7 spring break destinations for college kids — and 1 that doesn't want them

Fort Lauderdale, long a beacon for breakers, is welcoming them, but with reminders to bring sunscreen and respect. “Come for the fun, but remember to play by the rules. Love may be blind, but we’ll be watching,” Fort Lauderdale Police Department Chief William Schultz says in a reality show-themed public service ad being broadcast locally.

Visitors may still have to walk by piles of debris, but the city is welcoming college students for spring break. This idyllic spot on Florida’s southwest coast was laid waste by Hurricane Ian in 2022, and Helene and Milton caused damage in 2024. However, the Fort Myers News-Press (GCI) reports that local resorts are ready to welcome college students back, with one resort having just opened five floors of renovated rooms.

This weekend will be one of the busiest times of the year at this perennial spring break hot spot.

“We are expecting thousands of visitors this weekend. It is sort of the overlap weekend between these two spring break weeks,” Visit South Padre Island Executive Director Blake Henry told a local TV station.

The local tourism board has all the tools students need on their website to plan an “epic” spring break. College students appear to feel the welcoming vibe, returning year after year here.

Yes, you do need to pack a passport. But other than that, Cancun isn’t much farther than a flight to Florida. This Mexican beach destination continues to be a draw for spring breakers and that is just as true this year.

Who says you need an ocean for spring break? No, you just need a beach. And some lakes - like Arizona’s Lake Havasu - have beaches to rival that of any ocean. And you don’t really have tides here to knock you down either. Local news outlets have heralded the arrival of college students to Lake Havasu City for the 2025 spring break, partaking in the lake, soaking up the sun, and enjoying the city’s lively waterfront scene.

For midwesterners seeking a “close” beach, it doesn’t get much closer than Panama City Beach. If you’re lucky, you can make it in 11 hours by car from places like Cincinnati and St. Louis. And your journey will be rewarded with sugar-white sand and emerald seas, along with lots of partying!

U.S. News & World Report includes Jamaica on its Top 10 list of Spring Break destinations. The magazine cites the reggae music, the beaches, and the food as reasons to go. No matter where you stay, the magazine says, expect plenty of food with jerk seasoning, warm weather, welcoming islanders and no shortage of rum punch!

All the cops are a bit of buzzkill for college spring breakers. After increasingly destructive and sometimes violent crowds, Miami Beach decided to be done with spring break. You won’t find a welcome mat here if you are coming with a keg.