Holiday guide. March, April.
Where to go for Spring Break
The week the whole country goes somewhere warm at the same time. Pick the right warm, or pick a different week.
The straight answer
The best spring break destinations are Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and the Riviera Maya for dry-season beach weather, plus Washington DC or Japan when your break lands in the late March to early April cherry blossom window.
The best spring break trips go where the dry season and the calendar line up: Costa Rica's Pacific coast, Puerto Rico, the Riviera Maya away from the Cancun party strip, and the desert Southwest before the heat. For a city trip, Washington DC and Japan are at cherry blossom season from late March into early April, and that is the single most rewarding thing you can time a spring break around.
The honest problem with spring break is that everybody's is the same three weeks. Mid March is the peak: Orlando parks run near capacity, Florida and Gulf beach towns fill with college crowds, and Caribbean airfares climb to within sight of Christmas levels. Late March and April soften a little as college breaks end and the K-12 wave arrives, but Easter week spikes everything again.
If you have any flexibility, and homeschool families have all of it, the smarter weeks are the last week of February, the first week of March, or the two weeks after Easter. The weather in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Costa Rica is essentially identical, the prices are noticeably softer, and the beaches belong to retirees and Europeans instead of 20-year-olds.
The world, ranked for Spring Break
Each pick opens its March page, with weather, crowds and what is on.
Book Costa Rica for Spring Break.
Sponsored links to Expedia and Vrbo. We may earn a commission; it never changes a verdict.
- Hotels for March
Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Costa RicaOpens a hotel search for Costa Rica in March, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
- Rentals on Vrbo
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Costa RicaWhole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
- Tours and tickets
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Costa RicaTimed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Costa Rica for March. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Closer to home
The US picks for this week, from a long weekend drive to a national park.
Washington, DC
Cherry blossoms, free museums, and highs near 60F (16C) in late March. The Tidal Basin at sunrise beats the midday crush.
Grand Canyon South Rim
Arizona
Cool, clear rim days in the 50s and 60s F (10C to 20C) with far smaller crowds than summer. The North Rim is closed until its traditional mid May opening, and after the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire only parts of it have reopened, so check its status.
Zion National Park
Utah
Spring is prime hiking weather, highs near 65F (18C) to 75F (24C). The park shuttle runs in spring, Angels Landing needs a permit, and The Narrows is often too cold and high with snowmelt in March.
Big Bend National Park
Texas
The best month of the year to hike Big Bend, with desert wildflowers in a good rain year. It is also the park's busiest week: reserve campsites and Chisos lodging months ahead.
Florida Keys
Florida
Dry season, highs near 80F (27C), calm snorkeling at Bahia Honda and Dry Tortugas. Pricier than the Panhandle and nowhere near as rowdy.
Sedona
Arizona
Red rock trails at a perfect 70F (21C). Trailhead parking at Cathedral Rock and Devil's Bridge fills by 8am; use the Sedona Shuttle where it runs.
Hawaii
Hawaii
The tail of humpback whale season off Maui and pleasant 80F (27C) beach days. Spring break weeks price close to peak, so book early.
San Diego
California
Mild highs near 68F (20C), the zoo and Balboa Park, and gray whales still passing offshore early in the month. Swimming is cold, so treat it as a city and nature trip, not a beach one.
Skip this week
- Orlando theme parks in mid March. The overlap of college, Texas, and Florida school breaks makes mid March through Easter one of the busiest stretches of the year at Walt Disney World and Universal. Expect 60 to 90 minute waits on headliners and peak ticket pricing.
- Cancun Hotel Zone, Panama City Beach, and South Padre in March. These are the classic college spring break towns. Great if that is the point; miserable if you are there with kids or want to sleep.
- Northern Europe and the Alps' lowest resorts. Early March in Paris, London, or Amsterdam is still cold and gray, and low-altitude ski resorts are often patchy by late March. Europe does not really wake up until mid April.
- Southeast Asia's northern hills. March and April are burning season in northern Thailand and much of the Mekong region: hazy skies and poor air quality around Chiang Mai. Head to the beaches instead.
The booking playbook
- 01Book flights for a March spring break by early January. Domestic fares to Florida, Arizona, and Hawaii climb steadily from the holidays onward, and the cheapest seats are gone by February.
- 02Fly out on the Saturday or Sunday before your break rather than Friday night, and come back midweek if school allows. Friday departures and the final Sunday home are the most expensive tickets of the season.
- 03Check the academic calendars of big state universities near your destination. A beach town packed with one university's break can be quiet the next week.
- 04For national parks, reserve lodging and any permits (Angels Landing, Big Bend campsites) the day the booking windows open. Spring break is the peak season for desert parks.
- 05If you can move by even one week, move to the first week of March or the week after Easter. Same weather, noticeably lower rates, and far shorter lines.
With kids in tow
- For young kids, the no-passport options (Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Hawaii, Florida) take the stress out of the trip, and Puerto Rico's short flights beat Hawaii's long ones from the East Coast.
- Homeschool families: the last week of February and first week of March are the sweet spot. Caribbean weather is identical to mid March, and the college crowds have not arrived.
- Cherry blossom trips pair well with school: Washington DC's free museums and monuments do double duty as a civics unit, and the blossom tradition itself was a gift from Tokyo in 1912.
- Pack for cold in the desert: canyon rims at 7,000 feet can drop below freezing at night even when afternoons are warm.
Spring Break, quick answers
When is spring break in the US?
It is not one week. Colleges mostly break in the first three weeks of March, many K-12 districts (especially in Texas and the South) take the second or third week of March, and many Northeast and Midwest districts tie the break to Easter, which moves between late March and late April. Check your specific district calendar.
What is the best spring break destination for families?
Puerto Rico and Costa Rica are the strongest all-around picks: dry season weather, real things to do beyond the beach, and none of the college party scene. For a no-flight option, Washington DC at cherry blossom time is hard to beat.
Where is warm but not crowded for spring break?
Aruba, Belize, and Puerto Morelos or Tulum on the Riviera Maya are warm and far calmer than Cancun or the Florida Panhandle. Inland, Arizona's Sedona and the Grand Canyon South Rim are warm by day without summer's heat.
What is the cheapest week for a spring break trip?
The first week of March and the two weeks after Easter are the cheapest spring weeks with the same warm-weather destinations. Mid March and Easter week are the most expensive.
Is Cancun too crowded for spring break?
The Hotel Zone in Cancun is the heart of college spring break in March. The wider Riviera Maya, from Puerto Morelos south to Tulum, has the same water with a family crowd. Easter week also brings Mexico's own Semana Santa holiday crowds to the beaches.
Where should I go for spring break to see cherry blossoms?
Washington DC and Tokyo or Kyoto. Both usually peak between late March and early April, but the exact week varies with the winter weather, so book refundable and watch the official bloom forecasts.
Other holiday weeks
Easter Week
March, April
The week half of Europe and all of Latin America goes on holiday. Go where Easter is the show, or go where it is not a holiday at all.
Presidents' Day Weekend
February
The peak of the ski season and the Caribbean high season in the same week. Pick your warm or your snow early, or pick the week after.
Winter Break Ski Trips
December, January, February, March
Four holiday weeks, every family on the same lifts. Pick the resort by the snow and the calendar, not the brand name.
Memorial Day Weekend
May
The unofficial start of summer, and the first weekend the national parks and beach towns fill up. Pick a place that is fully open but not yet full.
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