Spring Break Travel Destinations Guide

Use our realistic Guide to choose your next spring break destination without breaking the bank.

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Spring is a great time to take a vacation.

• After all, the shoulder season brings longer daytime and milder weather.
• Many places reopen after the winter. Other sights extend their hours.
• You could often travel without crowds in the spring.

But a spring break is a unique time in the shoulder travel season. It presents a few challenges to the budget-conscious travelers. Some routes become too expensive. Other places sell out or attract crowds.

This Spring Break Travel Destinations Guide aims to help you pick budget friendly spots.

Spring Break Travel Season

Let’s first discuss what makes spring break travel different from the rest of the shoulder season. Spring break is a week when schools and colleges in the US do not have classes.

The dates of the break vary from year to year and between different states. However, most US schools and colleges have a spring break around mid March.

Why Spring Break Travel Is Expensive

The spring break is a time of higher travel activity. More people take trips during that week than during other weeks in spring.

• Many families with schoolchildren go on vacation during the break.
• College students also contribute to the travel spree. Some of them visit their families. Others take trips with friends.

In a way, spring break is a perfect storm. It is most similar to Thanksgiving and Christmas when it comes to travel in the US. Flight prices skyrocket and lodging becomes sparse.

Most Popular Spring Break Destinations

Spring break travel demand has a few distinct features. If you know what you are up against, you could use these drawbacks to your advantage. And, in turn, you could make your spring break trip less expensive and stressful.

First, a majority of spring break travelers go to the warmer and family friendly destinations. As a result, most coastal destinations attract a lot of visitors during the spring break.

You would not want to go to the Gulf Coast in Florida and Texas, Southern California, or Hawaii. You are also unlikely to find deals in Mexico and the Caribbean during this period.

Next, most travelers prefer to take the full week for a spring break vacation. Airlines know about it all too well. It means that the airfare will be pricey during the spring break.

• Friday and the weekend before the break are very expensive days to fly out.
• The spring break weekend is costly to fly back.

But you can find a better price if you are flexible with your travel dates. A common trick is to fly out on the spring break’s Tuesday. You could save even more if you return on the following Monday.

Still, picking the right destination is the best way to save on a spring break trip. The next section of this Spring Break Travel Destinations Guide will discuss how you can narrow down your search.

Spring Break Destinations in the US

When most spring travelers seek warmer destinations along the coasts, you could go in the opposite direction.

You do not have to travel all the way to Alaska to beat the crowd. In fact, most Alaskan sights do not reopen in time for the spring break.

But you could travel to cities, inland, and off the beaten path to get better deals.

Cities

City trips present spring break travelers with a few budget friendly options.

Many families with schoolchildren and college students leave their towns for the spring break. But museums, parks, and other sights are still there.

This gives budget-conscious travelers a chance to explore these cities at a reasonable price. The savings are higher if you could travel to the colder regions of the country.

Boston, MA and Chicago, IL are excellent city trip destinations during the spring break.

• Both cities have plenty of history and architectural wonders to fill a trip.
• There are plenty of indoor sights to keep you warm.
• Some of the indoor sights are free, like Boston Public Library and Garfield Park Conservatory.

There are a few exceptions to this rule.

Washington, DC is not a budget friendly destination during the spring break. The free museums at the National Mall are a magnet for family travel throughout the year. Yet, this travel group becomes even bigger during the spring break.

On top of that, the National Cherry Blossom Festival starts a few days after the break. As a result, you will be in a tough spot. You will compete with family and nature travelers for flights and places to stay in DC.

It is a good idea to avoid cities that hold large events around the spring break. There are a few that come to mind.

The South by Southwest Festival in Austin, TX and Los Angeles Marathon often takes place near the spring break. Both cities will not be the most budget friendly spring break destinations.

Of course, you should disregard this suggestion if you are a music lover or an avid runner. In this case, welcome to Austin, TX or Los Angeles, CA!

Southwest

Western United States could be a great spring break destination. But you need to select sights in a thoughtful way for this region to work out.

A part of this region is in the Rocky Mountains. Many parks, like Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon, and Yellowstone have winter closures. Some roads and sights will not reopen for the spring break.

You are better off visiting parks that are open year round. But not every park will work for a spring break trip. Some sights, like Grand Canyon and Big Bend, are sure to attract spring break crowds.

A longer road trip across the Southwest could be a better way to travel without breaking the bank. You could look into Bryce Canyon, Death Valley, and sights in New Mexico.

Las Vegas, NV, Phoenix, AZ, and Albuquerque, NM could be great starting points for your trip. These cities have large airports. And they are close to major sights.

Yet, they do not attract ski and snowboarding crowds looking to close the season. It sets these cities apart from Denver, CO and Salt Lake City, UT.

Midwest

Midwest is a great region to visit during the spring break. This budget friendly region will appeal to the savvy travelers.

Places like Cuyahoga Valley in Ohio and New River Gorge in West Virginia are off the beaten path. They offer an easy way to learn about history and nature of their regions.

You would need a car to explore parks in the Midwest. But you are in luck again. You are likely to get great car rental deals thanks to a lower demand in these places.

Northeast

Most spots in New England might still be closed during spring break. But, there are plenty of sights that are open year round. And they are worth exploring.

Niagara Falls are not as popular during the spring break as in the summer. Less people means slightly lower prices on the places to stay. And you could enjoy the beauty of the falls without fighting for parking.

The weather in Northeast becomes milder in early spring. But the temperatures could still be an issue for a spring break trip to this region.

Wear a few layers to not let weather get in the way of your spring break travel to the Northeast.

Southeast

The Southeast states have a few budget friendly spring break destinations. Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia deserve a closer look.

Tennessee and North Carolina are home to the most visited national park in the United States. The spring break will be busy in Great Smoky Mountains. Yet, there will be far less people during spring break than in the summer and fall foliage season.

Road trip lovers should not miss the Blue Ridge Parkway. It starts from Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and brings you to Shenandoah in Virginia.

You will enjoy the Blue Ridge Mountains, evergreen pines, and sunsets on this spring break road trip.

Kentucky is another state to consider for a spring break trip. It is home to Mammoth Cave, the world’s longest cave system.

You can tour the cave throughout the year. The temperature inside the cave is constant year round. You will have an enjoyable visit regardless of the weather outside.

Spring Break Destinations Abroad

It is, on average, more expensive to travel abroad than domestically. The spring break only makes this disparity worse for some destinations, like Mexico and Costa Rica.

But spring break could also be an excellent time to take a trip abroad. You just need to pick the right destination.

Europe

Europe is a fantastic place to visit during the spring break. Most European countries have a school break in early April. It means that US travelers can explore cities in Europe before the local travel peak.

You might wonder what it is like to travel to Europe during the spring break.

• Mid March weather in Europe is similar to that of the Northeast.
• Southern countries, like Spain, Portugal, and Italy tend to have milder weather.
• The air hubs of London, Paris, and Frankfurt have colder temperatures.

But March weather should not stop you from exploring museums, palaces, and parks in Europe. If you plan on renting a car, read our guide to be prepared.

Southern Hemisphere

You might also want to use the spring break to visit your bucket list destinations in the Southern Hemisphere.

Countries in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and Oceania could be an excellent choice for a spring break trip.

Due to the reversed seasons, US spring break takes place during early fall there. This shoulder season is your chance to avoid summer crowds.

Thanks to the fall weather, most destinations in the mountains would still be open. You can visit places like Torres del Payne in Chilean Patagonia during the spring break.

Once in the region, you could try to visit a few cities or countries. This way, you could make the most from your trip abroad.

The flights from the US would likely be the most expensive line item on your spring break budget. It pays off to book your international tickets as far in advance as possible. This is also true for a spring break trip abroad.

Takeaways: Spring Break Travel Destinations

Spring break is a good time for a trip. You would take advantage of milder weather, longer daytime, and reopening sights.

Yet, spring break is a week of family travel. Thus, you need to be strategic about the spring break destinations. Pick the places off the beaten path to get better deals.

Rely on your interests to plan a budget friendly trip during the spring break.

• If you like history, you could choose to explore cities.
• If you are a nature lover, travel away from the coasts.
• And if you are an adventure seeker, use the shoulder season to travel to Europe or Southern Hemisphere.

This way, you could avoid competing with families and college students for car rentals and hotels.

There are a few general tips to follow to get a better spring break deal. These work even if you do not want to change your destination.

• Shorten your trip to the part of the break.
• Shift your travel dates a bit.
• Consider flying out of the airports that are a bit further away.
• Fly with a short layover or a longer stopover.
• Plan in advance.

You will know when the spring break is early in the school year. If you are set on traveling during the break, you could save by booking early. This is true even for the spring break beach vacations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!