The Spring Equinox, the day of the year when the sun shines on the equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal, marks the official beginning of the Spring season. For college students across the country, the season is marked by Spring Break; that time in late February or early March when students trade in their books and backpacks for swimsuits and snorkels. Spring Break road trips are a great way to take a break from class and hit the open road. Here are are a few Spring Break road trips to take on your week off that will help clear your mind, blow off some steam, and help you get ready to push through the rest of the semester.
Each year approximately three million people visit National Parks across the country to connect with the outdoors. John Muir, the Father of National Parks, said of the importance of connecting with the outdoors, “Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. The month of March is the second slowest month; what a great opportunity to spend some time with a few great friends, see some of the most beautiful places the country has to offer and reset your mind before returning to class. Load up your bike rack, hitch up your trailer, and hit the road for one of the following Spring Break road trips.
Grand Canyon
If you’re in the Western states, whether you’ve lived there your entire life or you’ll only be there for four years while you’re in school, visiting the Grand Canyon is a must. e Located in beautiful in Northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon is eighteen miles wide, one-mile-deep, and contains 277 miles of river. Listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders, the Grand Canyon is the perfect place to spend a day hiking, exploring, and taking in the beautiful scenery.
Olympic National Park
One of the most beautiful places in the Pacific Northwest, Olympic National Park is located on the Olympic Peninsula and is composed of coastline, mountains, and rainforest. In addition to the gorgeous scenery, Olympic National Park is home to a diverse range of plant and animal life; elk, blacktail deer, black bears, and cougars run and graze in the park while Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, Coast Douglas-fir and Western Redcedar line the scenery. March is still chilly in the Pacific Northwest; grab a sweater, and a friend, and hit the road.
When most people think about Spring Break, the first thing that comes to mind is a sunny beach. When people think about the beach, California is the state that comes to mind, but there are beautiful beaches across the country that are worth the drive to experience.
Miami Beach
March is a great time to visit the iconic Miami beach which is between the seventy-five and eighty-five degrees in March. In addition to the beautiful beach and weather, areas of Miami Beach are listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the Art Deco District has hundreds of hotels, and apartments built between 1923 and 1943 that make up the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. In addition to the architecture, Miami Beach has plenty of fine dining, nightlife, and spas. During the day, hit the beach for fishing, swimming, bike rides, or just soaking up the famous Miami heat.
South Padre Island
South Padre is as Spring Break as it gets. No matter what kind of fun you’re looking for, South Padre Island delivers. Ride horses, go fishing, watch dolphins, or just hang out and relax on South Padre during the day and enjoy live music and drinks at a bar steps from the ocean at night. Spring Break is a busy time of year for South Padre, so make sure you book your stay in advance.
If the outdoors are not your thing, consider spending a day or two at one of the country’s many great amusement parks. The modern day amusement park began in Coney Island with the Sea Lion Park in Brooklyn, New York in 1895. Since then, amusement parks have spread from coast to coast bringing fun to families, and Spring Breakers for decades. Here are a few parks that you may have not considered:
Hersheypark
Founded in 1906 by Milton S. Hershey, as a leisure park for Hershey Chocolate Company the employees, Hersheypark is located 15 miles east of Harrisburg, and 95 miles west of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. Since its founding, Hersheypark has been opened to the public and is a destination for visitors across the country. There’s plenty of fun to be had on the thirteen rollercoasters at Hersheypark.
Arnolds Park
Arnolds Park, located on Lake Okoboji, is one of the only amusement parks in the Midwest that is open during the months of February and March. Arnolds Park has something for everyone; go-kart rentals, roller-coaster, Ferris Wheel, and a beach complete with water-sport rentals, volleyball, and great spots to relax and enjoy the sun.
College students across the country look forward to Spring Break all year. Don’t miss out on the chance to have a great Spring Break road trip; Organize your friends and hit the road!
(unsplash: Cosmic Timetraveler/via cc) (flickr:Christian_from_Berlin/via cc) (flickr: Jeremy Thompson/via cc)
