So you don’t have the hundreds of dollars necessary to spend spring break in Florida, Jamaica or any other hot spots? Well, don’t despair, there are plenty of options close by that wont force you to max out your credit cards.
New York City
You may have thought that New York was too expensive, but there is a way to do the Big Apple on a college student budget.
According to the Greyhound Web site, round-trip bus travel to New York is $40.
Plus, Greyhound offers what they call “Companion Fare,” which means you can get a free ticket for a friend traveling with you. However, in order to cash in on this option, you have to buy your tickets at least three days in advance, so plan ahead.
Once you get to New York, there are a number of options for places to stay.
Hotels in New York can get pretty pricey so your best bet is to stay in a hostel.
According to Hostels.com, staying in a hostel means sharing facilities with other guests.
The rooms are dorm style, usually furnished with bunk beds. Bathrooms and lounge areas are shared as well.
The good news is that hostels are cheap.
Hostels.com lists places between $15 and $39.99 a night.
The average price was around $25 a night per person.
While you are in New York, you’ll need a way to get around.
The subway in New York is much more extensive than SEPTA, but it can get you to just about any point in the city and the outer borroughs.
Travelers can buy a one-day “Fun Pass” for $4 that is good for unlimited subway and bus rides from the first use until 3 a.m. the following day.
Maps and guides are available all over to help you find your way around.
Atlantic City
If you’re going to travel to Atlantic City, you need to do it cheaply since you’ll want to have some money left over to spend in the casinos.
Hopefully, you will win enough for that trip to Florida next year.
If you need help getting to Atlantic City, Greyhound is the way to go.
As of this writing, the Greyhound Web site was offering a special on fares to Atlantic City.
Round trip travel was only $12.
Check with Greyhound for official prices and restrictions.
Casinos inflate their room rates on the weekend, so the best thing to do is make this a weekday trip.
A quick search of Expedia.com found the best deal at the Tropicana Casino and Resort with an average rate of $60 per night.
This rate was to stay between Monday and Thursday of that week.
Also, the room can sleep up to four people, which allows you to split the room cost with fellow spring-breakers.
Stuck in Philly?
If you can’t get away from this place for the week, don’t fret – there are some cool hometown events that are well worth checking out.
If you’re into fine arts, there are plenty of performances and exhibits to see.
The Opera Company of Philadelphia is performing “Macbeth” beginning on March 14.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art just opened an exhibit called “Degas and the Dance,” featuring over 140 works by the Impressionist painter.
Tickets are $15 between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, $20 otherwise.
If you are looking for something a little less formal, you can spend a day with the animals at the Philadelphia Zoo.
Admission is only $9.95, and the zoo is open from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. every day.
You could also spend a day walking through the giant heart at the Franklin Institute.
For just $12.75, you can explore the museum and, for an extra $4, catch a movie at the IMAX Theater.
Hopefully these ideas give you some inspiration to make your spring break a little more enjoyable than your original plan of watching Spring Break on MTV.
Carrie Tolerico can be reached at ctoleric@temple.edu.
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