Are You Ready For Spring Break?
We are well into the second month of the new year and for those with kids in school or college, the much anticipated Spring Break is just around the corner. While many travelers are busy trying to figure out where to go, others are worried about how they will pay for it. A recent Nerdwallet survey show that 2 in every 5 American plan to take a Spring Break vacation, and while 64% have saved for their trip, the remaining 36% will be paying for theirs with a credit card.
So how much is the Spring Break vacation going to put you back? It’s projected that the average spring breaker will spend $805 this year, with a large contingent of spring breakers spending over $1,250. It will come as no surprise that your budget traveller falls within the age range of 18 - 25 with 25% planning on spending $250 or under.
Infographic by Offers.com
Travel, room and board aren’t the only things that will set you back. With travel comes the need for new clothes, travel size toiletries, outdoor equipment/beach accessories, new luggage, charging cables, a visit to your hair salon - you get the picture.
Making sure Spring Break is fun for everyone in the family can be a challenge. However surveys show that the average spring breaker, about 50%, plan to simply relax during the break:
Relaxing: 50%
Exploring new city/sightseeing/museums: 31%
Swim/surf/beach: 28%
Camping/hiking/outdoor activities: 19%
Visiting family/hometown: 17%
Hosting/going to a party: 10%
Now where to go? Here are the top ten 2020 most popular destinations based on affordability and accessibility:
Cabo San Lucas
Cancun
Punta Cana
Freeport, Bahamas
South Padre Island, TX
Puerto Vallarta
Playa Del Carmen
Panama City Beach, FL
Jamaica
Ft Lauderdale, FL
With 2 in every 5 Americans going on spring break this year at one point between mid February - April, travel agencies, airlines, hotels, airbnb, rental cars, retail stores are all eyeing to grab a piece of the action offering a vast variety of deals . Doing proper research can help you save a lot of money:
Flight Deals
CheapOair: Get up to $18 off Spring Break Travel Deals through April 30.
CheapTickets: Save $75 off select Flight + Hotel Packages. Book by March 3 and travel by Sept. 30.
Hotwire: Get up to 60% off 4 or more Star Hot Rate Hotel Stays.
OneTravel: Save up to $27 off Fees on Flights through May 2.
STA Travel: Get $20 off flights with ITIC Teacher ID Card purchase by Feb. 29.
Skyscanner: Save as much as 40% off Spring Break flight deals.
Sun Country Airlines: Get 50% off seat selections and your first bag. Valid for you and your travel companions when traveling on the same itinerary.
Travelocity: Get $75 off select Flight + Hotel Bookings until April 1.
Spring Break Hotel and Vacation Rental Deals
Airbnb: New customers save $100 off bookings. Minimum spend may be required. Amount varies by region.
Baymont by Wyndham: Save 15% or more off the best available rate when you book and pay for your stay at least seven days in advance. Plus, get 100 Wyndham Rewards bonus points.
Be Live Hotels: Get up to 55% off select hotel stays in Dominican Republic or Cuba. Book by March 31 (can vary according to hotel) and stay between May and October (can vary according to hotel).
Booking.com: Get over 20% off select hotel stays. Plus over 25% off Asia hotel stays by March 31.
Groupon: Earn up to 50% off Stays at Split Rock Resort in Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania. Save on with daily breakfast or water-park passes, family-friendly Poconos resort with a movie theater, glow-in-the-dark bowling, arcade and indoor water park by April 3. Receive up to 44% off Stays with Daily Resort Credit at The Chateau Resort & Conference Center in Tannersville, Pennsylvania, by April 16.
Hampton by Hilton: Save 50% off Sunday night when you stay Friday and Saturday night. Offer valid for Hilton Honors members only. Not a member? Stay three nights and save 40% off Sunday night.
Hotels.com: Grab up to 40% off Inclusive Hotel Bookings by March 1. Exclusive 10% off for Verified University Students.
Rental Cars
Dollar Rent A Car: Reveive 10% off Car Rentals + Earn 3X Free Spirit Miles by April 30.
Hertz: Get three free days with Base Rate Rentals (Now $10) when you book by Feb. 28.
RVshare: Save up to 25% off Spring Break travel bookings.
Sixt rent a car: Save 5% off your next car rental at locations in over 50 U.S. cities with the Sixt student discount.
For those traveling abroad paying with a ‘no foreign transaction fee’ credit card can help keep the costs down. Using an airline credit card or a premium travel card will help offset checked baggage fees with some premium credit cards giving you access to the club lounge and complimentary meals, drinks and Wi-Fi.
Spring Break means a lot of different things to different people, and experiences vary wildly based on age, size of group/family and budget. But if you’re like me with kids still at home, you only get so many Spring Breaks where they want to be with their parents. So whether it’s chilling at the neighborhood pool, taking a day trip, or a fun week in Mexico, the most important part is enjoying that fleeting family time...and making some memories in the process.
Whatever your plans are, have fun and stay safe!!