Hi - we are four adults trying to time a vacation in march, 2008 to St. John that falls between school vacations. Easter in 2008 is the 23rd. I THINK the usual vacation week for those that have it around easter is the week starting easter weekend. Is that right? Also - college breaks - do they tend to be one week or does it vary school to school? We are looking at the week before Easter - thinking that would be safest, but would like opinions from those that know!
Thanks, sue

Do you mean the island of St. John in the USVI? If so, you should repost on the Caribbean board, where you'll get more help. Regardless, while you'll see a lot of families on St. John during school breaks, it's not a Spring Break destination for college students, so that isn't even an issue.

sueoz, school kids usually get either the week before and the week after Easter so expect both of those weeks to be busy.

Also, because the Virgin Islands are so expensive, you will not find them over run with college kids on break.

I hate to post this, but I always go to Utah the first week of March to avoid all Feb/March breaks.

Ho hum.

There are many school vacations in March.
Many private high schools have a March break that is usually at least 2 weeks long, usually ending around March 26.
Colleges that are not on the 2 semester plan, often have a vacation, as my son and daughter both did, at two different New England colleges, from March 23-April 2.

While you are unlikely to find young college kids going to St. John resort for college break, you may find families, as ours vacationed in March several times in St John/ Virgin Gorda during March breaks.

When our kids were younger and in public school we always (hot topic) took them out of school a few days earlier and later than the Easter vacation week to avoid some of the airport crowds, etc - or when in grade school, sometimes almost a full week earlier or later....

So if you are absolutely looking for zero children/families with children any age - look at an adult only facility, or one that has a separate adult pool/beach area or an individual rental

We were on St John last year, wtih two other couples, at the Westin, around no vacation times - and there were famlies with children mostly ages 2-5 on the beach and in the pool - so if that is going to bother you, I don't know how you can avoid it except going to an adult only resort or one that at least offers an adult/quiet pool or beach area.

public elementary and secondary school vacations are very regional. In New England and many mid-Atlantic states, schools have 2 vacation weeks - one in Feb including President's Day - although NH uses the week after that. In Massachusetts and Maine second week is week including third Monday in April. Again, NH is week after.

Other states use a variable week in March/April - sometimes encompassing Easter and/or Passover.

College students I know have a week off in March, usually 2nd or 3rd week. That week is less tied to holidays since it has to do with weeks in the semester.

My son's college in Savannah has 10 days off encompassing St. Patrick's Day every year - so you see there is no one "vacation week"

Wow - thanks for all the replies. I wasn't so much worried about a lot of kids as expensive airfare and crowded airports. We traveled on President's Day week this year and it was a zoo. I honestly think the kids are better behaved than a lot of the adults! I may have to reevaluate March.
sue

Breaks vary by the schools and cover quite a wide period of time. When my DH was running a hotel in FL we were acutely aware of it. It began ramping up in early march peaking toward the end of March beginning of April, then tapering off to a non-issue by mid April.

Some states try to stagger the breaks by city...Dallas and Houston were off last week here, our schools this week etc so destinations are not overwhelmed, but the load spread over a period of time.