Figuring out Spring Break plans can be a giant headache starting with finding a destination, travel plans, a place to stay, activities nearby, and trying to do all of that within a certain budget. Figuring out spring break can be pretty tricky but if you take a few important steps and make plans early, it will make the planning process far easier.
The first step to planning a spring break trip is finding a group of people that are willing to go on a trip together. Usually for most places, it works out better and cheaper when there is a bigger group allowing for more split costs. A group of more than 5 people can help bring costs down a lot. Another good thing about having a big group of people is that you can all divide up parts of planning the trip so that one person is not doing everything. When there are multiple people looking, you are more likely to find a good price when comparing more options.
When planning Spring Break it is important to plan several dates where the group can get together or facetime to share ideas and prices so that your plans can keep advancing. This is when planning early becomes very important because the closer you get to Spring Break, the more busy people get so it will get harder and harder to convene when school gets more busy.
Finding a place to visit is the most important first step and when deciding between different places, it is important to look at cost, travel time, different ways to get there, how far away different activities are, weather during break, and more. All of these aspects are necessary to research before deciding on a location to ensure a perfect fun Spring Break. For instance, if you decide on a city it is important to see in what area you would be staying and the different travel options to be able to see different parts of the city. When deciding between multiple places, it is also imperative to think about if there are activities that are spread apart, what is the budget for ubers or taxis? Especially with going out this is an important cost to factor into a Spring Break budget.
Once the group decides on a location, the next step is looking at flights or how far the drive is to the location. If you are looking at a destination within driving distance, it is a good idea to determine how many cars will be necessary to take and don’t forget to factor in that the more people in the car, the more luggage there will be and with suitcases a car can get crammed very quickly.
If you are headed to a location that is a plane ride away, everyone in the group must look at different flights from different airlines and different airports to find the cheapest cost. If you are leaving from Tuscaloosa, there are a few different options for airports depending on costs and how far you are willing to travel. There is Birmingham which is about an hour away, Atlanta which is 3 hours drive, Nashville that is about 3 ½ hours away, and Huntsville that is about 2 ½ hours.
Flight prices vary a lot based on the airport you are flying out, time of the flight, day of the week, and the airline. All of these factors are important to think about when looking at different flights and also making sure if everyone is able to leave at the same time or if it is necessary for certain members of the group to take a different flight. Some websites like Kayak and GoogleFlights are very helpful when comparing several different flights. Leaving on a Thursday versus a Friday and coming back on a Monday versus a Sunday can drastically lower the price of a flight especially during a busy time like Spring Break.
Once the group knows what day they would like to leave for the trip and return, everyone should input those dates into a website like GoogleFlights where you can look at a list of different flights that day from different airlines and then you can change the lists of flights by changing the airport you are leaving out of. It is better when multiple look at the list of flights so that there are more eyes that are likely to find a good deal. When booking flights don’t forget to factor in driving time to the airport and also include extra time if there is a time change like from Tuscaloosa to Atlanta. Round trip flights are usually less expensive and minimize the amount of planning because you can book both flights at once.
After the flight is booked, the next step is looking at different places to stay. Depending on the location and the group’s price range, a hotel or a vacation rental would be the less costly option. Websites like AirBnB and VRBO are great options for looking for rentals that you know will be safe and have reviews from people who have stayed there so you know what you are in for. When booking a place to stay, it is necessary to look at all photos available online to determine if the place is clean and what the group is looking for in a rental.
Make sure to compare prices of different rentals and use the map feature on the rental website to determine how close or far the location is from activities that the group wants to do and different transportation options that are close by. Factor in the number of people that are attending the trip as well as how many people require different bedrooms to make sure that everyone can fit in the rental comfortably.
Once the vacation rental is booked, the group can work out splitting costs and who will stay in each room. The nice thing about vacation rentals is that most have a kitchen that comes with cooking utensils and dishes so you can save money by cooking some meals at home. A rental house is also a nice option if you know other people that will be in the same area and would like to have over, you will likely have more room in a house instead of a hotel room.
After the flights and place to stay are booked, you are in a good position and the only things left are to shop for outfits and make any activity arrangements that require prior planning. If you are heading to a beach location make sure to pack some essentials like sunscreen, a towel, speaker, and sunglasses.
A few popular beach options for Spring Break among University of Alabama students are Panama City Beach Florida, anywhere along 30A in Florida, Gulf Shores in Alabama, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and many more. Some non-beach options are popular cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York City, Napa, Dallas, and more.
For popular beach destinations, there are popular options for all-inclusive resorts which involve paying a flat fee at the beginning of the trip to stay at the location and this fee covers food and drinks which allows you to basically indulge in endless food and drinks during your vacation without having to pay throughout the trip.
Some common Spring Break activities at various locations are bar hopping, going to the beach, going to the pool, parasailing, boat ride, renting a boat, scuba diving, skydiving, concerts, renting atv’s etc. Depending on where you are staying, local restaurants and hotels usually have a wall full of brochures which include several local activities that are available and some of them may have coupons included within the brochure.
When heading on Spring Break it is important to pack light, especially if you are going to a warm location you do not need any heavy clothes. Leave all of your expensive items such as laptops at home in case your luggage gets lost or the location where you are staying is less secure than you thought. Make sure that all members of your group have the rental information prior to landing in the event of people arriving separately so whoever gets there first will have the instructions to get into the rental.
Once you get to your location, it is important to talk to other visitors and people that work at local businesses to get insights on fun things to do in the area and places to avoid for safety reasons. People that live there are likely to have the best tips for a good time and will know places to go that you might not even be able to find online. Hidden spots that are lesser known to tourists are always great to find because they will be less crowded at hopefully no cost. The number one tip for Spring Break is being smart and keeping safety as the top priority making sure to leave no one behind to ensure a fun time!
