We picked some top spring break destinations that are just a few hours’ flight away from major North American airports and are sure to change the color of those winter blues. Thaw out in warm-weather Costa Rica or sunbathe among the stars in LA. Or, if something off-beat is more your style, we have some beer-bong-optional picks. Spring is the perfect time to night-kayak through a bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico, practice your sea lion roar in Baja California, or get hopped-up in Asheville, North Carolina.
Ah, Costa Rica. With a flight time of just 2.5 hours from Miami, this tropical land of chill in Central America has all the right ingredients for a potent spring break cocktail. Firstly there’s the friendly hammock-swinging, surf-chasing, beach-loving locals, who swear by their ‘pura vida’ is based in Baja and has a variety of tours available.
For many, spring break 2015 will involve one simple act: jumping in the nearest plane, train or snowmobile and getting as far south as is humanly possible without a passport. For the most determined, Key West will be waiting, with a fruity cocktail, even fruitier locals, plenty of white sand and average highs in the low 80s. This is America's most eccentric and joyful frontier and a raucous year-round party. Join jugglers, acrobats and fire-eaters at the nightly Mallory Square sunset celebration, before letting loose in the tacky bars of Duval Street. By day, plunge your aching head under the water for an eyeful of curly pink coral and tropical fish, or take an overnight trip to the Dry Tortugas National Park for even sparklier water and incredible star-gazing. Getting there is also half the fun. The Overseas Highway through the Florida Keys is a classic drive: hop from tropical island to tropical, bar-studded island with the windows down and ocean on either side.
For downtime that’s more about hops and hiking , or create your own sudsy itinerary at ashevillealetrail.com. The misty peaks of the Smokies are just a short drive away and offer superb hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, where you might just spot an American black bear, elk or white-tailed deer. To up the rustic factor even further, Campfire Lodgings offers the chance to sleep in a luxury yurt on a wooded hill just ten minutes from downtown Asheville.
As one of South America’s premier beach destinations, Rio de Janeiro has something to offer every type of spring breaker – stunning panoramas, fantastic food and a variety of outdoor adventures await to make yours a spring break to remember. You’ll catch some of Brazil’s best rays on the sunny shores of the Cidade Maravilhosa offer opportunities to earn class credits through university partnerships while giving back to the community. Go surfing, kayaking, biking or scuba diving near the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on Isla San Cristóbal, or snorkel alongside stingrays, turtles and the occasional shark at Devil’s Crown, one of the most outstanding marine sites of the Galápagos.
Right in the middle of the Arizona desert lies shimmering Lake Havasu. Come March and April this man-made reservoir's 60 miles of waterways becomes the region’s spring break capital and contains the right ingredients for a why-did-I-do-that cocktail. Boats strung together to make massive party flotillas, beer-pong and flip-cup tournaments on floating tables, and plenty of sun to go around – this is as classically spring break as it gets. At night disembark from the boat and head to Lake Havasu City’s Kokomo, a multi-story haven for spring breakers, DJs and frozen drinks. The following morning walk off that hangover with a stroll along London Bridge Beach, named after the famous English structure sitting nearby.
For something a little less bronzed and boozed, head to the Coast Mountain resort town of Whistler, BC. By March the peak season has begun to die down, and the resorts offer up great deals to keep the winter momentum going. Longer days, clear skies and a good snowpack make a spring in Whistler the perfect choice for skiers and snowboarders. For 360 degree views of this alpine Arcadia, take a ride in the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, a 4.4km feat of engineering that connects the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. At lower elevations, hike through conifer forests to spot the area’s black bears as they emerge from hibernation.
