Spring Break Getaways that Won't Break the Bank

You want to keep things affordable without sacrificing the warm weather, potential for relaxation and all around fun—the things that make spring breaks memorable. Here are some affordable spring break destinations to get you headed in the right direction.

South Padre Island

Just a day's drive from Dallas and Houston, South Padre Island is where you can give your wallet a break, too.

Whether you're on spring break from college or taking the family for a getaway, staying in South Padre Island on the Texas' Gulf Coast has what it takes. It's only a day's drive from Houston or Dallas, but what a different scene. Its 34 miles of beaches and warm blue water are just begging for seaside fun. This Texas city has earned a reputation as one of the great, cheap spring break destinations because of its lively entertainment and affordable lodging. It's a serene, family-friendly American beach destination most of the time, but college students jam the beaches and clubs during late February through April. What's available beyond the bars? You can find almost anything exciting and aquatic here, including windsurfing, kiteboarding, parasailing, jet-skiing and deep-sea fishing.

San Juan

San Juan is only a few hours away by plane, making it an inexpensive destination that is out of this world.

It's a couple of hours by plane from Miami and it's a U.S. territory, but spending your spring break in San Juan feels like you've landed on a foreign shore. Puerto Rico offers jungles, caves and tropical rain forests like El Yunque, not to mention beaches—some with calm water, others with surfing waves rolling in like 25-foot walls of water. Finding accommodations in San Juan isn't expensive. It's perfect for spring break trips because the rates here stay affordable all year long without the winter premiums you'll find on other Caribbean islands. San Juan's nightlife costs little and delivers much with live music, famous rum punch and pulsing dance clubs. Buy your souvenirs along Calle de Cristo, a cobblestone street edged on both sides with cute shops, art galleries and authentic eateries.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Dig up your tent and cooler for a unique outdoor getaway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Most national parks make inexpensive spring break destinations, but Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a popular park adventure. Why not use your vacation to play here before the summer crowds roll in? Ridge after ridge of forest make for an astounding range of plant and animal life that thrives in the shadow of the scenic mountains. The park sits on the North Carolina/Tennessee border and is easily accessible from Great Smokey Mountains hotels located on either state. You can camp, fish, hike, go on a horseback ride, visit waterfalls or tour the 6-mile scenic Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Head to Cades Cove to spot white-tailed deer, wild turkeys and an occasional black bear. Drive the Newfound Gap Road for great views and wildly diverse forest ecosystems. You'll want to come back year after year.

Myrtle Beach

Nothing beats 60 miles of free beaches, which is why Myrtle Beach is an ideal affordable spring break destination.

Clean, dreamy beaches—that's the calling card of South Carolina's beautiful Myrtle Beach. You'll find 60 miles of toasty sand in this laid-back vacation center, as well as the friendly Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade. Its massive Skywheel, Slingshot and the Twist 'n Shout steel roller coaster guarantee thrills and squeals from visitors of all ages. Waterslides, racetracks and outlet malls help fill the time. College kids descend upon the hotels in Myrtle Beach in March and April because this is one of the best cheap spring break trips out there, but there's plenty of room for everyone.