Myrtle Beach State Park
Going to the beach for spring break may not seem like a novel idea, but Myrtle Beach State Park offers a refreshing alternative to ridiculously overpriced hotels and overly crowded beaches. The park's cheap rates, like $25 per night for a campsite including water, electricity and even Wi-Fi at the general store and pier, are much better than hotels that cost over $100 a night for much less. The oceanfront forest, fishing pier and hiking trails in the park give visitors plenty to do, and its location in the middle of the Grand Strand makes it a destination encompassing the best of both worlds.
Roadside attractions
Going on a road trip with friends — an idea used heavily in movies and television — may not seem like a particularly different or interesting thing to do for spring break. After all, being crammed into a car with six or seven other people for hours on end doesn't sound all that fun. But journeying to see the World's Largest Six-Pack of Beer in La Crosse, Wis., or the World's Largest Ball of Stamps in Boys Town, Neb., could turn out to be the adventure of your life. RoadsideAmerica.com offers an unrivaled listing of all the weird, road-trip worthy things you and your friends could be marveling at this spring break. You can search by state or city if you want to stay close to home, or check out what other tourists rank as "must-see" attractions on the Tips page. Whether you are driving across the country or down the road to the World's Largest Fire Hydrant on Taylor Street in Columbia, a road trip can be the perfect opportunity to bond with friends and see something awesome.
Habitat for Humanity
Though most spring break ideas tend to include sandy beaches, bathing suits and partying, many students are choosing philanthropy over tanning for their time off. Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that focuses on building houses for victims of natural disasters and others in need of affordable housing, offers many weeklong volunteer opportunities for students both in the United States and all over the world. The Habitat for Humanity website includes listings of building sites alphabetically by country and a search feature that allows potential volunteers to find sites by ZIP code, city and state. For those less talented with a hammer and nails, Habitat ReStores — donation-run home goods stores sponsored by Habitat for Humanity — are always looking for volunteers to work in the stores and clean up merchandise for sale. Columbia's own Habitat ReStore, located on Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia, offers plenty of fun-filled volunteer activities close to home.
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday," is one of the most famous annual festivals in the world, and it just so happens to fall smack-dab in the middle of spring break this year on March 8. Making the most of the rich culture of New Orleans, Mardi Gras is known for its abundance of purple, green and gold beads, king cakes and parade floats, which feature the Mardi Gras krewes like the Krewes of ZULU and Bacchus. It's no secret that Mardi Gras steps up the insanity of the famous Bourbon Street. Mardi Gras festivities begin Friday, but the real madness kicks off March 5, so plan a road trip and head down to the 504 for the free festival.
Tiger World
Tiger World, right off I-85 in Rockwell, N.C., goes above and beyond the traditional zoo, rescuing and rehabilitating tigers as well as giving visitors an educational tour unlike any other. The nonprofit zoo takes in endangered animals and aims to educate the public about their extinction and what people can do to help. Weekdays, except Wednesday, visitors can go on a guided tour, getting up close and personal with the tigers and other exotic animals. Weekend Walkabout Tours also allow feeding of some of the monkeys, bears and birds. Tiger World is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $12, but get a group of 10 or more together for a discounted rate of $8 a person.