9 Alternate Considerations For Your Spring Break Travel

Spring Break travel means your chances of getting on a flight are slim to none unless you’re resourceful. And even then, it could be a massive headache. If you have children, it makes it even more interesting as this is the time they are off from school and want to do something or go somewhere. So in this post, I talk about 9 alternative spring break ideas for your Spring Break travel.

Oh, you may also take a look at this page to see when Spring Break is starting for many schools – https://www.studentcity.com/when-is-my-spring-break. It’s a really great resource.

If you are looking for a hotel, here’s a good place to start:

So what do you do if almost all the flights to your selected destination are full. Here are nine things to consider:

1. Drive To Your Destination

If your destination is not too far away, then this will work. You can still get your airline discount on car rentals if you decide to rent a car. Or just gas up your own and get going. It may cost a little more, but you’ll have a different experience and you’re on your own schedule so you can see and do more. Don’t make the trip so much about the destination, but the journey. So plan on stopping and doing things along the way and just smell the roses. I have a list of a few Unfamiliar Destinations to help you plan.

2. Explore Your City

I’m in Houston, TX when I’m not traveling and there are tons of things to do here. I’m always intrigued as to how much others who live here don’t know about the city and its environs and the same for me (but I’ getting better at it). Don’t underestimate the power of what is termed (staycation, although I’m not a fan of that term). Here are a few things to consider when staying local:

Check with your Convention and Visitors Bureau

They will tell you what are the main local attractions. You can also ask them what attractions get visited the most, which offer discounts, etc. All the major airline hub cities have thriving museum districts. Some may have discounts for local residents.

Visit Local Parks/Zoos

The National Park Service has a number of free days. See if one meet your needs.

Visit Local Monuments

Downtown Houston for example is a treasure trove; it would perhaps take more than a week to explore all its history.

 

 

Find The Bike and Hiking Trails

Many cities have these trails either inside the larger parks, or just outside of the city.

Check Out Local Restaurants

I know Houston has the most restaurants per capita in the U.S., at least it used to. Other cities are just as populous.

Most city have a Chinatown area or some other ethnic area where you can go get local foods. I know in London, you can get almost every kind of food imaginable, same for several other cities where airlines are based/hubbed.

3. Use An Alternate Airport During Spring Break Travel

I have a special application at https://www.passrider.com/nearby-airport/, that will find alternate airports for you.

This one is not just for use at Spring Break. You really should know this for all your travels. For example, I see people wanting to go to Honolulu, HI (HNL) as its the one they hear about all the time and they just want to go to Hawaii. But there are several Hawaiian Islands and they are just as good or better than Oahu, which is where Honolulu is located; and yes they have beaches too. Besides oftentimes, the flights are not as full from those islands. So you can fly into one and out of the other, going between the two by a ZED fare or an actual ticket as sometimes the fares are not too expensive for intra-island travel.

Try to get your backup tickets beforehand so you know that if you miss the 10a on United, then you have a ticket for the 11:15a on Delta from another area of the airport.

Here are a few of the alternate airport for popular cities. You can use the flight schedule application to help you as well.

• Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI) – Glasgow (GLA)
• Frankfurt, Germany (FRA) – Cologne (CGN)
• London, England (LON) – LCY, LGW, LHR, LTN, SEN, STN  or maybe you can fly into BHX, MAN and take a local train to London if that’s where you are heading. I have a whole Guide about Alternate Airports for the United Kingdom.
• Miami, FL (MIA) – FLL, PBI, to an extent MCO, TPA uf you must then drive. Note that car rentals may be unavailable though, so check first.
• Los Angeles, CA (LAX) – BUR, LGB, ONT, SNA, SAN if push comes to shove
• New York, NY (NYC) – EWR, ISP, JFK, HPN, LGA, SWF or maybe fly into BOS or PHL and take a train or bus to New York
• Paris, France (CDG) – BVA, ORY

4. Consider Taking A Train Ride

Some cities have excellent train service; try them. Here are a few to consider:

• Canada
  • viaRail
• Europe
  • Eurail
•  Germany
  • Deutsche Bahn
• New Zealand
  • Rail New Zealand
• United Kingdom
  • National Rail
• U.S.
  • Amtrak

5. Take A Bus

In the U.S. there are several bus services, same for Europe, Mexico and other countries. Here are a few companies:

• Australia
  • Greyhound Australia
• New Zealand
  • InterCity Coach Lines
  • NakedBus
• Europe
  • Flixbus
  • MegaBus
  • National Express
• France
  • BlaBlaCar (formerly IDBUS and OUIBUS)
• Mexico
  • Greyhound
• Peru
  • Peru Hop
• U.S.
  • BoltBus
  • Flixbus
  • Greyhound
  • MegaBus

6. Find A Less Traveled Destination

I know you want to get to the beaches, but at Spring Break Mexico, The Caribbean, Florida are typically full. So maybe you to the beach after Spring Break or just go to a less traveled area or a less visited beach at your destination.

Remember that it’s not just the flights that are full, its the hotels too. And when the hotels are full, you can’t get your travel industry rates. And its not always the same places in these popular destinations. Look for places that are not popular as well. I did a trip to Villa Del Palmar at the Islands in Loreto, Mexico and it was amazing. Fly Alaska Airlines from LAX or WestJet from Calgary, AB Canada (YYC).
I’ve also created a Web site at www.UnfamiliarDestinations.com that gives you one new unfamiliar destination each day. Check it out.

 

7. Buy A Ticket Beforehand

I know you don’t want to hear this, but if you know exactly when you’ll be off from work, school, etc. check the fares and just purchase a ticket or even do a flight + hotel deal. It’s peace of mind and you sometimes get a really great deal. I know some people spend hundred of dollars on cruises, hotels, tours and then think they will make a flight during this time; they don’t and then the whole trip is spoiled and you waste money. Don’t let this happen to you. Read this article for tips.

8. Don’t Give Buddy Passes Out During Spring Break Travel

When I used to get these passes, I’d tell my friends, not during Spring Break. The flights are full, the employees can’t get on, much less buddy passes. Your friends may be mad at you, but they will thank you later and just make other arrangements. Flights are really cheap now so tell people to plan ahead and buy tickets.

9. Get Travel Insurance For Your Spring Break Travel

Depending on the policy you choose, you may be able to get your money back for select items. I use Allianz  for my travel insurance, so check them out to see what they cover and under what circumstances.

Regardless of when you travel, you should get travel insurance as if something happens on the trip, you could be covered for it. The more important thing is getting back to your home quickly if necessary. This is usually the most expensive part if you have to be flown out. There are many horror stories floating around, don’t add to them. Besides, the trip premium is infinitesimal when compared to the other trip expenses.

Protect your trip today.

 

 

So there you have it, a few ways how you can have a good Spring Break travel despite the flight loads. Can you think of any other suggestions? Please leave a comment below. In addition, share this post with your fellow travelers.