After football season and March Madness comes a different kind of madness: Spring Break.
When schools, colleges, and universities let out for this iconic week of vacation, students and families alike flock to Florida, everyone’s favorite fair-weather holiday destination.
This is your one-stop shop, Florida native-written guide to a perfect Spring Break, wherever you end up in the Sunshine State.
COVID Guide
In 2021, during the Delta variant surge, alcohol was banned on the beaches to curb social gatherings and beach parties.
Establishments that serve alcohol also cut off alcohol sales earlier than usual in the day.
In 2022, state COVID restrictions have been relaxed, but they are liable to change with virus news.
Most indoor public places such as supermarkets, stores, and restaurants do not require fully vaccinated customers to mask but recommend unvaccinated persons to wear masks.
Masks are still required while utilizing all public transportation, due to the federal mandate. This applies to being in airplanes, airports, buses, taxis, rideshares like Uber and Lyft, subways, trollies, ferries, and other public transit systems.
Now, what are the best cities to go to for Spring Break in Florida?
Orlando
Alt Text: Reflection of Universal’s Islands of Adventure on the lake at dusk
Orlando is still one of the best vacation destinations in the world! It has much more to offer than just Disney World parks and has something for everyone.
It is a Florida resident favorite for a reason.
For the adventurous, go indoor skydiving at iFly Orlando, take a ride on the 450-foot StarFlyer, and break out of prison at The Escape Game Orlando.
And as long as you’re there, you might as well splurge for a one-day or two-day pass to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, where you can race velociraptors on the all new Velocicoaster, see the dragon breathe fire at Diagon Alley in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and then hop over to Universal’s Volcano Bay to cool off.
Universal CityWalk is free and doesn’t require a park pass to visit. You can walk the boardwalk, get a drink at Margaritaville, drink an epic milkshake at the Chocolate Emporium, party at the clubs, or catch a movie in their theater.
While not a coastal city, Orlando only 1 hour away from the famous Cocoa Beach on Florida’s Space Coast, which is a famous Spring Break destination.
When you’re there, you can visit the World’s Most Famous Surf Shop, Ron Jon Surf Shop.
You may also be able to catch a rocket launch!
Check out hotels and vacation rentals in Orlando here.
Floridian Tip: The BEST grilled cheese sandwich you will ever have can be found at Grilled Cheezus in downtown, which is walking distance to Lake Eola Park for an afternoon stroll.
Fort Lauderdale Beach
Alt Text: Downtown Fort Lauderdale Beach oceanfront sidewalk
Fort Lauderdale is known as the “Venice of America” because of its network of canals that are perfect for boating.
Split the cost of a yacht rental with your friends and sail the day away!
If a yacht is out of your price range, try the Cruisin’ Tikis of Fort Lauderdale, shown below.
Fort Lauderdale offers more than 7 miles of beach with a beautifully paved sidewalk for walking, running, biking, roller skating, and skateboarding. A walk along the beach here is perfect for a romantic date night without getting sandy feet.
As far as where the party is, that would be Las Olas Boulevard in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, which has blocks of bars, restaurants, and shopping.
The MASS District, also downtown, is the cultural hub of the area, housing unique murals and eclectic shops.
Glitch Bar, a three-room “barcade” with unique drinks, is also located in the MASS District.
Check out the best VRBO rentals in Fort Lauderdale here.
Miami
Alt Text: South Beach, Miami during Spring Break
Miami is always one of the #1 Spring Break destinations for young college students looking to party.
South Beach and the surrounding area and clubs are always packed with vacationers and locals alike soaking up the sun midday and dancing the night away.
One spicy place to visit is Haulover Park, which has a nude-friendly beach where adventurous beachgoers can shed an extra layer. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
Check out a list of the 41 Best Restaurants in Miami to Dine in Right Now.
Club Space is probably the trendiest club in Miami, famous for its rooftop terrace and for being a 24-hour venue. As of this writing, the hours have constricted, but they’ll most likely open back up fully for Spring Break.
One of the most unique nightclubs in the world is Basement, which houses an ice skating rink and a bowling alley!
If the crazy crowds aren’t for you, don’t worry. Miami is also only 1 hour from Everglades National Park, which has walking and biking trails as well as airboat rides.
An update on the National Park Service’s page states, “Masks are required for everyone, regardless of location or vaccination status, in all NPS buildings, crowded outdoor spaces, and all forms of enclosed public transportation.”
Panama City Beach
While the East coast has the most to offer in regard to nightlife and water sports, this would be an incomplete list if I didn’t include at least one Gulf city.
University of South Florida students may flock to this nearby famous Spring Break destination.
Panama City Beach offers 27 miles of beach along the Gulf of Mexico, which has calmer, shallower waters than the East coast of Florida.
A great place for Spring Breakers to enjoy the beach is at the City Pier and Beach area, which is arguably the most popular place to spend the day in Panama City, with shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.
You may be able to catch a free concert at Aaron Bessant Park.
Race City is an amusement park which offers free admission and guests pay for the individual attractions they wish to experience.
For the outdoorsy types, Panama City Beach Conservation Park has 24 miles of well-maintained trails for no admission fee.
For delicious food, visit Bayou on the Beach Café, with live music and mouth-watering seafood, hush puppies, and Bloody Mary’s.
Check out VRBO rentals in Panama City Beach here.
Daytona Beach
Alt Text: Daytona Beach Amusement Pier
Daytona Beach is another one of the most popular and world-famous Spring Break destinations in Florida, and the city even has its own Spring Break 2022 website.
The Boardwalk is a great place to spend the day and take tons of pictures for social media. There are souvenir shops, arcades, classic boardwalk rides, restaurants, entertainers, food vendors, live music, and summer fireworks.
Daytona Lagoon has everything an adventurous soul could want: a waterpark, a high-speed go-kart track, a SkyMaze ropes course, a laser tag arena, and an arcade.
Party at Daytona’s rooftop bars! The ROOF Daytona Beach Pier is a popular venue, as well as the upscale Streamline Hotel’s Sky Lounge.
On a slower note, walk off your hangover, have a brunch picnic, or paddle through the marshes at Bulow Creek State Park.
VRBO places to stay in Daytona are here.
Key West
Alt. Text: The Barbary Beach House in Key West
Alt. Text: Miles of blue ocean water along the Mile Long Bridge into the Florida Keys
For Spring Breakers looking to party, there’s probably no better place than Key West.
It is one of the few places in the United States where you are legally allowed to walk the streets with an open container of alcohol, which makes for fun bar hopping or just grabbing a drink and walking the streets seeing the sights.
For the open-minded visitors, make an after-dinner reservation at Better Than Sex Dessert Restaurant and then dance your heart out on the clothing-optional rooftop dance floor called Garden of Eden, the third level of a three-level open-air bar.
For great live music every night, decent drinks, and food so good you’ll want to come back the next night, take a stroll down to Hank’s Hair of the Dog Saloon.
Floridian Tip: Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is absolutely gorgeous in late March. The weather is perfect. Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Floridian Tip: The Rum Bar is a tiny bar with a chill vibe and great drinks. They have more than rum.
Floridian Tip: The Cuban Coffee Queen is the Starbucks of Key West. Their iconic black and yellow coffee cups will follow you around the island until you try one. Stop here for your morning coffee and take a walk to Mallory Square.
Final Floridian Tip: Make sure you download the ParkMobile AND PayByPhone parking apps before you visit, which will make parking in the big cities a breeze. Most cities have phased out regular parking meters and switched to one of these two apps for street and lot parking.
HAVE FUN AND STAY SAFE, SPRING BREAKERS!!
