It may be cold and snowy where you are right now, but Spring Break will be here before you know it. If you haven’t started thinking about Spring Break yet, now is the time to do so – the one year I put off Spring Break planning until February was the year we ended up not going anywhere exciting – it was just too late to book what we wanted. So to help you out, here are 5 GREAT spring Break ideas for families:
Go for Warm
Hit the beach. After a long, bitterly cold winter, there is something extra special about a sunny beach. Living in the Midwest we tend to visit Florida beaches often. Vero Beach, Daytona Beach, Pompano and Clearwater are all favorites. If you are closer to the west coast, consider the San Diego area. Even if it’s not warm enough for the adults to play in the ocean, I bet the kids will brave the cool waters. If you head far enough south, it will definitely be perfect for being outside and swimming in a heated pool. If you do decide to plan a trip to the beach, check out this post on Beach Essentials to make sure you bring everything you need for a perfect beach vacation.
Theme Parks. Walt Disney World is an all-time favorite for my family. Even if we take a beach vacation, we often tack on a few days at Disney to help break up the drive (and get our money’s worth out of those annual passes)! If Disney isn’t your thing, how about Universal Studios or Busch Gardens? One of the smaller amusement parks would be perfect if you just have a few days. Or combine a few days at a park with a few days in a city for an exciting and playful trip.
Insider Tip: As a Magical Vacation Planner I can help you get the best deal at Disney or Universal. Check out my site to request a free quote!
Enjoy the End of Winter
A ski trip. March skiing can be fabulous! Some of our all-time favorite ski trips have been in March. The weather is warmer (so fewer layers are needed), there is usually plenty of sunshine, and if there was a good snow base, the snow is still fantastic. Plus, there is just nothing like sitting outside in the sunshine at a picnic table enjoying a street taco and cold cider after a full day of enjoyable exercise. It’s important to pick a ski location that has other things to do because it IS possible that snow conditions aren’t ideal, so if you have a backup plan you’ll still enjoy the trip.
Stay Close to Home
Enjoy a staycation or trip to a nearby city. We’ve done both of these for Spring Break with fantastic results. The year we stayed home (due to my poor planning), we did a lot of unique things like concerts, ComicCon, special dinners out and day trips. It ended up being a lot of fun and even with all those expenses we still saved a ton of money. We’ve also had some wonderful trips to cities within a few hours of home. Less drive time means everyone was relaxed and ready to sightsee as soon as we arrived. Living in the Midwest, great options are St. Louis, Nashville, Gatlinburg, and Chicago.
Sail Away
How about a cruise? If you love easy, everything planned for you vacations, then a cruise might be the perfect option. Yes, they can be expensive, but once you are on the ship, pretty much everything is paid for. It’s a lovely feeling to wake up each morning with meals easily accessible, multiple activities to choose from and no need to worry about transportation. Plus a cruise can be the ideal mix of adventure and relaxation.
So what will you choose? Will it be warm? Cold? Out on the open sea? Or a staycation? I’d love to hear what you pick and where you plan to go, so please share in the comments.
Insider Tip: If you’d like help planning your Disney, Universal, or Cruise vacation, check out my Magical Planner website and I’ll be happy to help you out with a free quote!
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These are all fabulous ideas!
Thanks!
Sounds like lots of fun with a variety of different holidays and activities
Warm places, theme parks and cruises are all things I can get behind! Thanks for the great ideas!
We love them all too!
Great ideas! I’m way past the age of a Spring Break trip but this article is quite helpful for those looking to travel then. Since I live near Asheville, my spring vacation would be the stay-near-home kind.
Yes, Asheville in the spring is lovely.
Great ideas, from ski to beach there is something for all tastes.
Absolutely!
I definitely agree with these ideas! Spring Break gets the stereotypical college association, but it is such a great opportunity to spend time with your family. Thanks!
Yes, we even hit Daytona Beach last year and because our Spring Break is later than the college ones it was a true family trip!
I am waiting on a good airline deal to figure out where we will go!
We always watch for the Southwest deals!
Love these ideas! I think it’s about time I cruised again. I’ll hit Disney when it’s a little less crowded.
Yes, Spring Break can be a busy time at Disney.
Cruising is always a favorite here! Thanks for the tips!
Thanks!
great ideas!!! inside and outside… for all weather 🙂
I’m dying to take my kids on a cruise!
Me too!
We have been enjoying staycations recently, but a cruise would be lovely!
Wouldn’t it? Staycations can be fun – there is always something interesting to do if you look hard enough.
I’m trying to get my husband to take time off or I might just take the girls to visit my dad. I’m hoping for a nice trip though.
Good thinking – if he won’t go, you should still head out for at least a few days!
Great ideas! And I’m always about the beach getaway for spring break!
Yes!
All great options. We travel full-time but if we didn’t I’d say a beach somewhere
Love it! Traveling full time would be fantastic!
We enjoy several spring breaks living in Central Florida, and being homeschoolers!! Love all these ideas! This year we are doing a staycation, and heading to MegaCon!
I bet! Lucky you!
These are fun Spring Break ideas!
Thanks!
These are fun Spring Break ideas!
All are great ideas! I think when it comes to spring, I’m always ready to get out & explore!
What a great list! All of these options sound like fun! Spring break always feels to us like coming out of hibernation! By that point we are so over winter!
I agree! I am almost always ready for warmer weather.
Yes! Winter has worn us down.
OK, as a previous comic shop manager – can I just say that i LOVE that you put stay close and explore local things like Comic-Cons!!! There is always a convention going on and really they are a TON of fun.
Bonus points if it also includes going somewhere warm ;D
I so agree! I had no idea Comic-Con would be so much fun, but we loved it and even made a point to go again the next year it came through town!
I would pick a cruise in a warm destination.
Perfect!
These are some great ideas, traveling for spring break can be tough. This is super helpful
Thanks!
We get a winter break in February and a spring break in April. We usually stay home in April, but February we almost always head to Disney for warm weather!
I wish we had winter break – we’ve been lobbying for it for years! We love to ski and February is prime time.
These are great ideas for spring break! I would opt for the warm weather. We love Clearwater and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. A bit less crowded than Disney and you have the beach there too.
Yes, we visited Clearwater a few years ago just for a day and loved it!
I need a staycation right after each vacation. I always need double the time. Spring Break week, more like Spring Break Half month
Agreed! Wouldn’t that be perfect?
I am a snowbird at heart so any opportunity I can get out of the chilly Northeast weather I am taking! Thank you for the warm location ideas. My family and I are a bit tired of the usual Florida trip so a mix-up would be nice.
I love Florida but I agree sometimes it’s fun to go somewhere new!