Beach

The wheres and hows of partying on spring break


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R

RaeJean Stokes

    Almost five years after getting my undergrad degree, I'm a student again (albeit a grad student this time). Maybe that's why I've been dreaming about spring break lately. Spring break is the epitome of an escape from reality. And staring down the barrel at mid-terms, it can hardly come soon enough.

    If you're ready to blow off some steam but not sure what this year's "hot-spots" will be, the

    Travel Channel

    has compiled a nifty little cheat sheet. It's no surprise that Cancun and Panama City top the list yet again, but be sure to consider some of the relatively unhyped spots like

    Rosarito Beach

    and

    Lake Havasu

    , especially if you're not necessarily looking for the "traditional" spring break.

    Cancun and Panama City are definitely heavy partying and hooking up spots, whereas Rosarito Beach might be more appropriate for someone like me (twenty-seven, married, and unable to deal with hangovers anymore). Getting old is so depressing. Maybe I'll just go

    skiing

    instead.

    Once you decide where you want to go, the next step is figuring out the logistics. I recommended checking out

    SpringBreak.com

    . Instead of the usual cheesy ads and annoying package deals, this site actually offers information. There's a great article on

    the new passport rules

    (you'll need a passport to go to Cancun, Jamaica, the Bahamas, or basically anywhere but the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico) as well as

    tips for planning a safe and successful spring break

    .

    When it comes down to booking your trip, reputable companies to start with include

    STS Travel

    ,

    Student Universe

    ,

    STA Travel

    ,

    StudentCity.com

    , and

    Sun Splash Tours

    . A quick Google search will bring up countless others, but I know people who traveled with these companies, and everyone seemed to make it home unscathed.

    Plus, I was able to find some great deals. (I used Denver, my home airport, for the purpose of these sample prices):