Late March sits between seasons in the Northern Hemisphere – which is where some of the best trips are. Portugal’s Alentejo coast is warming up before the summer crowds. Patagonia is winding down from its summer, putting you there in early autumn: cooler, quieter, still fully open.
These trips fit roughly a week to ten days, and we’ve picked them because they align with Sean’s spring break and are wonderful destinations in late March.
Fisherman’s Trail
Alentejo coast · cliff-top walking
The wildest section of Portugal’s long-distance coastal trail, walking cliff paths between fishing villages before the summer crowds arrive. March is cool and uncrowded. We added a stop in Lisbon and to see Sintra.
Multi-day walk City
Trip guides
Andalusia
Málaga · Córdoba · Granada · Sierra de Grazalema
Southern Spain in late March means mild temperatures before the summer heat arrives, and quieter times in the cities and villages. We use public transit for the first half of this trip — trains connect Málaga, Córdoba, and Granada — with a rental car for the second half to reach the white villages of Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema. Day hikes in the Sierra Nevada foothills and the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park round out the mix.
Day hikingCityHistory
Trip guides
Aysén
Carretera Austral · Valle Chacabuco · Cerro Castillo
The Aysén region runs along the Carretera Austral between Coyhaique and Cochrane, and a week with a rental car can cover Cerro Castillo and Patagonia National Parks. The overnight backpack into Cerro Castillo is the trip highlight. This one takes more planning than most, and it’s the kind of place that makes us want to come back.
Day hikingBackpacking
Trip guides
Bariloche
Lake District · Nahuel Huapí
A week based in Bariloche gives you the Frey ridge walk, Laguna Negra, Paso de las Nubes, and the Route of the Seven Lakes. March is late summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so trails are fully open. The town has good food and earns the time you spend in it.
Day hiking Hut-to-hut hike
Trip guides
Hawaii
Haleakalā · Beaches · Road to Hana
Hawaii in March is the west coast answer to late winter — warm, sunny, and a direct flight from Seattle. The hiking is good year-round; our trips have focused on Maui so far, with the road to Hana and a sunrise on Haleakalā as the anchors.
Day hiking Beaches
Trip guides