Just because you don’t have the dough doesn’t mean you can’t have fun this Spring Break. For the college student on a budget, there are a multitude of exciting adventures that won’t cost obscene amounts of money.
There are a lot of affordable options for Spring Break. For sunny beaches, look no further than North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
There are numerous resorts, cabins and the like available for prospective vacationers. Outerbanks.org provides a list of vacations spots along the coast.
According to Linda Tassone, a representative from the AAA on Blue Ridge Road, Carolina Beach is an affordable vacation spot for this spring break.
“Microtel Hotel is having a promotion this upcoming week with a nightly lodging rate of $62.20 for a double bedroom, continental breakfast included,” Tassone said.
A four night stay, for example, would cost just $285.66 including tax.
Carolina Beach is 140 miles from Raleigh, making for a road trip time of two hours and 22 minutes.
For an average car, that’s about $20 in gas both ways. Adding to that the cost of food for four days, let’s say $25 a day, and other expenses (i.e. alcohol, etc.) at $80 total, we end up with a homegrown vacation for right around $500. That’s $250 per person, give or take, depending on how much food and alcohol you consume.
John Isaac Jordan, a senior in accounting, said he and his friends booked a beach house for a week in Silver Sands Beach, Florida.
“I am going with eight other people and we found a beach house through Homeaway.com for $309 per person for the week,” he said.
Jordan said he plans on spending most of his time on the beach and enjoying the break from school.
“[I am] going to the beach every day and relaxing in the sun and sand,” he said.
Despite being budget conscious, these vacations are still pretty expensive. For those looking to spend next to nothing, our fair city of Raleigh has a lot to offer.
There are plenty of great places to explore, eat and drink here in the city.
For example, Pullen Park is a great place to spend a day. It has a pond, a theatre, plenty of picnic areas, an art center, and playgrounds to pass the time.
If you are feeling more studious, many of the museums here are free and open to the public, including the North Carolina Museum of Art, North Carolina Museum of History, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. Most museums that aren’t free have reduced ticket prices for students.
For live entertainment, check out the Independent Weekly. It has lists of live shows and music playing in and around Raleigh.
For those who love thrills and the bizarre, Cirque du Soleil is coming to Raleigh March 10 and 11. Tickets are priced at $88 and up. They are performing a special tribute show to the late Michael Jackson entitled Michael Jackson: The Immortal.
Some students have planned their vacations with a budget in mind.
Kamille Watson, junior in public relations, said she is going to Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte over the break.
“I plan on taking just a single day trip to Carowinds. I’m just going with a group of my closest friends,” she said.
A single-day pass to Carowinds is $54.99 at the gate, $44.99 if bought online. A two-day pass is $59.99.
Parking for the day is $12, according to Carowinds’ website. Watson said she is going to carpool in several cars with her friends in order to save money.
“We are actually going to ride separately and just pay for the gas in each other’s car. So whomever you ride with, that’s where you pitch in,” she said.
Whatever your plans are for this Spring Break, whether you are spending a fortune or pinching pennies, a fun vacation is possible.
