If you’re anything like me, you were ready to leave campus the moment you came back.
While the struggles of winter break can be particularly devastating–family squabbles, boredom, and the dreaded post-holiday season comedown–the tediousness that comes with the beginning of spring semester is its own special brand of drudgery. Traipsing across campus in the cold, studying, working, trying to maintain a semblance of a social life, and overall grinding for the degree takes a toll on students, emotionally, physically, and mentally.
Enter Spring Break.
Spring break is more than just beaches and bikinis, sleeping ‘til noon (or not sleeping at all). Spring break serves as a reset button for the middle of the semester, a chance to recalibrate yourself before returning to grind out the rest of the semester. I know I can’t be the only one who’s been ready to throw away my laptop, change my name, and disappear forever after a particularly rough midterm season. Cue the necessity of an escape.
Unfortunately, a lot of us are broke college students on a budget. Despite what those articles that your Baby Boomer aunt keeps sharing on Facebook say, Millennials and Gen Z-ers are not spending all of their money on avocado toast and expensive coffee (okay, maybe we splurge sometimes), but things like textbooks, tuition, and bills. Despite fiscal restraints, students still want, and are still deserving of a reprieve from the campus doldrums that does not include holing up in our childhood bedrooms. Thankfully, spring break doesn’t have to break the bank, as there are plenty of cheap (or free!) options available, especially if you’re planning on staying in the DMV over break.
Day Trips
Washington D.C. alone is home to over 70 museums with something for almost everyone, from art, history, science, and everything in between. From the seventeen Smithsonian Museums to the many art galleries in the area, you have a wealth of knowledge only a metro trip away. While donations are appreciated, the majority of these attractions have free admission, making them perfect for a daytrip.
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is located in the National Mall, and is renowned for its collection of contemporary and modern art. The design of the museum itself is stunning, with views overlooking the garden and a rounded layout. The exhibits change intermittently at the Hirshhorn, with several ongoing and upcoming exhibits in the near future.
If D.C. isn’t your style, I highly recommend heading up to Maryland. Maryland is home to a variety of events, culture, and activities for all ages. From the Baltimore Museum of Art, to the National Aquarium, you can enjoy a fun day trip without breaking the bank. The BMA, like most museums, has free admission, with special exhibits that you can receive student discounts for.
The National Aquarium has an admission fee for adults of $39.95, which might feel a little pricey, but you’re able to enjoy amazing exhibits and displays throughout your visit. If the price is still a little steep, you can visit on Fridays after 5pm for half-price admission!
Here are a few other options as well:
Washington D.C.
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Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
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National Portrait Gallery (where you can see the Obama’s official portraits if you haven’t already)
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United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
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Freer Gallery of Art
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The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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International Spy Museum
Maryland
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American Visionary Art Museum
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The Walters Art Museum
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Maryland Science Center
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Banneker-Douglass Museum
Richmond, Virginia
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Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
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The Edgar Allen Poe Museum
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The Maymont
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VCU Institute for Contemporary Art
Get Outta Town
Atlanta, Georgia is one of the most popular spots for college students to go for spring break, and for good reason. (Hotlanta, anyone?) Food tours upon food tours, history, and nightlife–what more could a gal want? You can find everything from live music to medieval tournaments in Georgia’s capital, with special discounts and deals on certain days.
Here are a few must-see attractions if you find your way down south this spring:
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World of Coca-Cola
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Georgia Aquarium
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Atlanta Botanical Gardens
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CNN Studio Tours
If you’ve never been to Nashville, Tennessee, let this stand as an official endorsement: go. Nashville’s music industry, food, and historical hotspots make it a place you have to visit, if not for spring break, then just as an opportunity to get out of town. As a history buff myself, the top of my list has to be the Civil Rights Room in the Nashville Public Library, followed by the Grand Ole Opry. A few other options include:
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Frist Art Museum
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The Bluebird Cafe
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Music Row
Beaches
No spring break list would be complete without at least one beach option, to which I offer: Myrtle Beach and Daytona Beach.
If Cancun is out of your price range, I suggest Myrtle Beach down in South Carolina. MB is about halfway between the 60-mile strand of beach land running through South Carolina. Myrtle Beach has rapidly become a favourite destination for college spring breakers, thanks to its healthy mix of party options, amusement parks, and of course, waterside attractions. The Myrtle Beach Boardwalk has the Skywheel, Ripley’s Moving Theatre, and other low-cost activities.
If you decide to head down to Myrtle Beach, you’re also only a two hour drive from Charleston, SC, a port city with tons of historical significance, a fantastic food culture, and places like Sullivan’s Island and The Battery.
Daytona Beach, Florida is one of the spring break hotspots thanks to cheap hotels, boardwalks, and nightlife. The Daytona Beach Lagoon and the Beach Bandshell are popular activities, but you absolutely can’t afford to miss out on the 23 miles of beach walk stretching across the area.
National Parks and the Great Outdoors
If your heart is craving the great outdoors, but aren’t crazy about sand between your toes, you’ll be pleased to learn that you’re quite literally surrounded with options. From Wake Forest in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park, you’re bound to have a great time wherever you decide to go.
Shenandoah National Park is a little over an hour from Fairfax, Virginia and well worth the drive. If you like to hike, Shenandoah boasts a whopping 500 miles of hiking trails ranging in difficulty and length. Old Rag stands as one of the most popular hikes, but is also one of the most difficult. If you’re not quite up for the trek, there are plenty of other less-strenuous trails to take (some of which might lead you to a waterfall). If sleeping under the stars makes your heart go pitter-patter, you’re in luck–camping and picnic grounds begin opening in March.
Remember
If you do plan on heading out of the DMV over spring break, there are plenty of cheap transportation options available for whatever your speed might be. While riding the bus might not be the most glamorous, you can always find cheap tickets on sites like Wanderu, CheckMyBus, and BusBud, if not on each bus’s individual site.
You can also find cheap flights and hotels by using websites and apps like Hopper, SkyScanner, and Student Universe. Student Universe is my personal favourite thanks to the agency’s dedication to finding and offering travel discounts for students. If you’re enrolled at an institution, or are between the ages of 18-25, you have access to all of the discounts the site has to offer. Domestic flights can be as low as $150, if not even cheaper, if you plan them right.
Hostels, Airbnbs, and bed-and-breakfasts are also cheaper options than hotels in many areas, meaning you can spend that extra money elsewhere. Always check the reviews of anywhere you decide to stay though, keeping in mind that your safety comes first.
Stay safe and have fun!