Mexican Spots Top Student, Family Destinations
 Joshua Stowe - Tribune
| | Mexico and the Caribbean remain popular spring break destinations, as these travel brochures indicate. (Shayna Breslin) |
The crisp cold of another Michiana fall has people plotting their spring break escapes, eager to experience warmer climes, if only for a short while.
That's why Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta are the latest hot spots for college students and families alike, Michiana travel agencies say, while the perennially popular Cancun remains a preferred destination, despite suffering hurricane damage earlier this year.
Among college students at least, word of mouth has propelled Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta to the top tier of spring break stops, said John Anthony, president of Anthony Travel Inc.
"So much of the college spring break thing is a follow-the-leader type mentality," he said. "A lot of times, if you have a couple dynamic students and they settle on Puerto or Cabo, they go back to their dorm and you can have 24 bookings right away."
Anthony should know. His agency on the University of Notre Dame's campus handles "hundreds" of student bookings, he said, adding that Caribbean cruises are also a popular choice.
Many upperclassmen, having weathered a Cancun getaway their freshman year, are now looking to these alternatives, he said.
But "Cabo" and "Puerto," as travel agents call them, aren't just for college students; they're also drawing families looking for a fun vacation.
Michiana agencies, such as Edgerton's Travel Service Inc. and Signal Travel & Tours Inc., report brisk bookings for the locations. Both agencies said they handle a mix of family and student clients.
Cancun, meanwhile, appears to be recovering from the damage Hurricane Wilma left when it hammered the area in October, local travel experts say, although some believe the comeback may be a bit slow.
"We're still seeing interest in Cancun," said Michele Boyd, president of Signal, adding that recovery efforts appear to be going well. Tom Edgerton, president of Edgerton's, agreed.
"Cancun will be ready in a week or two," he said.
Meanwhile, other popular getaways include Jamaica and old Florida standbys such as Fort Lauderdale, Daytona Beach and Orlando -- the last still favored by families seeking the traditional trip to Disney World.
They're not the only spots, though. Sandra Dobrucki, a travel consultant for TCU Travel, said Las Vegas tops the list for her agency's customers. And Boyd said Signal is offering European river cruises, which some families seem to prefer.
Costs vary widely depending on the destination, the type of travel package, and the quality of hotel accommodations. But the trips can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars per person, travel experts said.
For instance, Anthony said a college student can expect to spend $600 to $1,500 on their spring break; Edgerton said a stay in Cabo San Lucas can cost a family of four anywhere from $3,500 to $8,000; and Boyd said a river cruise in Europe can cost $1,250 per person.
Joshua Stowe: jstowe@sbtinfo.com |
Vallarta Weddings
Travel & Outdoors | December 2005 
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