Spring break is finally here after what feels like a long spring semester. But it’ll be worth it! You’ve been working so hard over the last few months, but how are you going to spend your spring break in 2023? The ideas for your spring break activities are truly endless, but we’ve gathered a list of our favorites to help you narrow down your choices for the spring season.
Our Favorite Spring Break Ideas
1. Travel with Friends or Family
During spring break, every student has the urge to travel somewhere, whether that’s a new destination or back home to be with their family. If you’re going to school where it’s colder in the springtime then taking a spring break vacation to a destination with tropical weather and a beach is perfect! If you’re going to school somewhere that’s already hot, consider taking a trip up north to see some new scenery.
Our favorite domestic spring break destinations? Florida, Colorado, Utah, and California! Some of our favorite international spring break destinations are the Bahamas, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic! You can book a resort destination and take advantage of all-inclusive resorts so you don’t have to worry about planning too many activities! If you travel internationally, be sure to check your passport expiration date before booking your spring break getaway.
If you’re spending spring break with your family, then we suggest seeing some of the beautiful National Parks! Spring break ideas for families may look a bit different than the typical college student spring break, but family travel can still be very fun! Some affordable spring break destinations for families include Grand Canyon National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Zion National Park! More popular family vacation ideas include the White Sands National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and Dry Tortugas National Park.
No matter what state you live in, you can easily find parks that have fun activities and are just a road trip away. Be sure to check the weather for the spring months for these parks to ensure they’re safe for families to visit. You can camp around these parks or even find affordable hotels nearby.
2. Attend a Festival
Some of our favorite spring break ideas include attending local festivals! The National Cherry Blossom Festival and even the popular Jazz and Heritage Festival are great options for a memorable spring break. Your local community center will have all the information about the festivals in your area during early April and late March. Another option is to explore college music festivals that might be happening around spring break!
3. Relax and Recharge
It’s been a tough semester so taking some time to relax and recharge is the perfect spring break idea! Especially if you don’t have the means to travel during spring break this year, staying at home and lounging around is a great way to spend the week. You can check out some local coffee shops, and markets, and even explore your college town. During the semester it can be difficult to take in all that your city has to offer but spring break is the perfect time to get to know it better. You can take a day trip to a surrounding city, check out some hiking trails, or even visit your local park! If all of your college friends are in town, have some backyard fun and host a BBQ or game night!
4. Get Ahead on Schoolwork
Even though we encourage you to relax and recharge for your spring break, we know that some students just don’t like to do that! If you want to be more productive, then getting ahead on your coursework is a great idea for spring break! Since you already have your syllabi, you can see upcoming assignments and readings that you need to do after your break. You don’t have to have your nose in the books, but browsing your coursework and softly starting your assignments will help you get ahead for the rest of the semester.
5. Get an Internship or Start Looking for One
An internship is a golden ticket for many college students, especially if you plan on going into the workforce right after you graduate. A great idea for your spring break is to get an internship or start looking for one to do during the summer. But how do you even secure an internship? Using resources like Handshake and LinkedIn are great ways to find open positions for the companies you want to work for. Spend a few hours a day applying for and researching internships in your related field so you can get the experience you need to enter the workforce after you graduate.
6. Volunteer
If you’ve already exhausted all of the previous spring break ideas, then consider signing up as a volunteer somewhere. This may not be the most popular spring break idea, but it’s one that will tug on your heartstrings. Look up local shelters, soup kitchens, and animal rescues to spend your spring break helping those in need. Volunteers in these places are what help them run and, in the end, help people who need it. It’s not the most glamorous idea for spring break but it’s one that will impact everyone involved. After spring break is over, you can volunteer a few times a month and then start back up in the summer once the semester ends!
7. Apply for Scholarships
Take advantage of the downtime you have during spring break and apply for scholarships! Scholarships are free money that you can use for your tuition and other school-related things. There are millions of dollars of scholarships available from merit-based to sweepstakes. Use College Raptor’s scholarship search tool to find all the scholarships you’re eligible for so you can start your fall semester without loans!
Relax and Spring On!
Ideas for spring break are never-ending, but choosing something from this list will help you see which is best for you! You can see nearby attractions, eat at a new restaurant, and take a scenic drive. From a spring break visit to a productive spring break, we’ve got you covered. Enjoy this week off of college to clear your head and come back ready to finish the semester strong!
