It may seem like eternity, but (thankfully) Spring Break is actually less than six months away! For many, it’s a time to get away with friends, spend time in exotic resorts, and make memories that last a life time. For others, it may mean backpacking across Europe, volunteering in Africa, or taking a road trip down to Myrtle Beach. While travel sites provide “stress-free” planning, booking trips on your own can help reduce costs. So, whether you need help figuring out the logistics, or just need some inspiration, here are the ten best resources to help you out!
EF Tours:I’ve had the opportunity of traveling with EF 3 times over the past four years and I have nothing but the high remarks to say about them! If you’re looking for an adventure in any part of the world, EF will have a trip designed for you. From Germany to Costa Rica to New Zealand, EF’s designated College Break trips will take you anywhere in the world you want to travel, while enjoying the best bars and nightclubs the area has to offer.
Explorica:Similar to EF Tours, Explorica provides trips to nearly any country in the world (safely). However, the only difference between Explorica and its competitor is that Explorica’s trips are much more customizable than EF’s. For example, you can customize your trips to include service opportunities, cultural immersion activities, and adventure tours. For anyone with specific academic interests, trips can also include excursions relating to several fields including history, math, the arts, and foreign language(s).
Student City:For anybody looking for that stereotypical, all-inclusive, drink until the booze comes out of your ears type of trip, this is where to turn to. From Cancun to the Bahamas to Panama City, you have the power to hand-pick which one of SC’s resorts you would like to stay at. I spent a week in the Bahamas this summer on a SC trip and it was one of the best vacations I’ve been on to date! My days included jet-skiing, local shopping trips, and plenty of beach volleyball, while my nights consisted of checking out some of the hottest nightclubs on the island with kids from all over the country!
Your School:At Hofstra, the school provides two opportunities for alternative spring break trips: a national trip and a local trip. Run by OSLA, both trips are designed to help those in need in different communities. Information about the local trips, which stay in the Long Island/New York City area will be available in February and early March. For more information on the National Program, meetings will be held:Friday, October 16 @ 3:00 PM in the Student Center, Room 141Wednesday, October 28 @ 11:30 AM in the Student Center, Plaza Middle Room.For other opportunities of Alternative Spring Breaks, make sure to check in with local service groups on campus
Birthright Israel:For any Jewish-American between the ages of 18 and 26, you may be eligible for a FREE TRIP to Israel! Through these trips you’ll have the opportunity to ride camels, swim in the Dead Sea, and meet kids like you from all over the nation!
Groupon:Whether you’re looking for cheap flights, hotels, excursions, or all-inclusive packages, Groupon offers year-round packages to a wide variety of places. Whether you want to visit somewhere tropical or go to the mountains, Groupon’s packages can get you there, at discounted rates.
Rome2Rio:Are you trying to take a more adventurous route? Do you like to do things on your own time? If you answered yes to either of those questions, Rome2Rio will definitely come in handy when planning your trip. All you have to do is simply type in the destination(s) you’d like to travel to, and the website will pull up an array of options of transportation along with their prices. So whether you enjoy traveling by plane, train, bus, or a mixture of the three, Rome2Rio will help you plan out all of your transportation needs.
The Lonely Planet:For anyone looking to create their own route, I highly recommend checking out The Lonely Planet. From blog posts, to travel guides, to books, they have written about every aspect of travel known to man. Need help planning a road trip? What are the best places to eat in Sicily? How to travel on a budget? You can find all of that and more right on their website.
Travel Blogs:No matter where in the world you’re planning on traveling over break, research travel blogs that have covered and written reviews, guides, and suggestions for the area(s) you’ll be visiting. With the Internet at your disposal, it’s quite possible to find someone who has traveled the same adventure that you’ll be embarking on.