It's break time

Sunny beach or a snowy slope, college kids seek a getaway

By CHRIS OTTSpecial to the Journal Sentinel

Sunday, March 3, 2002

It's just a few weeks away now: the nine-day block on the calendar that some students look forward to all semester, maybe all year. Mobs will soon be heading out of town and reconvening at beaches and other spring-break destinations.

But if you're a student who hasn't made plans for break yet -- or even if you're not in school but want a spring vacation anyway -- the good news is it's not too late. One new trend this year is that spring breakers have been planning trips later than usual, because of concerns about safety. Some real bargains are available, too, since airlines still are offering deals to get people flying again.

What if you've already got your plans set and have been eagerly rechecking your itinerary for months? Veteran travelers and other experts have advice for you, too, on how to have a smarter and safer spring escape.

Budget beaches

Though beaches have long been a popular spring-break choice, Deanna Schuppel, branch manager for STA Travel on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said there's even more interest this year because of safety concerns.

"We have more interest in Florida," she said. "A lot of people want to drive down or stay domestic."

Schuppel said the top five beach vacations this year are all either in the United States or close by: Daytona Beach and Panama City, Fla., along with Jamaica, Acapulco and Cancun.

Several of these destinations also appear in a ranking of this year's best spring values, thanks to number crunchers at Orbtiz.com. In February, the Web travel site ranked the 10 best values for spring break 2002, based not only on airfares but prices for lodging and car rentals. Sunny value destinations included Miami, Panama City, Key West, New Orleans and Cancun.

Last-minute bookings

Is there still time to book a spring break trip?

"I hope so, because I haven't booked mine," said Monica Schneider, a 25-year-old graduate student at the University of Minnesota who sits on Orbitz.com's consumer advisory board.

When booking at the last minute, "Web fares come particularly into play," Schneider said. Airlines make empty seats available at lower prices on short notice.