9 Spring Breaks I Wish I Were Going To

Spring Breeeeeeaaaaakkkkk!!!!!!

That’s what you and many college students around the country might be shouting these days. Ah, college. I wish I were back. I remember one roadtrip I made down to Savannah over spring break that ended up with me making out with some random chick in a green dress.

I was the one wearing the dress.

Anyway, the point is, there are many places to choose from to go and let loose. How to decide? Here are some hotspots I’d like to visit, with some unique choices you may not expect, and not including the cliché Cancun, because I know you all know about that one already. I’ve inserted a different Mexico alternative, though!

9. The Dominican Republic

The Dominican has all of the hallmarks of spring break: beaches, babes, and booze…. It is, however, also pretty cheap, even if you book late,  and has a number of cool features. As the second largest country in the Carribbean, The Dominican republic features Vegas-style casinos, nightclubs, and all-inclusive resorts, to horseback riding, golf, surfing, diving, and hundreds of miles of white-sand beaches. Punta Cana, on the island’s eastern coast, is the island’s top draw, with the Caribbean’s longest stretch of sand, while Puerto Plata, in the northwest, is a solid secondary consideration. Both are prime party spots and are also great for late planners, with a broad range of reasonably priced hotels that make a beer-budget trip a snap.

8 Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta combines a raging nightlife scene with a colorful colonial village imbued with old-world ambiance.  The city proper, a fabled hillside hamlet, brims with muddled alleyways, red-tiled roofs, and balconies draped in bougainvillea. Miles of golden seafront, dotted with newer towns and resorts, stretch to its north and south, while the local color of an old Mexican fishing village mingles with modern upscale influences. The famed malecón – a waterfront boardwalk that stretches from the center of town towards the Hotel Zone – is dotted with shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, and street artists. The lively promenade is always hopping and perfect for grabbing a drink or a bite during the day and after sunset. Plus, come nightfall, you can revel in trendy lounges, rowdy pubs, surf-side watering holes, and romantic taverns. Most of the worthy nightlife is located along a three-block stretch of Calle Ignatio L. Vallarta, on the south side of the river, where everything from mariachi music and sports bars to salsa clubs and discos is found.

7. Montreal

While spring break has long signaled a south-of-the-border migration for some guaranteed Mexican mayhem, those with a nose for the north will find all of the essential ingredients for a bit of debauchery à la française. Sure it’s cold, but alcohol consumption and casino gambling (check out the chic Casino de Montréal) are all open to the 18-and-over crowd. Scintillating nightlife (try Boulevard St-Laurent or Crescent Street for the best action), strip clubs galore, and a certain je ne sais quoi, Montreal’s appeal reels in its fair share of spring breakers all the same. It’s about 375 miles from Manhattan or 310 miles from Boston, so the city has often been popular for the northeastern collegians. Bargains abound on everything from lap-dancing strippers to nightclub covers. For the more sophisticated of you (crickets…), check out the historic center of Vieux-Montréal, take in a view from the summit of Montreal’s emblematic Mont-Royal, or catch the last of ski season at several prime resorts within an hour’s drive.

South Padre, TX

Somewhere between Texas and Mexico,  150,000 sun-seeking spring breakers sprawled head to the 34 miles of beach area spring break madness, Texas-style. South Padre is a popular spring break destination partially because the border town of Matamoros is only a half-hour away, and the drinking age, well, is pretty much irrelevant. There’s body shots, bikini contests and bungee jumps.  South Padre offers “anything goes” partying in the Texan sun. Moreover, there’s no private beaches, so you’re allowed anywhere up and down the sandy gulf coastline.

5. Lake Havasu, Arizona

Hey, I thought that Spring Break was supposed ot be about beaches or skiing? So, why go to the middle of the desert? For the floating drinking parties, and the water sports. Nestled amidst craggy mountain peaks alongside the Colorado River, and dubbed the “personal watercraft capital of the world,” Lake Havasu boasts over 400 miles of coastline and water sports galore – think fishing, skiing, kayaking, and boating (lots of boat and Jet Ski rentals are also available for those of you without your own vessels). Havasu’s on-land activities span from beach-bumming, off-roading desert treks, and golfing, to horseback riding, hot-air ballooning, rock climbing, and biking. There’s plenty of nighttime action to keep spring breakers playing long after dark, too: Several clubs and bars boast killer views of the Colorado River and some even offer outdoor parties on the river itself. And if it gets boring for some reason, Vegas is only 3 hours away.

4. Koh Phangan, Thailand

The lush, beach-trimmed island of Koh Phangan, in the Gulf of Thailand has since gained its own spring break destination notoriety thanks to its monthly all-night beach parties, held on the Haad Rin peninsula in honor of the full moon. These “Full Moon Parties” have become legendary, attracting as many as 10,000 moon-worshippers and party-goers to the two sandy stretches that frame the cape, to dance to trance and techno barefoot on the sand, glow-sticks in hand. Even if your travel dates don’t coincide with the party, you can still create your own bit of “hippie nirvana” on this bit of sand by spending your days at New Age cafés, drinking cheap beer, and having inexpensive massages. Happy endings?… I’m not sure. Come nightfall, crash on the beach or in a $5 bungalow – that’s right… 5$, that is if you even sleep!

3. Jackson Hole

The Jackson Hole Mountain Festival March 26 through March 28 – a weekend of free-style skiing and snowboarding events, accompanied by live music acts. When you’re not on the slopes, you can saddle up and test your rodeo skills on the mechanical bull located just outside the ever-popular Mangy Moose Saloon. Don’t forget to allow yourself a couple days of pampering at one of several Jackson Hole spas – it’s the perfect remedy for tired ski legs. Sure, the obvious thing to do would be to go someplace warm and beach-like… but never underestimate the dry mountain air of the Rockies, and what it does to the “party-receptors” in the brain. Maybe you’ll run into Shaun White. Who knows?

2. Amsterdam

Drinking age: 16. Weed: Legal. ‘Shrooms?: Legal. Prostitution: Legal. Heineken Brewery: Check. Ah yes, but the Venice of the north of Europe isn’t just known JUST for its, um,  legalized perversions. No, its also home to over 160 canals, crossed by over 1,000 bridges, beautiful architecture, the tulips around the city in Spring,  as well as the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. For history buffs, you could also check out the Anne Frank House… of course then you’ll probably get just depressed enough to get back out there and party. Cozy cafes, “brown” pubs, and trendy nightclubs with world-class DJs, and much much more add to the city’s “live and let live” mantra.

1. Daytona Beach

Yeah. It’s a cliché, but Daytona Beach has gotta be the cheapest, number-one, redneck, couple-splittin’ Spring Break destination around!  This amazing 23-mile stretch of wide, white sand beach has long been one of the hottest spring break destinations in Florida. Spring breakers can take a drive down 16 miles of this world famous beach, catch some rays, or ride the waves in the Atlantic surf.

Daytona Beach offers some of the wildest nightlife with nightclubs like the “Ocean Deck,” “Razzles,” and many more. Other than the beach and sponsored activities planned around spring break, there are few entertainment choices. Daytona Lagoon is a popular water and amusement park and the Daytona 500 Experience located adjacent to the Daytona International Speedway are the most popular. Other activities include water tours and water craft rentals… but you’ll probably never get off that beach.