Where to go for spring break in Texas
With spring break in Texas on the horizon, it’s time to start getting excited about all that the Lone Star State has to offer. This guide selects a few of the amazing spots you can visit between late February and the end of April. It’s an eclectic bunch, counting dune-backed barrier islands, immersive cityscapes, and gorgeous backcountry. Where will you pick?
A Texan spring break on the coast
Texas is blessed with uber-long lengths of coastline on the Gulf of Mexico, not to mention springtime temperatures that are firmly in bikini and boardshort territory. If that sounds like your sort of spring break, the options below could be right on.
South Padre Island – spring break haven extraordinaire
Get ready to rumble to MTV stage sets and off-the-hook DJ parties, to hit poolsides with cold beers in tow and dance the flip flops off, in South Padre Island. For college goers on the hunt for somewhere wild and famous, this is surely it. There are oodles of island rentals that front the beaches, too, so you can put yourself right in the thick of the action from the get-go.
Corpus Christi is a cheap alternative
Not got the budget for South Padre? Corpus Christi is a fine alternative. It’s a couple of hours to the north, set in a wide bay with a few barrier islands fringing the Gulf of Mexico. Those tend to be the focus of the action, so hop on a ferry out to Port Aransas and Mustang Beach and you’ll find open-air dance parties pumping well after sundown. Those are also the spots to snag multi-bedroom condos with swimming pools just meters from where the waves roll in.
Top family destinations for spring break in Texas
Texas has a feast of family destinations. From the rattling trolleys of old Galveston to the gurgling Riverwalk of San Antonio, there’s rarely a dull moment for spring breakers with the kids in tow…
Galveston’s loaded with draws
Galveston’s brimming with enticing vacation homes. But you might not even want to spend much time by the poolside of your condo, what with the Seawall Urban Park and its twirling Ferris wheel, the Pleasure Pier’s gaming arcades, and the gushing slides and wave pools of Schlitterbahn Waterpark beckoning elsewhere.
San Antonio – a city filled with family fun
There’s enough to keep any crew going in the bumping city of San Antonio. The Riverwalk is a fizzing mix of Tex-Mex eateries and brew bars, all steps from the enthralling historical wonders of the Alamo. Trips out of town, meanwhile, could include the loop-de-lopping rollercoasters and heart-thumping Iron Rattler of Six Flags Fiesta Texas, or subterranean expeditions into the Cascade Caverns.
Classic recreation on Lewisville Lake
The beauty of choosing Lewisville Lake for your spring break in Texas is that you won’t have to venture far from the heart of either Dallas or Fort Worth. An all-in-one sports and relaxation destination, it’s got boating marinas and health clubs, which means a trip filled with water skiing, sailing, fishing, and more.
A spring break in Texas countryside
With a loud “yehaa” and a swirl of the lasso, you can really get in the spirit of the Old West out in the countryside of the Lone Star State. But it doesn’t end there, because spring break in Texas is a perfect time to score bargain stays on Hill Country wineries or venture out to long-lost cabins on the edges of Lake Texoma, too.
Is this the way to Amarillo? Maybe. Just maybe.
You’ll be able to cruise down the dusty courses of Route 66, see the carved hoodoo spires of Palo Duro Canyon, and channel your inner cowboy in Amarillo. A cracking spot for budding adventurers, the nearby state parks have red-rock hiking trails, climbing walls, and even ziplines that go across deep gorges.
Get-away-from-it-all cabins on Lake Texoma
With eagles flitting through the skies overhead, waters lapping against rocky shores, and oodles of cabin-style retreats dotting the banks, Lake Texoma is a doozy for those in search of a real escape come March or April. You won’t have any of the loud crowds here, which means it can be just you, nature, and the fishing pole.
The Hill Country – a romantic spring break in Texas
It’s the three W’s in the Hill Country around San Antonio – wedding venues, wonderful scenery, and wineries. The first can be found in vacation homes on old farms or ranches, with swimming pools and waterfalls in their sweeping grounds. The views are everywhere you look – think oak and cedar-topped hills spilling into the blue-tinted Frio River. And then there are the wineries, which offer Texas’s best tipples and might even have B&Bs on site.