Spring break for students starts tomorrow, and we thought it would be fun to suggest a few vacation destinations for everybody’s week off of school!  Some are near and others far, but no matter where you decide to go, we hope you have a restful and safe break!

Lexi - The Black Hills

Spring break is the best time to get out and take a vacation with your family or friends. What’s a better place to do this than the Black Hills South Dakota? The Black Hills are the perfect place to go on spring break whether it’s with family or your friends.

The Black Hills have lots of options for activities. If you go for the views, you could go to The Black Hills National Forest, The Badlands or Devil’s Tower. They’re picture perfect places for pictures, picnics, walks and more.

If you like to hike or walk along trails in the mountains, there’s plenty of options for that too. You could visit the highest peak in South Dakota, Black Elk Peak. It’s a great place to go on hiking trails with amazing views. There’s even an old firehouse on Black Elk Peak that looks pretty sweet.

If you’re interested in more historical things, Mount Rushmore offers just that and so much more! At Mount Rushmore, you can watch the lighting ceremony or take pictures. You can even walk trails around the site. Up at Mount Rushmore, they have an ice cream shop, gift shop and other fun South Dakota swag.

There is loads more to do in the Black Hills of South Dakota; these are just a few ideas to help get the fun started. Make this spring break an unforgettable one in South Dakota!

Nyah - Grandma and/or Grandpa’s House

Has anyone ever stopped to wonder what the best place to go to for spring break is? Well, without question, I would say that it is undoubtedly my grandparents’s house. Hear me out on why. 

At the top of the list is obviously the food. I have lost track of the times that I entered my grandma’s house hungry and she used her phenomenal cooking skills to whip something together. 

While on the topic of food, don’t even get me started about the baking. Let’s not forget about the cookies and the sweet, delectable aroma of banana bread fresh from the oven. I don’t care who you are, nothing hits quite as hard as grandma’s freshly baked delicacies, especially if they are made specifically for you. 

Last but not least is the sense of security.  At grandma’s house, there is a sense of stability and safety that you can’t get anywhere else. Grandmas and grandpas always have room for you in their household and they do whatever they can to make you feel safe, welcomed and loved. It is a feeling that will never grow old. 

All in all, while I'm sure there are a bunch of places you could go to spend your spring break, none of the places will hit home as hard as going to your grandparents’ house. Even though there are a bunch of amazing places to go, grandparents have seniority. Oops. I meant superiority. 

Carla - California

Nothing is more spring break worthy than an exciting trip to California. Everyone can agree that California is the epitome of a good time. Despite what most people think, California isn't just the #1 party state. Filled with beaches, incredible shops and other wholesome activities, this diverse wonderland has all the attractiveness of the perfect spring vacation. 

The West Coast has some beautiful sights including its multitude of beaches. My personal favorite is Santa Monica. It has miles of soft sand and walkable restaurants. Santa Monica also has a pier with an amusement park, aquarium and an abundance of shopping centers. 

California also has a wider variety of shops than you’ll find anywhere else in America. Places like Los Angeles, Beverley Hills, and San Francisco boast everything from kitschy tourist stores to runway fashion. The whole state is jet fuel to your shopping addiction. Just dive right in and treat yourself; afterall, it’s spring break!

If none of the above fit your ideal spring break vacation, try one of the best zoos in the country: San Diego Zoo! This zoo can show you incredible sites and expand your knowledge of wildlife from all regions of the world. 

This spring break, go to California. If you’re not satisfied, go again, there’s always something new to try!

Evan - Fairplay, CO

Many people are planning to go out of town for the upcoming spring break to find the perfect vacation spot. However, there is no need to look any further because Fairplay, Colorado is the ultimate destination for a vacation.

The creators of the hit television show “South Park,” Matt Stone and Trey Parker, used Fairplay as the visual basis for the show. The citizens of Fairplay have taken advantage of this fact by owning “South Park” themed shops that offer “South Park” items and exciting items like geodes or handmade art.

Within Fairplay, there are multiple locally owned restaurants that people visit daily for the quality and abundance of the food. The famed Java Moose coffee shop offers one-of-a-kind, flavorsome meal options like their mouthwatering omelets, which can have both sausage and bacon inside a cheesy exterior.

After a delicious breakfast, located only twenty minutes away from Fairplay is the famous skiing town of Breckenridge, Colorado. There are endless opportunities to snowboard, ski or even snow tube down the prominent Copper Mountain. Along with the snow possibilities, many locally owned shops and restaurants offer a variety of themed items from snowboards to unique clothing.

Within Breckenridge, ice hockey and figure skating are extremely popular, with the Stephen C Ice Arena being the go-to for any ice activity. The Trollstigen trail, located only a short walk from the ice arena, allows many to view the novelty of the over 8-foot-tall Breckenridge troll, which was made exclusively from bark and wood from the surrounding area.

Clearly, Fairplay is the destination for anyone looking for a phenomenal, one-of-a-kind experience in the real-life equivalent of South Park during this upcoming spring break.

Carys - Branson, MO

When spring break comes around, everyone always thinks of going to a warmer climate like Florida or California. Have you ever thought about exploring the Midwest? There are so many beautiful, exciting, and fun places in the Midwest to adventure, many of them southerly enough to bring the warmer temps. The best among these, by far, is Branson, Missouri!

Branson is about 209 miles south of Kansas City, and there is just as much to explore. The best is the old-timey theme park, Silver Dollar City. Silver Dollar City’s fun, wild west themed attractions are the affordable alternatives to its coastal contemporaries. There are several fun rides including water rides to cool you down on a hot day, miles of food stands to fill your bellies, and historic and educational shows on the daily. Silver Dollar City is fun for all ages and all seasons!

In addition to Silver Dollar City, the Branson Belle showboat is wildly entertaining. This boat involves a show, a three-course meal and a whole lotta fun! You get to set sail on Table Rock Lake and can also feel the breeze while touring around the boat after the show.

Branson, MO is full of attractions for people in all age groups. With the many museums and shows and tourist destinations, Branson is definitely the place to be for anybody’s spring break!

Addi - Yankton, SD

Out of all the places you can go for spring break, I believe that Yankton, South Dakota is one of the best places you can choose. There are so many things to do there during the spring and it’s just a beautiful place as well.

One thing you can do there is fish. Lewis and Clark lake is a beautiful large lake, and has many great opportunities for fishing in the spring. You are most likely to catch catfish in deep waters all the way frome early spring to fall. So get your lures ready and go catch some fish! If you reel in empty, take a stop at the Lewis and Clark Marina and get yourself a nice lunch or dinner while overlooking the water after a long day of catching stick and grass bass.

The downtown area there is also super fun to go to and walk around. They often hold farmer’s markets in the spring and summer, and there are so many good things to eat, do, and buy! Treat yourself to a local coffee or some amazing breakfast foods while looking over the river. One of my favorite breakfast spots is Willa Bee’s.

If you’re into walking and hiking, there are many places to do that as well! You can go hiking throughout the forests, or along the beaches of the river. Every park and campground is free to walk into (driving in is another story), so go check out all the South Dakota, Nebraska and US Army Corps of Engineer parks! There’s also a walking bridge that goes over the river that is 3,000 feet long. So walk across and back and you’ve already walked a mile! For other activities there is also boating, biking, horseback riding, camping, and more.

One last extra special thing you can do is go to the Yankton High School Hall of Fame and see the famous portrait of Mr. McDonald shining in all his glory! Such a sight to see.

Yankton South Dakota is one of my favorite and let alone the best spot to go for spring break. So pack your fishing poles and get on the road for one of the best spring break adventures of your life!

Virginia - San Diego, CA

Spring break is a great time to get out of the comfort of your town or city and relax. The best place to do this is the sunny state of California, more specifically San Diego. 

Some of the must-do activities in San Diego include Belmont Park, which is a historic amusement park on the oceanfront, LEGOLAND where you can go on rides, explore all the different areas of the park and build legos, and finally, The Flower Fields, where you can enjoy fresh flowers and take fun and colorful pictures. 

Since San Diego is by the ocean, plan on swimming, catching some rays and doing all the fun ocean activities like surfing, snorkeling and paddle boarding while you are there. 

Even though going to San Diego might not be the cheapest option for a spring break destination, it sure will be the most memorable and enjoyable destination of them all.

So pack your bags and remember that the best spring break of your life is one flight away to San Diego.

Mac - Kearney, NE

Did you know that Kearney was voted America’s 46th best spring break destination in 2014? If you haven’t taken a trip west for a day or two of vacation, Nebraska’s very own Kearney is the place for you!

To start, Kearney is a very affordable vacation. There may not be theme parks, zoos, or anthropomorphic animals running around, but if you ask me, that’s part of its charm. At a certain age, all that stuff is just schtick anyway. I’d rather spend less money and do more activities than pay a premium to some zillion-dollar entertainment conglomerate just to spend hours in line to get my money’s worth. Kearney offers top-end attractions at a fraction of the price.

For example, the Big Apple Fun Center has everything you could ever want for a day of fun. Go-karts, bowling, mini golf, arcade, restaurant - you name it! It’s there. While bowling is my favorite, Big Apple also has a VR roller coaster with many different themes to get your thrill-ride fix.  

If the Fun Center isn’t your speed, consider Cottonmill Lake! There’s lots of space to ride bikes, play catch, disc golf, throw horseshoes or have a picnic. If you’re an angler, Cottonmill is a stocked lake with no-wake boating and pedalboat rentals at bargain prices. Suppose you want all the attractions of Cottonmill with a little less nature. In that case, Yanney Park also offers a lake, playground, and amphitheater just like Cottonmill, with the added bonus of a splash pad and an observation tower to take in all the beauty of this jewel of the Nebraska Sandhills.  

All in all, there’s more to Kearney than meets the eye. It wasn’t voted the 46th best spring destination for nothing!