ANOTHER SWEET PERK TO GOING NOWHERE

Cherry blossoms are one of spring’s simple pleasures. Each deep breath you take while in the company of the soft pink petals can be a calming moment of olfactory meditation. But because the trees only bloom during a short window every April or May, travelling to see them can be a bit tricky. How disappointing would it be to go all the way to, say, Japan to experience them in their full glory and then miss their peak bloom by just a few days? But if you stay close to home instead and visit places like Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Garden and Toronto’s High Park, which have significant cherry-blossom gardens, that ephemeral bloom becomes much easier to enjoy. The only trick is finding a quiet, crowd-free moment to take it all in. We recommend an early-morning weekday visit—think of 10 minutes beneath the branches as a mini-retreat from your workweek.