Take your spring break nonsense elsewhere.
After the mad winter dash, spring break is a big travel season for Americans. The months of March and April will see flocks of students and families heading to some favorites for downtime. Among the top picks is Florida, which always reigns during this time, along with Mexico. But there are also other destinations (and unlikely suspects) that have piqued the interest of American travelers.
Popular Spring Destinations
Florida tops the charts. Travel insurance company Allianz Travels’ analysis of 3.4 million flight itineraries found that five out of 10 domestic destinations for spring break were dominated by Florida: Orlando (1), Fort Lauderdale (5), Miami (7), Tampa (8), and Fort Myers (10).
Phoenix came second on the spot, while the third contender Las Vegas is also expected to welcome a large number of crowds. New York, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City also featured on this list.
The study also highlighted popular international destinations for the break and, without a doubt, Mexico is the clear winner with Cancun and San Jose del Cabo taking the top two spots. As a matter of fact, all but one destination (London) is warm, so Americans are also following the sun to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Nassau, Bahamas; Oranjestad, Aruba; Providenciales Island, Turks and Caicos; and Liberia, Costa Rica.
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Online travel agency Priceline noted that searches for Asian destinations are soaring. Hong Kong has seen an increase of nearly 400% in searches since the pandemic, while Taipei, Taiwan, saw 360% rise and Bangkok, Thailand, 149%. Expedia’s Spring Break Travel Outlook report also concluded that cherry blossoms in Japan and springtime in Paris are drawing travelers’ attention.
Related: U.S. Issues a New Warning for Mexico Before Spring Break
Best Times to Travel
Expedia’s Spring Break Travel Outlook report had more interesting insights on spring break travel.
For domestic destinations, the cheapest time to fly is the week of April 23, while the most expensive time is the week of April 2. The week of April 2 will also be the busiest because this spring break coincides with the Solar Eclipse (April 8).
It is also recommended to fly on a Tuesday instead of the weekend to save a few bucks. “Departing on a Tuesday instead of during the weekend can be around 15% cheaper, based on historical flight prices, and for those with flexible schedules, traveling the last week of April was half as busy as the rest of March and April, and cheaper as well,” the report highlighted.
Florida Braces For Crowds
Throngs of vacationers arrive in Florida to party every spring, but the subsequent lawlessness has become a nuisance for locals and law enforcement. Over the years, unruly crowds, shootings, and stampedes have occurred during spring breaks. Last year, the Miami Beach police made 488 arrests and issued more than 7,000 traffic citations between February 27 and March 27. Two fatal shootings led to the city declaring a state of emergency and more than 100 firearms were seized.
If you’re flying this way for the break, know that the authorities are introducing new measures to control the madness. Miami Beach released a “breakup” video to inform spring breakers that spring break “isn’t working any more.” As such, there will be more measures to ensure law and order, including DUI checkpoints, beach restrictions, expensive parking, and curfews.
Other popular hotspots in the state will also have enhanced security measures (including state troopers and aviation drones) to keep things from getting out of hand.
If you want to give these throngs of revelers a complete miss in Florida, you can pick the city of Kissimmee, which is cheaper than Miami and Orlando. According to Priceline, the average hotel cost in Kissimmee is $141 per night compared to $250 per night in Orlando and $579 in Key West.
Related: Multiple Travel Warnings Have Just Been Issued Against This State