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Quick Spring Getaways

© Pat Pease

It’s spring! Just the word springtime makes you want to get out and stretch those winter weary muscles. It tugs at your senses. The grass is a little greener. Blossoms scent the air. The sun is warm on your face.

What better time is there for a drive through the countryside to catch the wild flowers in bloom? Take the back roads, or head for the hills. As the days warm, the wild mustard will pop out, and by May the hills will be covered with their gold color. As you round a curve, you will probably see a hill so dense with mustard that the color almost hurts your eyes.

Stretch out a blanket in the green grass of a city park. Or you might prefer a stroll through a flower-scented garden or a wildflower or nature hike. There are spring escapes throughout California to tempt you.

Before your day trip, take a look at the web site California Wildflowers. http//totalescape.com/active/leisure/wildflwr.html for a list of places where you can see the flowers in bloom.

Botanic gardens can provide the perfect opportunity to spend a beautiful spring day outside. Try Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens at 1500 North Collage Avenue in Claremont. They offer free wildflower walks at 2:00 PM every Saturday and Sunday from March 17 through May 13.

Santa Barbara has a beautiful botanic garden. Although there is a charge of $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, students and teens and $1 for children ages 5-12, it’s well worth the fee. They are open from 9-5 on weekdays and 9-6 Saturday and Sunday. The address is 1212 Mission Canyon Road, just one mile north of the old mission.

If you live closer to San Jose, try the Heritage Rose Garden at Spring and Taylor Streets. They are open seven days a week from a half hour before dawn to a half hour after dusk. A great time to check this out is during the Rose Weekend in San Jose, April 18th. The gardens will be open with free parking and admission from 9-3 for their “Spring in Guadalupe Gardens” event.

These are only a few of the wonderful botanic gardens in California. Most of the larger cities have at least one. I also recommend seeking out the Japanese gardens for their beauty and serenity.

Whatever your choice, spring in California is a feast for the senses. Get out, shake off the dust and enjoy.