12 of the best places to visit in March 2026

No matter where you are in the world, March is a great time to travel while avoiding crowds and enjoying gentler weather. We explore 12 of the best places to visit in March, whether you're seeking sunshine, festivals or a memorable road trip.

By March, spring is stirring across the northern hemisphere, thawing a number of high-profile destinations from their chilly, off-peak periods – with the added bonus that the holiday crowds have yet to arrive. Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere, the mercury is starting to slide in the opposite direction, attracting bargain hunters looking for a coastal trip beyond the blazing heat of summer.

No matter what kind of travel you're after, this is a rewarding time to hit the road. Read on for the best places to visit in March 2026. 

1. Gran Canaria, Spain

Best for a wellness escape

Average temperatures are around 68°F (20°C) with 7+hours of sunshine daily. 

Gran Canaria is a perfect destination for a wellness escape amid sand dunes and blissfully balmy weather. The beautiful belly button of the Canary Islands is a hotbed of yoga, meditation, tai chi and qigong retreats, with several clustered around Las Palmas, Gran Canaria’s culturally diverse capital. Pick a location according to your interests – after your early-morning tai chi session, you’ll have plenty of time to relax or get active. You’ll find beaches galore on which to get horizontal, but consider striking out onto the island's hiking trails, too.

Planning tip: Base yourself in Las Palmas for sand and city life, Maspalomas for lively beach action and vast sand dunes, Puerto de Mogán for a picturesque harbor or the central north for hiking.

2. Sedona, USA

Best for a spiritual journey

Average temperatures are around 65°F (18°C) but it drops to 37°F (3°C) at night. 

The flaming-red sandstone formations of central Arizona, a backdrop for countless movies, might be the most recognizable emblems of Sedona. But a less visible attraction draws many of today’s visitors. A cluster of major “energy vortexes” identified in the 1980s lures crowds of New Age adherents, who enjoy various mystical and spiritual healing practices and workshops (as well as some top-notch restaurants to nourish body as well as mind and soul). March brings warm weather, wildflowers and lots of opportunities for outdoor adventure. Pack loose clothes and a mat for yoga sessions at one of the many studios, but also cycling gear and hiking boots – more than 200 trails traverse the surrounding countryside, notably among the striking outcrops of Red Rock Crossing – and an empty memory card for this most photogenic city. 

Planning tip: Several companies offer vortex tours; save money by picking up a free map from shops around the city.

3. Morocco's Atlantic Coast

Best for learning to surf and make new friends

Average temperatures are around 72°F (22°C) with occasional rainy days.

A string of surf camps stud Morocco’s coast between Agadir and Essaouira, mostly clustered around Taghazout and the quieter fishing village of Tamraght. The surf is reliably good between October and March, when the weather starts to warm up but waves are still big, long and consistent.

Most surf camps offer a simple recipe: limber up with sunrise yoga, then grab a board and find the best breaks, sparing time to explore the galleries and souqs of Essaouira’s fortified medina.

Planning tip: The Atlantic is at its coolest during March – you’ll want at least a 3/2mm wetsuit – which means you'll have the pick of accommodation along the coast, as most people head to the beaches in Morocco in summer.

4. Adelaide, Australia 

Best for art, music, culture

Average temperatures are around 79-86°F (26-30°C) dropping to a low of 59°F (16°C) at night.

There’s no beating a visit to Adelaide in March for culture, with a trifecta of events that has this historic Australian city vibing in early autumn (think Edinburgh Festival but without the rain!). The Adelaide Festival and Adelaide Fringe run concurrently from late Febuary through March with performers from across Australia and the globe bringing an eclectic calendar of entertainment to Adelaide. And from March 6 to 9 there’s also WOMADelaide, the Australian chapter of this international music festival. Festival-goers don’t camp onsite but turn up daily to the centrally located Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla. 

Detour: It’s still warm and sunny in March in South Australia despite summer being officially over. Head to McLaren Vale (about 45 minutes south of Adelaide’s city center) where you’ll find cellar doors, fine dining and top beaches (and the art-works stuffed d'Arenberg Cube).

5. New Brunswick, Canada

Best for sweet treats and snow fun

Average temperatures are around 39°F (4°C) dropping to a low of 21°F (-6°C) at night.

March is maple syrup month in New Brunswick, a Canadian province as peaceful and little-touristed as it is packed with natural beauty and history. In this “fifth season,” temperatures start to nudge above freezing and the sap rises in maple trees. Sugar camps (or shacks) welcome hungry visitors to sugarbush events with cooked breakfasts of eggs, bacon, sausage, beans and pancakes – all smothered with that irresistibly sticky syrup, of course.

With snow lingering on the ground, work up an appetite for all that indulging with some cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or winter hiking in spectacular settings such as Fundy National Park.

6. Eat your way around Istanbul, Türkiye

Best for foodies

Average temperatures are around 55-62°F (13-16°C) dropping to a low of 43-46°F (6-9°C) at night.

Istanbul always astounds – and in March, as things begin to warm up toward the end of the low season, you can enjoy discounts, smaller crowds and more forgiving weather. Be sure to save some time for the greatest legacy the Ottomans left the world: food. Why else would the Spice Bazaar be so huge and bustling? From simple kebabs to meze feasts and that luscious aubergine masterpiece imam bayıldı, there are few cuisines as indulgent as that of Türkiye. Over the past couple of decades, a roster of excellent food-themed walking tours and cooking schools has sprung up in Istanbul, providing the opportunity to combine a springtime city break with a culinary reboot.

Planning tip: Be sure you leave time to recover from all that walking and eating in at least one of the hamams in Istanbul. 

7. Naples, Italy 

Best for historic sites without the crowds

Average temperatures are around 62°F (16°C) dropping to 46°F (8°C) at night.

Naples is unapologetic. This southern Italian sprawl is scruffy around the edges, yet has an indefatigable spirit, a dramatic location (on the Bay of Naples, in the shadow of Mt Vesuvius) and, of course, the best pizzas in the country.

Off-season March is neither too hot nor too cold, and well before most visitors descend. That means unmissable sights such as the Museo Archeologico Nazionale (packed with Pompeiian artifacts) are crowd-free – as is Pompeii itself, just a 45-minute train ride south.

Planning tip: Circumvesuviana and Campania Express trains connect Naples and Pompeii; avoid crowds at the archeological site by starting with the areas furthest from the entrance and working back.

8. Kyūshū, Japan

Best for the start of cherry blossom season

Average temperatures are around 62°F (16°C) with an average low of 45°F (7°C) at night.

A cherry tree in bloom is a delightful sight – sure. But 2000 cherry trees blossoming in the clear spring air? That’s a mind-boggling spectacle. Japan’s warmer southwestern island of Kyūshū blushes with blossom before the better-known spots on Honshū. Its somei yoshino and yamazakura trees bloom from mid-March in parks around Fukuoka, at the magnificent castle in Kumamoto, and in Yoshino Park in Kagoshima, set against the dramatic backdrop of aptly named Mt Sakurajima.

Planning tip: English-language speakers can monitor the cherry-blossom forecaste with Kyuhoshi's online forecast. Latecomers can catch the blossoms further south in April and even May in Tōhoku, the northernmost region of Honshū.

9. Antigua

Best for sunshine and snorkeling

Average temperatures are around 84°F (29°C) with an average low of 75°F (24°C) at night.

Antigua has a beach for every day of the year – or so the legend goes. Whether or not there are 365 separate stretches of sand on the island, it’s true that you won’t want for a patch of soft, golden-tinted shoreline on which to lounge. March sees a lull in tourist arrivals after the midwinter peak and before Easter, but the weather is still dry and hurricane-free. Antigua is a family-friendly paradise, too, with activities galore and a piratical air – venture to Nelson’s Dockyard or the atmospheric, 18th-century Fort James for a bit of maritime history, snorkel the colorful reefs or try a bit of bodysurfing.

Planning tip: This is one of the largest of Leeward Islands on which English is spoken (Antigua covers 280 sq km or 108 sq miles) but getting around is easiest with a hire car.

10. Lisbon, Portugal

Best for a city break with children

Average temperatures are around 64°F (18°C) with an average low of 52°F (11°C) at night.

With average temperatures of 18°C (64°F), and tourist season yet to take off, March is a great time to really sink yourselves into Lisbon, taking your time to get to know its cobbled streets. While the steepest hills can be a challenge with a pushchair, the metro system is good, and few small people can resist the charm of the city’s brightly coloured antique trams or the excitement of a funicular cranking its way up a hill. Lisbon is famous for its cinnamon-dusted pastel de nata (custard tart) and the Antiga Confeitaria de Belém is the site of pastry pilgrimages, but you’ll find counters packed with trays of warm pastel de nata everywhere. Just outside the city center, the Oceanário de Lisboa aquarium will blow minds. With 8000 marine creatures splashing in vast wraparound seawater tanks, no amount of hyperbole does it justice.

Planning tip: Keep an eye on the calendar as Lisbon does get busier, and therefore more expensive to visit over Easter, but in 2026 Easter falls safely in April.

11. Garden Route National Park, South Africa

Best for dramatic coastal hiking

Average temperatures are around 74°F (24°C) with an average low of 62°F (16°C) at night.

Could this be the year you experience a hike like no other, tackling the Otter Trail on the Tsitsikamma coast. This is South Africa’s oldest official long-distance hike taking you from Storms River Mouth to Nature’s Valley, where you can spot dolphins, whales and – of course – otters along the rivers you pass. South Africa’s premier multiday hike (5 days, 45km/28 miles) winds through the Garden Route National Park, with both trail and reserve straddling the Western and Eastern Cape provinces. Don’t be fooled by the park’s demure moniker: though there are flowers aplenty, this is far from a sedate stroll through pruned and mown greenery – and all the more spectacular for it. Right from the off, you’ll discover caves and cascading waterfalls, thriving fynbos shrubland and dense gallery forest, plus empty beaches perfect for a cool dip. March is the perfect time to enjoy this trek at its best, with long, warm days and clearer skies during the dry season.

Planning tip: Book with South African National Parks (SAN Parks) well in advance. Daily conservation and community fees apply, and a medical certificate is required. As well as being fit there's an age limit for this hike (over 12 and under 65). Get in touch with SAN Parks to enquire about supported walks.

12. March’s dream trip: Follow the Overseas Highway in South Florida

Best for a road trip to remember

Average temperatures are around 81°F (27°C) with an average low of 68°F (20°C) at night.

Miami is the land of art deco architecture, palm-fringed beaches and Latin-infused nightlife. It’s also the starting point for the fabled drive down the Florida Keys, following the Overseas Highway past tiny islands, nature reserves and vestiges of old-school Americana. Before hitting the road, visit Miami’s Wynwood Walls, where some of the world’s top street artists have (literally) left their mark. From there it’s 167 miles (267km) to the highway’s end, bohemian Key West, a city known for its colorful Bahamian cottages and even more colorful nightlife – including the odd clothing-optional bar.

While it’s possible to complete the drive in under four hours, it’s better spread over a few days, enjoying impromptu adventures on the way: snorkeling amid the marine life of John Pennekamp State Park, paddling the mangroves near No Name Key and strolling Bahia Honda’s white sand beaches. Just be sure that when late afternoon arrives, you find a table at the nearest waterside bar: the sunsets here are legendary.

Planning tip: Prices are sky-high from December to February. You’ll save on accommodation (and still avoid hurricane season) by traveling in March.

Find more epic adventures in Lonely Planet's Dream Trips of the World.