One week from today marks the beginning of spring break for State students. The break is a time to take vacations from responsibility and explore exotic hot-or cold-spots.
Whether basking with toes clenched in the sand or gliding snowy slopes, all spring breakers seek the same goal-a fantastic time filled with friends, interesting places, attractive people and unforgettable nights (maybe).
Ask most students where they are going for spring break and they’ll give a few basic answers-the beach, the mountain slopes of Colorado or perhaps a cruise ship. All three have potential for fun, but you can only pick one.
First, close your eyes, envision what you might see on your spring break adventure.
If you saw sparkling white sand, crystal waters and the Gulf breeze blowing through your tresses, head for the beach, my friend. You’re going to soak up some major rays.
The most popular destination, the beach, is not a long journey from Starkville. Pile in a car with friends, show your courteous side and offer to pay for gas, and head toward I-95-the interstate to pleasure.
Florida is the haven for spring breakers who want to keep their travel limited to cars and don’t want to dish out a lot of dough. Resorts and hotels offer affordable group rates, so paying for a place to stay right on the beach won’t put a big dent in your bank account. You can go to Destin, Panama or Daytona.
With an innumerable amount of deck-bars that offer tropical refreshments to one-week beach bums, mayhem happens, clothes may disappear and people are met and forgotten. Just reassure yourself if you’re a bit skittish. It’s all in good fun, right?
Stray from the deck-bars and the groggy beach tanning times and explore what the Gulf has to offer underwater. Parasail or snorkel the clear water or rent a jet ski for a couple hours.
When the night falls and the moonlight bounces off the waves, get your posse together and bring beach chairs, tiki torches and portable CD players. With those few beach essentials, you’ve just made yourself a cheap-but fun- luau! There are clubs to squirm in, but they are packed and you’ll spend a lot of money for a claustrophobic experience.
If you want to stick with a beach-like spring break, but don’t want to get your feet sandy, experience the beach’s cousin, Mr. Cruise Ship. Many major cruise lines offer absurdly cheap rates for college spring breakers.
I did a little investigating and found a few cruises that are affordable, in the $75 to $100 per day range, which depart from New Orleans. About four and a half hours from Starkville, you can spend a fun night in New Orleans, dock out the next day and experience the world’s most exotic places, like Cozumel, Costa Maya, Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Belize City.
But spring break doesn’t have to constantly fit its stereotype of always being at the beach. You can snow-ski or even be extreme and snowboard (if you can deal with the occasional snow facial) the mountains of Colorado. It’s a different kind of spring break filled with lifts, wipeouts and sometimes altitude problems. Despite that, it’s my favorite place to break.
Breckenridge, Colo., has a lot of affordable lodges right at the base of the mountain, near historic Main Street and near lifts.
Most of the lodges/condos available give you all the necessary hotel-like accommodations. Hot tubs, taverns, delicious restaurants with amazing views and interesting locals make any Colorado spring breaker have an awesome time.