There’s really no good time to go to Myrtle Beach or Daytona, but the month of March is a particularly horrifying time to visit either unless you consider blacking out on the beach after an impromptu Beer Olympics the same thing as catching some rays. For the rest of us, vacationing in March poses quite the conundrum. On one hand, we’ve been suffering through the cold, dark days of Canadian winter for so long that we’re in need of a break from our crippling seasonal affective disorder. On the other, March is one of the busiest months of the year for student travelers looking to party hard thanks to their spring break schedules. So where do you go to avoid the amateur binge-drinking scene, wet T-shirt contests, and hopeful Girls Gone Wild stars of tomorrow? Here are the top spring vacation spots to avoid spring breakers…
The East Coast of Barbados
Just because you don’t want to be around students doesn’t mean you don’t want to go skinny-dipping while listening to Rihanna’s “Love In A Hopeless Place” and drinking out of a coconut, right? Enter Barbados, the homeland of RiRi and one of the most underrated beach destinations for spring vacations. The east side of the island is particularly awesome because not only are the waves much more surfable and awe-inspiring than on the west side, but there’s less of a Hollywood scene at resorts like The Crane. The east side is called the Platinum Coast for good reasons, one of which is the Sandy Lane Resort frequented by the likes of Simon Cowell and Tiger Woods. Make like surfer Kelly Slater and hit the east side for the same coral-sand beaches and blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, but with much less people.
Paris, France
Okay, okay… Paris might be the most beloved tourist destination for pretty much everyone in the world, but there’s a reason why March is such an amazing time to go: all the students are in Cancun, or the European equivalent, Ibiza. In the summer, once they’re done their exams they’ll flock to Paris to behold the works of Van Gogh at the Musee D’Orsay to justify majoring in art history, but for now they’re partying their parents’ money away at all-inclusive resorts. It might not be much warmer in Paris this time of year than it is here in Canada, but somehow the Eiffel Tower makes snow seem a lot more magical than the CN Tower ever can. There are tons of discounts on last-minute flights, and keep in mind that it’s a direct flight and is only about six hours from Toronto. Bonus? You get to sleep on the plane and wake up to Paris for breakfast – that’s one night you don’t need a place to stay right off the bat! Rent an apartment on Airbnb.com or AlloRenta.com to keep your costs down for the rest of your trip.
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Reykjavík, Iceland
Did you know it’s currently above zero in Iceland? Yeah, despite popular misconception even their sun-challenged winters are warmer than ours and then the sun still stays out until late afternoon there this time of year. What’s better than seeing the Northern Lights while bathing in the hot springs? How about the fact that, if you are single, Icelandic folk are always happy to, um, “greet” foreigners because their country is so tiny and far removed that they actually have an iPhone app to make sure people aren’t related before hooking up with each other – true story. Who needs Florida when we can hook up with the descendants of Vikings?
Panama City, Panama
Panama is all about promoting tourism these days so flights are cheaper than ever to get yourself to the gorgeous beaches and wild jungles of this sexy country. It has Latin flavour all around: spicy food, killer parties, laid-back attitudes and hot, hot weather. Worried that your Spanish is a little shaky? No worries. Given that the Panama Canal used to be American owned, there’s a huge expat community and almost everyone speaks English… not that you’re that kind of a traveler, right?
Belize
Sun worshipers who think Costa Rica is just too touristy are now flocking to the less trafficked but equally amazing Belize, which just doesn’t have all-inclusive culture in the same way as its more resort-ridden neighbours. Why not snorkel while taking in the Belize Barrier Reef? It’s the second largest coral reef in the world, after all. Belize has the added bonus of having Mayan ruins, so you can write off your vacation as a cultural experience, and we all feel better about our tans when we can pretend they’re just well-earned badges from enriching life experiences.
