Alternative spring break ideas

 Spring break doesn’t have to be expensive or far away when going to school in SoCal

Lizzy Jennings / A&C Editor / The USD Vista

For many, spring break is synonymous with major expenses and headaches, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. Especially for students here in San Diego, there are an abundance of options for alternative spring break plans that are only a day trip away. Additionally, many of these spring break options can be done affordably, which is helpful for the tight budgets of college students. 

Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree, a U.S. National Park, is a desert haven in the middle of Southern California just a few hours east of San Diego. Home to great hiking trails, camping spots and an abundance of natural beauty, this spot can either be a day trip, or a week-long excursion. 

Senior Vanessa Grasso raves about her own Joshua Tree trip that she took last semester, sharing an Airbnb with friends to keep the trip from getting costly. 

“It was a nice getaway from San Diego” said Grasso. “We got to go on cool hikes and there were a lot of local art shops and restaurants to go to.” Walk-in camp spots are available at a first-come, first-served basis, but it may be better to plan in advance. Reserved camping spots can also fill up, especially during peak visitor season, and usually need to be reserved a few weeks in advance.   

Imperial Sand Dunes 

Near Joshua Tree National Park is the Imperial Sand Dunes, officially known as the Algodones Dunes in Imperial County. Located near the border of both Arizona and Baja California, the 45 miles of dunes are a playground for visitors. 

Senior Claire Danicich visited the dunes her sophomore year on a day trip, and it has remained one of her most memorable excursions. 

“The Imperial Sand Dunes were so much fun,” Danicich said. “It felt like I took a portal from Southern California to the deserts of Egypt.” Danicich added that she “highly recommends renting the dune buggies if you make the trip.” Though not a great overnight trip option, the dunes are perfect for students looking for a day trip to break out of their San Diego routine. 

Road Trips 

Luckily, if you find more than one of the options above appealing, they can be easily combined into a week-long spring break road trip. Though California is such an expansive state, there are a variety of different road trip routes you can take. Popular among students are road trips up the scenic Pacific Coast Highway to Northern California, drives east to Joshua Tree and the Imperial Sand Dunes, or even across borders to surrounding states.

 Junior Lexie Rollings spoke of her own road trip last year. 

“My road trip last year is my favorite memory from my time at USD,” Rollings said. “My three best friends and I traveled through California, Nevada and Arizona staying in cheap campgrounds and eating over a camp stove. The greatest stop along the way was seeing the Red Rocks in Sedona, Arizona.” Additionally, Rollings provided The USD Vista with an insider scoop, sharing that the Bureau of Land Management provides free walk-in campsites for those visiting Joshua Tree National Park. 

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Palm Springs 

Palm Springs has been a great option for students who want a week away without having to go too far from San Diego. With a variety of houses available for rent, this spring break option is perfect for all group sizes and all budgets. Splitting the cost of a house rental is a great way to keep spring break affordable, and the amount of options to choose from in Palm Springs means students have the ability to have some say in the cost of their vacations. Additionally, as it is only about a two hour drive away from San Diego, this option is great for those who want to split their break between school and somewhere close. 

North County and Los Angeles

For students without cars, there are luckily wonderful options for travel that don’t require having a personal vehicle. The AmTrak Surfliner is one of the best train routes in the country, running back and forth from Los Angeles along the ocean. With scenic views and no traffic, this train makes travel easy. Ride all the way to L.A. or stop at one of the many beach towns along the route, and have a day filled with adventure.