Feb. 02--As everyone is digging out from the mammoth blizzard that hit the Midwest yesterday, many no doubt have visions of warm-weather destinations for spring break.
Indeed,more than half of college students plan to hit the road, with many planning trips on a budget to such destinations as Las Vegas; Cancun, Mexico; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, according to a survey released Monday by CheapTickets.com, operated by Chicago-based Orbitz Worldwide.
Florida, not surprisingly, is another top destination for spring-breakers, as the state's beaches occupy five of the top 15 travel spots.
The survey's results found price is the biggest factor in choosing a destination, with 70 percent planning to spend less than $1,000. Nearly half plan to drive rather than fly, and 95 percent will share hotel rooms with friends, with 12 percent staying more than seven to a room.
Besides warm weather and price, the local party scene was another factor, the survey found.
The week of March 15 has the highest concentration of schools on spring break, followed by the weeks of March 8 and March 22, according to Cheaptickets.com.
After the top three, the rest of the 15 destinations for spring break this year are:
4. Miami
5. Los Cabos, Mexico
6. San Juan, Puerto Rico
7. San Diego
8. Daytona Beach, Fla.
9. Myrtle Beach, S.C.
10. Nassau, Bahamas
11. Fort Myers, Fla.
12. Panama City Beach, Fla.
13. Cocoa Beach, Fla.
14. South Padre Island, Texas
15. Gulf Shores, Alabama
gkarp@tribpub.com
Twitter @spendingsmart
