Spring Break on a Budget

March 2, 2020

For most college students, spring break is a time to escape all the exams and responsibilities, so you can focus on getting a good tan or making memories with your best friends. There is a lot of pressure put on us to make the most of our one week off, and I am writing this to help you along with the process and to hopefully alleviate some of the stress from planning this memorable week.

Here are three spring break ideas that are built to provide the time of your life:

Idea #1: Stay Local-ish

Even though most of us would rather not stay in the good-ole LYH, there are some great things to explore and do. First, you can take advantage of the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway right down the road from Liberty. There are numerous hikes to conquer: Sharp Top, Cole Mountain, Humpback Rocks, Spy rock, McAfee Knob, Mount Pleasant, and many others. Second, for all of you who love kombucha, you can visit Blue Ridge Bucha in Waynesboro, VA. This is a necessity for those who love the taste of this unique drink because of their on-tap kombucha and kombucha tastings. Third, we have amazing neighboring cities surrounding us like Roanoke, Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, and Richmond. In each of these historic and beautiful cities, there are lots of trendy restaurants and shops to take advantage of. Fourth, if you want to go a little bit further, you can always take a day-trip to Washington D.C., Raleigh, NC, or Charlotte, NC. In Washington D.C. you can visit the numerous museums and national landmarks, while hitting the shops of Georgetown. In Raleigh or Charlotte, you can explore the many unique restaurants, thrift shops, and coffee shops. Lastly, there are roller skating rinks, bowling alleys, pottery painting shops, thrift stores, and even a trampoline park all locally that are waiting for you to enjoy. Lynchburg over spring break is what you make it, and you can definitely make it fun with all of these options.

Idea #2: Beach Bliss

Mexico, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Bahamas, and South Carolina are a few different places that are a great beach destination for college students. Some are a little cheaper or easier to get to, but they all promise a pretty beach. Florida is the ideal destination for most college students because it can be done cheaply, and it is still pretty much guaranteed to be warm and a good time. Some of the best locations to go to in Florida include Miami, West Palm Beach, Clearwater, Tampa, Orlando, Seaside, Daytona Beach, and Panama City Beach. All of these locations have beautiful beaches nearby and restaurants. Some locations, like Orlando, offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like Disney World or Universal Studios or Ripley’s Believe it or Not in Panama City Beach. Each city has its own quirks and fun entertainment/attractions. West Palm Beach has the island that is famous for wealth and Mar-a-lago Club. Miami is known for its Spanish culture and incredible food. Clearwater has its own marine aquarium where the dolphin from Dolphin Tale lives. Seaside is known for its white sand beaches and beautiful, relaxing water. No matter what city you choose in Florida, you know you’ll be making a good choice. There are a lot of things to do in Florida besides Disney or the Beach. Some cool things you can do in Florida include: An Everglades tour, check out the Kennedy Space Center, Miami Seaquarium, the Jacksonville Zoo, MLB spring training, museums, waterparks, and so much more (Van Hare & Syed, 2019). If you are concerned with getting a place to stay in any of these cities, you can use Airbnb or VRBO to rent a house, apartment, or condominium. Airbnb’s mission is to “Live in the world where one day you can feel like you’re home anywhere & not in a home, but truly home, where you belong” (Mission Statement Academy, 2019). This is very important to travelers as they can feel comfortable while prioritizing adventure. Airbnb and VRBO are incredible options for housing that are fun, comfortable, and reliable.

Idea #3: National Park Adventure

If you are feeling a little adventurous this spring break, you could venture out to the west coast to discover some of our country’s most beautiful national parks. Some of the states with the best national parks include California, Utah, Arizona, South Dakota, and Wyoming (Travel Channel). In California, you could visit Yosemite or Redwood National Park. While you are out there you could even visit San Francisco or Los Angeles if you feel like going a little bit further on the road. In Utah, there are so many beautiful national parks that it is difficult to decide which ones to fit in for only one week. Zion, Monument Valley, The Arches, and Bryce Canyon are just a few different places that should definitely be on the list. The number one hike at Zion is Angels Landing, which is a very intense trek that rewards you with an incredible view of the surrounding mountains and valley. In Arizona, you could visit one of our nation’s most prized national parks, the Grand Canyon. You can even choose to camp at the very bottom of the canyon for a night that you will not forget with stars that light the path in front of you. Bright Angel Campground provides the perfect experience for camping, as their website states: “Spend a night at the bottom of the Grand Canyon surrounded by 2-billion-year-old granite and Vishnu schist! Campsites either sit at the base of towering cliff walls or line the creek” (Grand Canyon Trust). In South Dakota, there is not much but the Badlands and Mount Rushmore, but I still think that it’s worth going to. Lastly, in Wyoming you can go to Yellowstone or Grand Teton. Yellowstone is the first ever national park in the world. You may be thinking to yourself that this sounds unrealistic because it is far and expensive; however, you can choose to caravan out to the west coast and camp. Not to mention, there are multiple days select national parks are free. You can bum it for the week and just eat Clif bars and granola if that is the dedication it takes to travel out to the west coast under a certain budget.

I hope these ideas help you make up your mind on how to successfully master your spring break, so you can make it your best one yet. Just remember the words of William Feather: “One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.”

Sources

https://mission-statement.com/airbnb/

https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/national-parks/photos/best-national-parks-of-the-west

https://www.thedailymeal.com/things-to-do-florida-that-arent-disney

https://www.grandcanyontrust.org/camp/bright-angel-campground

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