Spring has landed and the Northern Hemisphere is hotting up, fast. Many regions are entering their high season, with prices and crowds on the rise. But the best warm places to visit in March include plenty of crowd-free sun too.
Across the world, beach resorts are dusting off the loungers and firing up the cocktail blenders. Many of the world’s great cities are waking from their winter slumber. Anticipation rises with the temperatures, so expect an uptick in competition for the best stays, and book early. Here’s where it’s hot in March.
Warm places to visit in March.
Filter below by price or temperature to find the best warm destination for you based on KAYAK data, or keep reading for more info on the best hot spots this month.
Best warm places to visit in March in the US.
Spring brings with it the welcome return of warmer temperatures to much of the US. On the mainland, Florida is the go-to warm place to visit in March, while Hawai‘i is as reliably sun-soaked as ever.
1. Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawai‘i.
- Average temperature: 72°F
The Big Island is the most geologically diverse and jaw-dropping of the Hawaiian archipelago. And the town of Kailua-Kona is one of the warmest places to visit in March in the US.
The star of the show is undoubtedly Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and its two active volcanoes. At its center, enormous but passive Mauna Loa dominates. Far below, Kīlauea, with its vast steaming double crater that’s been coughing up lava continuously for 25 years. If it’s too hot to hike, drive around the rim of Kīlauea crater. Follow the road as it descends to the sea and you’ll pass the spectacular Chain of Craters.
Back at sea level, sun-soaked beaches are ready to bake the warmth back into your bones. Kua Bay is my pick, a perfect crescent of snow-white sand and sea that understandably draws in the crowds from nearby Kailua-Kona. If it’s too busy for your taste, hike the coastal trail to nearby Kukio Beach.
2. Key West, Florida.
- Average temperature: 73°F
The farthest flung of all Florida’s keys, Key West offers a dreamy beach vacation in March. Average temperatures hover in the mid-70s but regularly reach close to 80 during its long, sunny days. Don’t forget to pack your bikini and board shorts then.
At only seven square miles, you don’t have to travel far to find the sea. Smathers Beach is the regular go-to where you can rent everything from a lounger to a catamaran. To avoid the spring crowds, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park at the southwest tip offers a more remote, tranquil setting.
Key West’s geography and size conspire to make it a popular place to visit in March. KAYAK data shows average hotel prices of $491 a night – a drop on average prices in 2025. If that doesn’t put you off, make sure to explore your inner writer at Hemingway House, take in the sunset and street performers with sundowners at Mallory Square and then gorge on seafood at the Conch Republic.
3. Palm Springs, California
- Average temperature: 66°F
For some sun on the West Coast, consider another classic snowbird destination – Palm Springs. Spend your downtime exploring this hipster city’s gorgeous retro-chic architecture and rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. And when it all gets too much, escape into the wilds of Joshua Tree National Park. For the complete Palm Springs experience, stay at Ace Hotel and Swim Club.
Best beach vacations in March.
For many, me included, temperatures across most of the US don’t yet warrant a pure beach vacation in March. Expand your horizons, however, and you’ll find a stretch of golden sand with your name on it nearby.
4. Cancún, Mexico.
- Average temperature: 79°F
On the Gulf of Mexico’s southern tip, washed by the warm Caribbean Sea, Cancún has everything going for it. In March, when long sunny days stretch into longer balmy nights and the beaches and bars are at their best, it buzzes with sun-kissed vacationers. Late in March sees Spring Breakers pour in, so it’s best to plan your trip for earlier in the month.
Peak season comes with a cost beyond the crowds, as hotel prices average $397 a night. Book a stay in the Zona Hotelera and you’ll be in beach bar and nightclub nirvana. The heart of it sits around Kilometer 9 on Avenida Kukulkan where glitzy high-rise hotels, pounding clubs and expensive restaurants cluster for your attention.
Of course, the real magic is to be found in the incredible wonders of the Yucatán Peninsula beyond the city. The legacy of the Mayan civilization is foremost among them at Chichen Itzá Park.
5. Thailand.
- Average temperature: 81 – 84°F
Thailand is a balmy island paradise in March. Fly to Bangkok and soak up the chaos, then catch a regional flight to the island of Koh Samui. It is the ultimate manifestation of a dream beach vacation.
While flights to Bangkok are expensive, averaging $918 according to KAYAK data, rock bottom hotel prices more than cover the difference for a two-week vacation. A stay costs an average of just $62 a night, with similar prices on the islands.
On Koh Samui, there’s the buzz of touristy Chaweng Beach, where beach bars serving long, cold cocktails blend day seamlessly into night. At Bophut Fisherman’s Village you’ll find traces of the Koh Samui of old and its Friday night market is still among the best you’ll find in Thailand. Go hungry to make the most of the street food, from racks of toasted insects to incredible mango sticky rice.
6. Tampa, Florida
- Average temperature: 68°F
Tampa has long embraced its reputation as a little rougher around the edges than its glitzier neighbours, like Orlando. Look past the veneer, and you’ll find beautiful beaches, fun nights out, and daytime temperatures in the high 60s to 70s.
Downtown is all about the revitalized Riverwalk, which runs along the Hillsborough River to the Garrison Channel. Nearly three miles of boardwalk and parks, markets and attractions, bars and restaurants are framed by stunning contemporary architecture. Start by browsing Heights Market, stop to people watch at Curtis Hixon Park and finish up with drinks at Sparkman Wharf.
Come night, historic and cosmopolitan Ybor City puts on a party. Bars and clubs pop and the waft of freshly rolled cigars lingers in the air.
Best warm cities to visit in March.
If a beach vacation isn’t your thing, mild March temperatures make it a great month to hit the big city. And there are some true metropolises to explore. Nowhere shines brighter in spring for me than Asia, where hot and cheap Ho Chi Minh City and New Delhi hotel prices average around just $50 a night.
7. Colombia.
- Average temperature: 81°F
For a memorable March vacation filled with sun, plan a trip to Colombia and visit the cities of Medellín and Cartagena, the capital.
Cartagena is a magical city of history and culture, plus postcard-worthy beaches. March is on the cusp between the dry and wet seasons. Average temperatures sit in the low-80s, and it’s typically dry most of the month, so expect long, bright days.
A short flight, or a longer bus ride, is Medellín. A city bustling with vigor and purpose. Its remarkable transformation is in no small part thanks to its mountain setting and lovely year-round climate. March is the driest month with pleasant daytime temperatures.
Dubbed the City of Eternal Spring, Medellín has become a hub for green technology, art and culture. A stroll through its streets will show you why. Historic and modern architecture, from the neo-Romanesque Catedral Metropolitana to the huge metal Monumento a la Vida sculpture. A thriving fashion scene fueled by a long history of textile manufacture. Fine-dining restaurants fuse the best of Colombian and European cuisines to great effect.
To see it all in its full majesty, take the Metrocable car from the city’s depths to the slopes’ heights. Known as “the cheapest sightseeing tour in the world”, it costs around a dollar.
8. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
- Average temperature: 82°F
With South Vietnam in the firm grip of the dry season, March is a great time to explore its often sweltering cities. Daytime temperatures hover in the high 80s, humidity is at its lowest and rain is a distant memory. None is more dazzling and vital than Ho Chi Minh City, where the country’s past and present are combining to drive its commercial and cultural future.
The sheer pace of life in HCMC can easily overwhelm anyone new to its streets. Despite its status as an established tourist destination, many of its best features are hidden in plain sight and easy to overlook. Early morning walks in Tao Dan Park to watch the city awake. Evening explorations of District 4, where kerbside dinners on plastic stools will blow your gastronomic mind.
9. Dubai, UAE.
- Average temperature: 72°F
With temperatures rising, March is the last month to enjoy Dubai at its best before the summer swelter settles in. High daytime temperatures kiss 80°, perfect for city wandering, and evenings stay warm enough to dine al fresco.
Dubai is a startling city to look at. It sits in stark contrast to the desert that besieges it on every side. Yet its opulence and excess is dizzying. There is almost nothing you can’t do here, such is the glut of culture and entertainment on offer.
My favorite thing about Dubai, however, is the desert – and March is the best time to explore it. Take a safari through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in search of oryxes, red foxes and caracals. Sandboard down vast desert dunes. Fly falcons from a hot air balloon. Dine under the stars at a Bedouin camp.
Where is hot and cheap in March?
With spring temperatures thawing in the Northern Hemisphere, the options for a hot and cheap vacation have improved rapidly. Mexico remains a stalwart, as are the sleepier resorts further south in Belize, Guatemala and the rest of Central America. In fact, quick and cheap flights put most of South America within easy distance. Need help narrowing your options? Try KAYAK Explore.
FAQs.
For anyone based in the US, the cheapest warm place to vacation is going to be in the US mainland or Mexico. Depending on the time of year, much of the US will be warm. But in winter months, warmer spots like Florida and California see big price rises. Mexico, however, offers lots of variety and more consistent pricing year round.
The warmest places in Europe in March are in the south – Portugal and Mediterranean islands like Cyprus. For beaches, Portugal’s Algarve should be your first port of call. Spain’s weather in March also makes for wonderful city breaks and is the best month of the year to explore Seville. And don’t forget the Balearic Islands – Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza all shine in the springtime sun.
More travel inspiration.
Recommendation ranking of cities:
Our recommendation ranking of where to go is calculated based on the presented five factors: average flight prices, average hotel prices, average, high, and low temperatures, and average precipitation. Flight prices, hotel prices, and precipitation constitute inverse factors, the less the better. All factors are equally weighted.
From the ranked destination lists, destination exclusions may have been applied in cases of insufficient data or according to the official travel advisory at the time when the data analysis was conducted.
Flight and hotel prices:
Average prices are estimated from KAYAK internal data from the search period ‘2025/10/03 to 2026/01/03’ for the travel period ‘2026/03/03 to 2026/04/30.’ Flight prices include economy class return trips for one traveller, and hotel prices represent the nightly rates for a standard double room for hotels with three stars or below. Price insights may vary depending on the exact departure airport and over time as travel dates are approaching.
Weather (monthly average, high, and low temperatures, and average precipitation):
Weather data is pulled from a third-party site, Weatherbase, and has not been verified by KAYAK. Monthly average temperature and precipitation data are based on historical insights from the past 102 years. Weatherbase data is updated in real-time from the US Census Bureau and other databases worldwide.