Here comes the sunshine
Blooming great escapes for those who love spring and want it now
My friend Andrea is a master of all things growing, and this is the time of year she loves to force spring bulbs.
I get that. This time of year, I like to “force spring” in my own way, as in finding escapes — for a day, a night, a meal or more — that bring the sense of the season a bit sooner.
Try these suggestions to spring ahead, adventurewise. BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN DOES SPRING » You can always count on Berkshire Botanical Garden (5 W. Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge) to have the advance on spring — their blooms and plantings are nurtured and grown to greet us early.
This year, their “Spring Hoppening” on April 16 makes visiting their vibrant colored blooms extra fun.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day, you can take part in a huge egg hunt (2,000 eggs!) scattered throughout their lovely gardens.
Crack them open and you find not candy but seeds, so you can go home and begin your own growing projects.
There will also be crafts, baby chicks, mini horsedrawn cart rids and more. You can learn more at berkshirebotanical.org. NEWPORT DAFFODIL FESTIVAL » You’ve heard about Nantucket, but did you know Newport, R.I., goes all in on spring as well? Their annual daffodil festival features more than 1.2 million daffodils that have been lovingly planted throughout town.
A day trip to meander the beautiful town awash in yellow and lined with the blue sea is always magical. There are special events throughout April, like the Dog Paw-rade on Saturday, a flower bike tour April 9, and more. You can find a full schedule at newportdaffydays.com.
Bonus: You can find some great room deals this time of year. Consider the lovely Brenton Hotel (brentonhotel.com) for both luxury, deals and location.
It’s an easy and pretty drive for a dose of true spring.
A TASTE OF ALSACE IN THE SPRING » Boston’s own Grand Tour (314 Newbury St., grandtourboston.com) offers a bit of culinary travel as chef Michael Serpa brings one of his favorite French Vineyards, Trimbach, to Boston.
Via a special tasting menu, Grand Tour will introduce you to the familyowned winery located in Ribeauvile France, where they’ve been making wine since 1626.
Trimbach is known for producing some of the world’s best riesling, like its Grand Cru Clos Ste. Hune
To pair with the wines, Grand Tour will be serving up an Alsatian classic and quintessential bar snack, Tarte Flambee on the “Springtime in Alsace” menu. Also known as Flammenkuchen, it is a crisp flatbread with creme fraiche, bacon lardons and onions.
Pregame your French immersion meal with a stroll down Newbury Street and through the Public Garden.
GOOD NIGHT AND PLAY BALL! » The Red Sox home opener is coming up fast, and Fenway will come roaring back to life. You can dive deep into the Sox season with a stay at the Hotel Commonwealth (500 Commonwealth Ave.) and their amazing baseball inspired suites, a bucket-list must for any fan.
The Fenway Park Suite sits just 507 feet from Fenway Park. You can step onto your private balcony and look over the park. In your room you’ll find a real bag of actual Fenway dirt, a baseball glove for catching fly balls and unique collectibles including the number 6 from the Green Monster originally given to Johnny Pesky when he retired, and a coffee table signed by numerous Red Sox legends.
The Baseball Suite is a memorabilia lover’s heaven, with an impressive collection of trading cards and a DVD library with more than 40 classic baseball films that you can enjoy watching on a 50-inch flat panel smart TV.
The hotel can also help you score game tickets with some packages. You can learn more at hotelcommonwealth.com.