ocho, the historic heart of the Cuban community, for Cubano sandwiches, croquetas, and cafecitos from the famous Versailles Café and its across-the street competitor La Carreta. For dessert, a giant sculptural ice cream cone welcomes visitors to Azúcar, a Cuban-influenced shop where cream cheese, guava jam, and María cookies mingle in a pastelito-inspired scoop. A pick-up game of dominoes at Máximo Gómez Park is best followed by a mojito, salsa lessons, and live music at nearby Ball & Chain. Find late-night eats at Yambo in East Little Havana, which serves one of the city’s finest examples of the Nicaraguan fritanga.

Instagram fiends flock to the Wynwood Walls in the Design District for an eye-popping street art collection, but locals take their quinceañera and engagement shots at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, a curiously curated Gatsby-esque manor house on Biscayne Bay. Rent a kayak and float among the mangroves off peaceful Virginia Key or nab a bike from Key Cycles and pedal out to the lighthouse at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.  

To get some sand between your toes, head to neighboring Miami Beach, where between sunbathing and seashell collecting you can take in some culture with a tour of art deco architecture or rooms of contemporary art at the Bass. In South Beach, dine on stone crab claws and some of the tartest key lime pie at historic institution Joe’s Stone Crab. —Katherine Chew Hamilton & Julia Silverman

If you're not itching to get away from the rain, put aside your city rivalry and head to Seattle for a quick getaway. The food scene might not quite match ours, but we'll concede the area has its strengths. 

Case in point: nowhere can match Pike Place Market for its farmers market produce, fresh fish, and eateries, from Piroshky Piroshky to Pike Place Chowder to Post Alley Pizza. And we don’t have anything quite like the melonpan breakfast sandwich at Saint Bread, which combines the slightly sweet Japanese bun with lemongrass-ginger pork sausage, gooey American cheese, and fried egg. Walk off breakfast at Gas Works Park, once home to a coal gasification plant and now filled with views, grassy hills, and a playground perfect for a steampunk photoshoot. Refuel in the Fremont area at Made in House, a Korean deli with gimbap, kimchi pancakes, bibimbop, and daily bento boxes topped with a rainbow of vegetables. Check out the Fremont Troll sculpture lurking under the nearby Aurora Bridge, shop for houseplants at Peace Love and Happiness Club, flip through vinyl at Jive Time Records, and browse vintage clothes and doodads at the Fremont Vintage Mall.

Round out your trip with a walk through Chinatown and the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian American Experience, then grab pork and crab soup dumplings at Dough Zone. —KH