Dust off those winter blues with a visit to the Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley.

A burst of yellow daffodils, the smell of springtime rain, and the lush green of newly mowed grass make this a special time to visit.

Satisfy your need for something sweet with the Taste of Maple in Franklin County and at sugarhouses scattered throughout the hill towns of the Valley. You'll shake off that early spring chill with the warmth coming from weather-beaten sugarhouses, boiling sap from sugar maple trees into pure maple syrup. There's nothing like it. Be sure to bring home a jug to sweeten your favorite morning pancakes.

Or, come on out for the World's Largest Pancake Breakfast, named a Local Legacy event by the United States Library of Congress. Springfield continues its friendly competition with Battle Creek, Michigan, serving up more than 70,000 helpings of pancakes in downtown Springfield.

For outdoor thrills, there's none greater than riding the Westfield River during the annual Wildwater Races or enjoying the rush of the Deerfield River with trips from Moxie Outdoor Adventures and Zoar Outdoor in Charlemont.

This May it is Memorial Day Weekend – May 29th – May 31st. Voted the #1 arts festival in America, Paradise City features museum-quality fine art and contemporary craft with great food and cool jazz. And, don't miss Springtime in Paradise, in Northampton, featuring exceptional contemporary crafts and fine arts from more than 240 nationally juried exhibitors.

Antique lovers will enjoy the thrill of the hunt as they search for that special treasure at the Brimfield Outdoor Antique Show, a trio of shows held in May, July and September, where more than 4,000 dealers from near and far come to shop and sell their wares. This spring the dates are July 13-18. Or, journey throughout the Pioneer Valley landscape where you'll find many smaller, independent antique and collectible dealers dotting the highways and byways of the region.

One of the region's leading attractions, Six Flags New England, is open for the season. New England's largest theme and water park, located in Agawam, is open April through October. Thrill seekers enjoy its ten world class coasters including the Superman: Ride of Steel, ranked the "#1 steel coaster on the planet."

The park's festive "Glow in the Park Parade" lights up the night sky, and there's plenty of family-themed entertainment with Wiggles World, Thomas Town, and Looney Tunes Movie Town. Wiggles World features specially- themed rides and attractions including The Big Red Car ride, Dorothy's Rosy Tea Cups and the S.S. Feathersword Pirate Ship shops selling Wiggles merchandise. In Thomas Town, families can ride Bertie the Bus and Thomas the Tank Engine as well as meet Sir Topham Hat.

Admission fee includes access to New England's largest water park, Hurricane Harbor, which features more than a dozen waterslides, two lazy rivers, Hook's Lagoon, and private, pool-side cabanas.

With antique and collectible shows, arts and crafts fairs, home and trade shows, and doll and toy shows, there's surely something for everyone. Let spring in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts awaken your sense of adventure.