Springtime is nature’s grand revival, and we love to celebrate the season by getting outdoors. From exhilarating encounters with wildlife at zoos and safari parks to the serene beauty of botanical gardens, spring brings a sense of renewal. Add a dash of adventure with a visit to a dude ranch or a playful round of mini golf, and you have the perfect recipe for fun.
In our search to find the best spots to enjoy the season, we invited a panel of experts to nominate their top picks across eight categories. Then, readers voted to determine the winners — and the results are in.
Click on each category below to see the full winners list:
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Best Botanical Garden: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in Cincinnati, Ohio
Visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in spring to see thousands of tulips – Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
The gardens at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden include a butterfly garden with a variety of plants, a dinosaur garden filled with ferns and conifers, and an endangered species garden devoted to the propagation and preservation of endangered plants. A spring highlight of the botanical garden is the 100,000-bulb tulip display.
Full list of winners: Best Botanical Garden »
Best Dude Ranch: Alisal Ranch in Solvang, California
Luxury and rustic charm meet with a stay at Alisal Ranch – Photo courtesy of The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort
Guests can experience the Old West’s majesty and romance at Alisal Ranch in Solvang, California. This one-of-a-kind resort, located in the renowned Santa Barbara wine country, is set on a 10,000-acre working cattle ranch and offers amenities such as tennis, golf, horseback riding, fishing on a private lake, and a fitness center and spa.
All guest rooms, suites, and cottages are decorated in authentic Western style and come with wood-burning fireplaces — but no televisions or telephones. Immerse yourself in a slow, thoughtful experience and bring your taste for adventure.
Full list of winners: Best Dude Ranch »
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Best Mini Golf: Sky Pirates of Mermaid Bay in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Choose from two mini-golf courses at Sky Pirates of Mermaid Bay – Photo courtesy of Sky Pirates of Mermaid Bay: An Epic Golf Adventure
If you love a good theme, this putt-putt spot is for you. Sky Pirates of Mermaid Bay offers two unique putting adventures. Spend the day swinging and swashbuckling through 18 holes of the Clouds Sky Pirate Golf Adventure, then head indoors for the Under the Sea Mermaid Golf Adventure, with another unique 18 holes featuring coral reefs and giant sharks.
Full list of winners: Best Mini Golf »
Best Plant Nursery: Wingard’s Market in Lexington, South Carolina
Stop in at Wingard’s Market for your landscape needs – Photo courtesy of Wingard’s Market, Inc.
Wingard’s Market began half a century ago with a focus on azaleas, and today, three generations later, there’s always something blooming at this South Carolina establishment. All trees and shrubs come with a one-year warranty, there’s an abundant selection of landscape and fruiting plants, violets, ferns, and other indoor plants in the greenhouse, plus container gardens and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables sourced directly from local farms.
Wingard’s also features a backyard nature center with wild bird food and feeders.
Full list of winners: Best Plant Nursery »
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Best Safari Park: Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park in Ashland, Nebraska
Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park remains a reader-favorite safari park – Photo courtesy of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
An accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park invites visitors to drive along a 4-mile route through habitats populated by native North American plant and animal species, including American elk, bison, waterfowl, and white-tailed deer. At Wolf Canyon, guests can hop out of the car to see gray wolves and American black bears or walk through the half-acre Eagle Aviary.
Full list of winners: Best Safari Park »
Best Zoo: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is the Best Zoo of 2026 – Photo courtesy of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Continued investments have allowed Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo to continually offer one-of-a-kind exhibits to guests, including the world’s largest indoor desert where arid plants and animals — peccaries, quail, death adders, rattlesnakes, and inland taipans, the world’s most venomous land snake — are visible inside a geodesic dome year-round in the heart of the Midwest.
The $73 million Scott African Grasslands exhibit features 28 acres of habitats and exhibit spaces for meerkats, giraffes, elephants, lions, cheetahs, and sable antelopes.
Full list of winners: Best Zoo »
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Best Zoo Exhibit: Desert Dome at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska
Explore the desert (in Nebraska!) at Desert Dome at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo – Photo courtesy of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Measuring in at 84,000 square feet across two floors, the Henry Doorly Zoo’s Desert Dome is the largest indoor desert on the planet. This towering structure is divided into three separate sections — Namib Desert, Red Center of Australia, and Sonoran Desert — each featuring a massive array of native reptiles, birds, mammals, and plants. Near the dome’s exit is the Sun Room, which is specially designed to house and exhibit baby reptiles and amphibians.
Full list of winners: Best Zoo Exhibit »
Best Zoo Membership: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium offers the best zoo membership – Photo courtesy of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
At Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, your membership opens the door to unlimited zoo visits; free Lozier Giant Screen Theater shows; discounts on rides, treats, and souvenirs; and members-only pricing for special attractions like Stingray Beach.
Your membership card, which you can store digitally on your phone, also scores you discounted admission at more than 100 other zoos nationwide. Membership helps fuel groundbreaking research in molecular genetics, reproductive science, nutrition, and conservation medicine.
Full list of winners: Best Zoo Membership »
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Congratulations to all these winners! Remember to visit 10best.usatoday.com daily to vote in more Readers’ Choice Awards.
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