Spring break is a time of year for students to escape their studies and relax.
Its hallowed traditions are notorious, whether they include travels to exotic locations with days spent lying on a beach or road-tripping through towns you’ve never heard of.
With thousands of college students flocking to hot spots, and only a short seven days of freedom, traveling during spring break requires planning ahead of time.
“Timing is everything,” said John Clementi, an employee at the branch of STA Travel located in Ackerman Union. He said students should constantly shop around because prices change all the time.
Though some companies offer cheap last-minute deals, Clementi said booking flights and accommodations in advance is the best way to find reasonable prices.
While searching for deals online can be successful, leaving the planning to a professional and booking a trip through a travel agency is easier and can be cheaper.
Travel agencies offer exclusive discounts for students who don’t want to spend their life savings on a trip.
Tickets purchased through STA Travel are good for a year and travel dates can be changed at any time for only $35, said Keponi Elaisa, an employee at the company’s Westwood location. Airline companies often charge hundreds of dollars if travel dates are changed.
Traveling in groups also reduces travel costs, since rooms can be shared or gas money split, and opens opportunities for group discounts.
Not only is spending spring break with your friends cheaper, it also ensures that you have a buddy with you when you cross the border or get off the plane in a foreign country.
Students can also find discounts by showing their school IDs, as many hostels, hotels and tourist attractions have student prices, Elaisa said.
Many UCLA students spend their spring breaks with organized group programs, such as S.W.A.T. or Contiki Tours, which arrange transportation, lodging and sometimes meals for a set price.
Julianne Doelz, a fourth-year economics student, traveled to Rosarito, Mexico for spring break two years ago with S.W.A.T. and said she only had to sign up online because all of the planning was done by a student representative with the company.
Her trip included admission to clubs and dinner each night, in addition to bus transportation and hotel accommodation, Doelz said.
Several student groups and organizations on campus also host organized spring break trips, which offer travel to a variety of places with low prices and student-friendly atmospheres.
Students can spend their spring break rock climbing in Joshua Tree National Park or canoeing through the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge with UCLA Outdoor Adventures.
“Students come on these trips because they don’t have a lot of experience and they want to try something new,” said Aaron Slosberg, a guide for Outdoor Adventures.
The cost of each trip covers transportation and any necessary equipment, and a few trained guides lead each trip, he said.
Even if your spring break plans do not include travels to a far-away destination, remaining flexible and open is key to a successful and relaxing break. Getting out of town and doing something different is the greatest escape from the daily routine.