It’s spring break! And….you’re broke. Or close to it. Okay, maybe you’re not broke¸ but you don’t have the funds to sink into a Hawaiian cruise or luxurious ski in/ski out house at Tahoe. So, what can you do over spring break if you’re on a budget but could still use a break? Here are a few inexpensive adventures for college students:
Road trip!
College just wouldn’t be college without the quintessential road trip. Grab a few friends, split the gas money and share a hotel room (or stay with family members on the way), and boom—you’ve got yourself a getaway. You can find hotel deals at sites like Groupon.com, Kayak.com, or Hotwire.com, which can help you determine your final destination. Or just wing it with nothing but your iPhone’s map to guide you.
Be a tourist…in your backyard.
Find out what’s going on in your town and stay local. You can plan one outing each day and explore some of your local tourist attractions, parks, museums, and more. Here in the Denver area, we have the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the History Colorado Center, the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Mint, the Wild Animal Sanctuary (Keenesburg), and the Hammonds Candy Factory Tour, to name just a few. Get out and explore your city.
Movie marathon!
Movie marathons are perfect for spring break week. Check out last year’s Oscar titles or any others on your list. If you’d rather get out, you can get cheaper movie tickets on weekday morning or early afternoon shows. Or, go to a discount theater that features movies that have been out for a while (and run $2-4 vs. the $8-14 you might pay elsewhere) . Here in Denver, Elvis Cinemas has three convenient locations. The Paramount Theater offers $1 Classic Movie Mondays, showing films like The Shawshank Redemption and The Big Lebowski at 7:00 p.m.
Book it last minute.
Procrastinators rejoice! It turns out that there are deals to be had when booking trips at the last minute. Check out the “name your own price” feature on Priceline.com, or the last minute specials on Bookit.com. You can even peruse VRBO.com for discounts on places that have had last-minute cancellations.
Just relax.
Even if you cannot afford to fly anywhere, treat yourself to a few calming activities. Ladies, get a pedicure one day and a massage another (after perusing LivingSocial.com for deals, of course). Take a walk or a hike if the weather is nice. Buy some bubble bath soaps and enjoy a nightly soak with a good book you’ve been wanting to read. Catch up on some sleep. Plan an evening out (or in) with good friends. Whatever it is, set aside time this spring break to rejuvenate.
Above all, take advantage of a week of no classes and get out to do something fun! Make a list of things you’d like to do and enjoy yourself. Then, when you come back for classes you’ll feel refreshed, relaxed, and ready to get back to work.
