What kind of Spring Break will college students take?

After yet another day of snow here in metro Atlanta, I’m beginning to believe spring may never come. Thank goodness for Spring Break. While families with children in grade schools will have to wait until the week of Easter to get away, most college students are gearing up for their spring flings right now. 

It may be difficult to think of Spring Break destinations when it looks more like the Winter Olympics outside, but students bound by university calendars, term papers and laboratories will take much-needed holidays when and where they can.

So where will the university crowd go in 2010?  For the majority of breakers, the answer this year is much the same as last year.

Many college travelers plan ahead for this annual retreat or take advantage of student deals to hit the fabled beaches of Mexico, the Bahamas, Jamaica or Puerto Rico. Some will also cross the pond for a little European vacation; but domestic beaches – especially in the south – are going to be the big draw once again for those in search of sun and sand.

With a lingering recession, money is probably the number one reason cash-strapped students are looking to get away somewhere within the States. New passport requirements that went into effect last summer for Mexico and Canada-bound drivers are another reason travelers are choosing to stay within U.S borders. Unless they already held a valid passport or applied for a PASS card (a mini-passport the size of a driver’s license) ahead of time, those Mexican beachfront party spots may simply be unattainable this year.

The hot spots for spring partiers this year includes several southern spots – some of which you might have already guessed.

• Panama City Beach, Fla. — All hail the southeast’s Spring Break Capital 
• Miami and South Beach, Fla. – Warmer temperatures and wild night life
• South Padre Island, Tex. – A party the size of the Lone Star State itself.
• Biloxi – The beach and casinos mean you can bet on having a good time in this Mississippi coastal town. 
• New Orleans – Mardi Gras is over, but Bourbon Street is still Bourbon Street 365 days a year.    

But what if a student’s definition of letting off a little steam doesn’t include a downing fifth of Jack, entering a wet t-shirt contest or getting sun poisoning?  There are other, budget-friendly alternatives.

When I was in school, the phrase “alternative Spring Break” really wasn’t used; or if it was, it signaled you were headed for the ski slopes or some other cold-weather destination. Today, university students tend to associate the alternative break with the rising trend of volunteer vacations. Depending on the location of the work you do, these trips can get costly – but they are usually less expensive than many beach blow-outs.

Major organizations like Habitat for Humanity and United Way offer volunteer spring break opportunities, and most colleges have groups on campus that can help direct “voluntourists” to a spring break destination. This year, some students are planning to travel to Haiti to help with relief efforts there, despite warnings that travel may not be safe.

Sometimes any break from the everyday stresses of university will do. A camping trip, a getaway to a hip little town or a trek into a bustling city may be just what the doctoral student ordered.

As with all spring break trips – whether they’re in country or abroad; looking to party hard or enjoy a peaceful week off school – students need to be aware of their surroundings and take basic safety precautions when they’re on break.

College students: What kind of Spring Break will you take? Are you heading to one of the south’s hot spots? What was the biggest factor in choosing your destination – money, location, accessibility, party atmosphere, or relaxing environment? 

Have you found any good travel deals for this Spring Break? How are you stretching your spring travel dollars?

Are most students at your university getting away for the break? Have you ever taken, or are you planning, a volunteer vacation?  How do you choose the best volunteer break – by type of work or location or other reasons?