Spring is here! As the weather shifts, many look forward to making plans for travel and outdoor adventures. This travel and outdoors issue is about inspiring those plans and getting back outside.

My family has been returning to the same vacation spot in Southern Florida for over 35 years, now bringing the fourth generation of our family to this special place. Many of my fondest memories are of the quality time spent there watching the sunset, exploring the beaches, playing countless pool games and spending time with family and new friends.

Our favorite vacation tradition is to head to the tip of the island each night to watch the sunset. On the evening this photo was taken, we noticed rose petals scattered on the sand from an earlier wedding. My niece and I gathered up a few of the rose petals and tossed them into the air, jumping with great delight right as a sailboat happened to be passing by in the background.

This photo captures the beauty of my favorite place and the carefree, childlike spirit you can find when you get away and relax on vacation. This month we hope to inspire your travel plans through our reader vacation photos. We also share stories on a local couple’s dream sailing vacation and the fastest growing “hotel,” Airbnb.

We also have tips on how to get your skin ready for the outdoors with advice from the expert dermatologists at Dermatology & Surgery.

As the flowers begin to bloom and leaves return to the trees, it’s a great time to head outside.  Inside this issue you’ll find expert tips to create your own outdoor living space. You’ll also get a look at a few of the things that have made YMCA Camp Campbell Gard such a special place for campers, families and retreats for the past 90 years.

These are just a few of the many great stories you’ll find inside this month. Pull up a lawn chair and find a spot in the sun to enjoy this travel and outdoors edition of West Chester & Liberty Lifestyle and plan your great escape.

Michelle Moody, Publisher

Michelle.Moody@LifestylePubs.com