A great spring break trip can be the highlight of a student’s year.
Spring has always been the busiest season for student group travel. And while many spring trips are focused on educational destinations, sometimes a fun-focused trip can do wonders for students as well.
From spring skiing and hiking adventures to thrilling new 3D rides and wildlife exploration, there are plenty of fantastic attractions for student groups at popular spring break destinations across the U.S.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Known for its 60 miles of beaches, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, offers plenty for groups. Students can discover local wildlife on a two-hour Visit Murrells Inlet Saltwater Marsh Eco Tour or learn about African American education in the 1930s at the Historic Myrtle Beach Colored School Museum and Education Center.
Group packages are available for attractions at the Broadway at the Beach entertainment complex, where students can enjoy escape games, mirror mazes, a beach rider jet boat and go-kart tracks. Myrtle Waves Water Park — the state’s largest — features 22 exciting slides, a wave pool, raft rides and a lazy river. And at WonderWorks’ Soar and Explore, groups can zipline 50 feet above the water on a 1,000-foot course or try the 40-foot-high ropes course spanning three levels.
Travelers can also head to Barefoot Landing for wildlife encounters at Alligator Adventure or join one of Brookgreen Gardens’ student programs like Mother Nature’s Café, a guided tour through the zoo. Many local theaters have educational workshops and meet-and-greet events with performers.
Student-friendly restaurants include The Hangout, Swig and Swine, Big Chill Island House and Flying Fish Public Market and Grill.
Orlando, Florida
Big news in the world’s theme park capital: Universal Epic Universe — the first new park in 25 years — opens May 22 with five new worlds groups can explore: Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic and Dark Universe. There are also two new group-friendly hotels adjacent to the park, Universal Stella Nova Resort and Universal Terra Luna Resort.
Student-friendly options include the popular Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Café and House of Blues at Disney Springs Resort. Universal’s CityWalk offers Hard Rock Café, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, and The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen.
Beyond adrenaline-pumping rides, theme parks offer educational experiences for groups. The Disney Imagination Campus has interactive workshops, performances and special events for students. Universal Orlando Resort’s youth programs include hands-on learning activities like Kongtrol Panel. SeaWorld Orlando has up-close animal encounters, plus STEM Days and Sleepovers led by animal experts.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Students flock to sunny Gulf Shores, Alabama, to enjoy watersports and more. At The Wharf — Orange Beach’s entertainment district — you can charter a dolphin cruise aboard a 65-foot Bonner walk-around vessel with a glass-bottom viewing area.
At Waterville USA, travelers can cool off in the waterpark, try the escape house or perfect their technique at the Top Golf Swing Suite. At the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, groups can have hands-on learning experiences like sloth and lemur encounters or service opportunities. Book a pro to teach students how to build an awesome sandcastle at Sand Castle University, or explore the 28 miles of trails at Gulf State Park. There’s even a bunkhouse where students can sleep over.
At night, steer students to Main Street for the dazzling SPECTRA Laser Light Experience, which incorporates choreographed lighting effects, music and state-of-the-art lasers.
Dining can be reserved at The Hangout, for seafood on the beach plus foam parties, or at LuLu’s Gulf Shores, which has an on-site arcade and ropes course.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Millions of visitors head to the Grand Canyon each year for spectacular views and recreational activities. Students can hike the popular cross-canyon corridor — where the South Kaibab, Bright Angel, and North Kaibab Trails meet near the only bridges spanning the Colorado River — or walk the paved Trail of Time, featuring a geologic timeline showing how Grand Canyon was formed.
Groups can also rent bicycles or book backpacking and white-waterrafting trips.
Students can catch the Yavapai Point sunset, then take a guided constellation tour. The Grand Canyon is a protective haven for some of the last remaining dark skies in the country, and students can use on-site telescopes to see views of Jupiter, Saturn and Mars, plus double stars, star clusters, nebulae and distant galaxies.
Group-friendly dining is available at Yavapai Tavern on the south rim and Desert View Ice Cream. Several free shuttles connect lodges, campgrounds, restaurants and shops for easy group transfers.
Stowe, Vermont
Blessed with good snow through April, Stowe, Vermont, is the ski capital of the Northeast and offers a wide range of activities for student groups, including ski or snowboard lessons at Stowe Mountain and Topnotch.
Stowe’s extensive trail system makes it great for ice skating, Nordic skiing, dog sledding, snowshoeing, tubing and fat biking. Groups can also take a scenic gondola ride, go indoor rock climbing or visit Nebraska Knoll, a local maple sugaring farm.
Mountain dining options for groups include Spruce Camp Grill, Cliff House Restaurant atop the mountain, and waffle and noodle trucks.
Groups can discover other popular activities near the mountain, such as a 30-minute tour of Ben and Jerry’s factory, which includes samples afterward. Students can also pay their respects to Dearly De-pinted ice cream in the outdoor Flavor Graveyard.
Keystone and Vail, Colorado
Located 40 minutes apar in Colorado, Keystone and Vail are world-class ski resorts providing unforgettable student trip memories.
At Keystone, groups can ski at night through the end of March, and all day well into April. Visitors should check out Keystone’s unique “ski beaches” at Labonte’s Smokehouse BBQ at the bottom of the Ruby and Santiago chairlifts, as well as at the Mountain House base area, to hang out under the sun in an Adirondack chair.
Eateries include Go Big Burger, Timber Ridge Lodge for ramen bowls and nachos or Summit House at the top of Dercum mountain, where students can have lunch and hot chocolate. For a special treat groups will remember, book a scenic horse-drawn Sleigh Ride Dinner at the original Keystone Homestead in nearby Soda Creek Valley.
At Vail, spring means ‘bluebird skiing’ — under sunny, clear skies — and après-ski meals around outdoor firepits. Activities for non-skiers include Nova Guide’s snowmobiling excursions or ATV rides through Vail’s backcountry terrain, ice skating in the village, free snowshoeing tours through the mountains, and learning about local wildlife at the Nature Discovery Center, a yurt located at the top of the Eagle Bahn gondola.
South Padre Island, Texas
A tropical island oasis off the southern tip of Texas, South Padre Island is known for its clear emerald water and 34 miles of soft white sand. Wildlife-loving groups can dive into educational programs at Sea Turtle Inc. to learn about conservation efforts and rehabilitation; visit the SPI Birding, Nature Center and Alligator Sanctuary; or head out on a dolphin watch tour.
Active pursuits include horseback riding on the beach, speeding around the off-road dirt track, and water sports such as jet skiing and stand-up paddle boarding at the Laguna Madre Bay.
After working up an appetite, groups can visit Meatball Café for fish tacos and burgers or Dirty Al’s for fresh seafood.
Panama City Beach, Florida
Groups looking for great nature experiences will find them in Panama City Beach, Florida. Students can take a shuttle or charter a catamaran adventure tour to Shell Island within St. Andrews State Park, where they can watch for dolphins and other marine animals, snorkel and enjoy an inflatable water park, paddleboards and kayaks.
At Pier Park, groups will love SkyWheel, the area’s newest attraction that soars 200 feet above the pier. Here, travelers can play 18 holes of mini golf. Students can also rent single or tandem kayaks and paddleboards to paddle on Lake Powell in Camp Helen, where they’ll spot wild heron, egret and river otter.
Rainy days are fun at 810 Billiards and Bowling, which has arcade games, darts, pingpong and more. Group-friendly waterfront food spots include Pineapple Willy’s, which offers island-inspired dishes like Caribbean Salad and Mahi-Mahi BLTs, and Runaway Island, which boasts seven kinds of fish tacos. Local favorite Thomas Donuts is a popular stop for dessert.
