Spring Break will be here before you know it and taking a trip during that time can be quite expensive. If you want to avoid the big budget splurges, but still get big fun and awesome out of your Spring vacation, there are great ways to do it.
Spring is a great time to travel, because the weather is warm, but not too warm and most kids are still in school, so the crowds are small if you avoid typical Spring Break destinations like Miami and Cancun.
Set your budget
Here's a thought. Instead of picking a place and planning your trip around it, decide on your budget and work around that. You may find that there are places you hadn't thought of before, but are just as awesome (or better) than where you first thought you might go.
- Scour deals on Groupon, Living Social and other daily sites for affordable vacations that might work for your time off.
- Use Kayak's Explore feature to find destinations that fit within your budget for the month/season of your choice.
- Look at BookIt's promos for vacation packages that are awesome and budget-friendly.
Travel to less-popular beaches
Some destinations just draw college kids. You can avoid those large crowds so you can at least get a little strip of sand for yourself and not have to fight people to get to the bar for a drink.
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- Daytona, Florida (the small size makes it perfect for those looking for a bit of quiet)
- Puerto Rico (cheap accommodations and dining)
- Myrtle Beach (rent a condo for as little as $50)
- Costa Rica (stay way from the touristy spots)
- St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (no passport required!)
- Willemstad Curacao (stick to the all-inclusives here)
Look at true budget-friendly cities
Some destinations are just cheaper at certain times of the year. Here are a few that you may want to look a little more closely at, because prices in the month of March are their lowest.
- Nashville - whether you're into music, nightlife, food or history, Nashville has everything you could want
- San Diego - "America's Finest City" can definitely be spendy if you aren't careful, but there are a lot of ways to save and there are lots of cheap and free activities.
- Montego Bay, Jamaica - with many direct flights from major cities, flying into Montego Bay can be pretty affordable, not only that, but the weather in March is lovely and there are lots of hotels in all price ranges.
- Mexico City - it's not the touristy beach cities that will be packed this time of year, but Mexico City is metropolitan, safe and full of sightseeing adventures.
- Cairo, Egypt - Find 3- and 4-star hotels for under $70/night and avoid the oppressive summer heat, which will make your outdoor sightseeing much more pleasant and fun.
Some destinations don't really change in price no matter the time of year, which makes it really easy to plan a trip there, because there are no surprises. It just matters when the popular times are, but March is generally a low time for most non-beach cities, so you're usually pretty safe.
- Washington, DC
- Phoenix/Tempe
- Palm Springs
- Austin, Texas
- Los Angeles
- New York City
- Quebec, Montreal (has a great European feel, with a much lower price tag)
I hope this is helpful in planning a last-minute Spring Break or March getaway. Any time of year can be great for certain destinations. You just need to know when and where.
What's your ideal Spring Break destination?
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