Some students have their plans set, and the beach and New Orleans are common destinations. For students that are a little late to the planning game, however, there are still cheap and last-minute options available.
The beach is an option for spring break for several reasons: tanning on the sand, swimming in the waves and activities particular to a beach town. Pricing for these vacations vary, but some students have managed to find cheap options.
Gene Fulmer, a sophomore majoring in marketing, is staying in a friend’s condo in Miramar Beach, Florida. The lodging is $100 for five days, which Fulmer said isn’t bad for a week trip.
“I can just hang out with my friends all week and do whatever I want,” Fulmer said.
New Orleans is another popular place for UA students during all times of the year, including spring break. The city offers many things, such as walking around the French Quarter or seeing the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.
Veronica Pizor, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering, plans to do both of these things during her trip to New Orleans with her family.
“They also have a couple museums that are really good, and we’re doing an airboat tour and a ghost tour,” Pizor said.
For those wishing to watch their budget, there are still ways to spend the week.
Camping is one such option. There is no need to travel far since Alabama is home to 17 state parks and four national forests, all of which offer camping.
These parks and forests offer plenty of camping styles, such as primitive, for those who want to use tents, or modern, for those who prefer cabins. Primitive campsites typically only cost around $15 per night, according to the Alabama State Parks website. Cabins, being more expensive but still affordable, can range from $50 to $200 per night.
James Topliss, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering, is planning on camping with some friends in Bankhead National Forest, which is located in northern Alabama. They plan on sleeping in their hammocks and using a disposable grill for providing food.
“It’s fun, it’s outside and you can go do stuff if you feel like it, but if you don’t feel like it you can just chill in hammocks and talk,” Topliss said.
Topliss and his friends also intend on taking advantage of the outdoor activities Bankhead offers, such as hiking and kayaking. Many campsites offer these and more, like swimming, fishing and boating.
Besides camping, road trips are another cheap choice for spring break.
Cities offer destinations such as the state’s largest zoo in Birmingham, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville or the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery.
Emily Benes, a freshman majoring in business management, is road tripping to Texas with some friends to visit her hometown of Coppell.
Throughout their trip, Benes plans on stopping at the Duck Commander store of the Duck Dynasty television show, a Buc-ee’s gas station to give her friends a taste of Texas culture, and spending a day in New Orleans on the way back to Tuscaloosa.
“I love just driving and jamming with some really good tunes and good people, too,” Benes said.
She was able to make the trip very affordable by staying with family, she said.
UA students have found plenty of ways to spend their breaks. The beach and New Orleans are both exciting and unsurprisingly popular options, but other ideas like camping and road tripping are still available for last minute planners.
