Spring Break steals and hot spots
Between polar vortexes and record-setting droughts, it’s no secret that this winter has left a lot to be desired. One cure for the winter blues: Warm and sunny Spring Break vacations that are big on fun and light on the wallet.
For this reason, today we bring you our spring travel deals and splurges.
These deals are based on hard data; they’re based on deals and bookings on Expedia.com. And there are plenty of hot destinations. To no one’s surprise, both Cancun and New York City are a couple of our most popular spring break destinations, a trend we see year after year. Newcomers to the list include a handful of international spots, such as Madrid and Sydney (to name a few).
But as much as U.S. travelers are looking forward to warm vacations, many seem to want to get in one last ski trip before the slopes close for the season. Case in point: Denver is twice as popular as it was last year, meaning travelers are ready to hit the slopes at Vail, Breckenridge and other ski areas within a few hours of that great city.
We have great deals to other popular Spring Break destinations, too. Want to snap some pics with Mickey and take a ride on Space Mountain? Head for Orlando, which is seeing some of the lowest spring break rates we’ve ever seen. Just a little farther up the east coast, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is seeing similarly low rates. In the tropics, Oahu is seeing rates that are 10 percent lower than that they were at this time last year. For something even more exotic, head to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where you can expect to pay 40 percent less for a hotel room than you might spend in Cancun.
The best tip to save money for Spring Break this year: Book your flight and hotel together. We call this process “bundling,” and by doing it, you can save up to $525 on an average vacation. In Expedia’s biggest resort markets, you can save even more; our data indicates that Spring Break travelers just like you have saved up to $912 in Cancun and $1,121 in Oahu.
Sound too good to be true? I took this idea for a test drive live on Expedia.com Monday afternoon. I searched for deals during the week of April 7 (that’s when my kids are on break), and searched for packages including airfare and (4-star) hotel. Here are some of the savings I found:
- Chicago to Tortuga Bay Hotel in the Dominican Republic – live on-site savings of $710 per person or $2840 for the family.
- Boston to Memories Grand Bahama Beach Resort All-inclusive in the Bahamas – live on-site savings of $221 per person or $884 for the family.
- New York to Dream Cancun Resort & Spa All-Inclusive in Cancun – live on-site savings of $228 per person or $912 for the family.
- New York to Sandos Cancun Luxury Experience Resort All-Inclusive – live on-site savings of $990 per person or $3960 for the family.
- Seattle to the Grand Wailea on Maui – live on-site savings of $197 per person or $788 for the family.
- Portland, Oregon to the Grand Solmar Lands End Resort and Spa in Cabo San Lucas – live on-site savings of $465 per person or $1860 for the family.
With so much money going back to your wallet, you practically could take two spring breaks! So get out there! Get booking! And beat those winter blues with travel.
*Live on-site search data based on live searches performed March 3 for travel for 2 adults and 2 children April 5th to April 12th.
**All data based on bookings made on Expedia.com between 1/6 – 2/23 for travel between 3/6 – 4/3 and for stays of 3+ days