The three most popular spring break destinations for American college students today are Panama City, Florida; South Padre Island, Texas; and Cancun, Mexico. But this wasn’t always the case. In 1938, a college swim coach from Upstate New York decided to hold a “College Coaches’ Swim Forum,” in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Three hundred swimmers, their coaches and student fans attended and spring break was born. By 1960 students had begun to appear in great numbers, drawn by deals on lodging, food, and drinks. Today, in Texas and Florida alone, students spend an average of $1,100 a week totaling about $1 billion during the break.
If you’re thinking about traveling during spring break, air travel is expected to be the busiest it’s been in three years. Here are a few things to consider and a few tips to make traveling a little smoother and safer:
- Are there safe modes of transportation getting to and around your destination?
- Even if mask restrictions have been lifted where you live, consider what they are at your destination. The federal mask mandate on public transportation including airplanes, trains and busses is slated to remain in place until at least April 18, 2022.
- What is your vaccine status and what are the requirements where you’re going? Visit the CDC’s travel website to find out which vaccines you may need. If you have health conditions, talk to your healthcare provider for specific advice on travel and vaccines.
- If you’re traveling outside the U.S., be aware of what the U.S. State Department recommends about travel to your destination, insurance and what to do in a medical emergency.
- You can contact TSA with any questions by tweeting to @AskTSA or via Facebook Messenger, weekdays from 8am to 6pm ET. You can also call the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673 from 8am to 11pm ET or 9am to 8pm on weekends.
Also, for most of southern Idaho, spring break is the week of March 21-25; for many schools in northern Idaho, it’s a week later, from March 28 to April 1. But double-check the calendar on your child’s school district website to be sure.