Best spring break destinations to visit with your friends
From turquoise waters to neon nights, you and your friends can relax, reenergize, and reignite your wilder side at these fantastic spring break destinations.
By Jacqueline Kehoe | November 30, 2021 (Updated December 18, 2025)
Spring break vacations aren’t just for college students. Whether you’re 19 or 59, let the end of winter be a cause for celebration with a trip to a white-sand beach, a cultural city capital, or an outdoor adventure oasis. For a no-fail spring break trip with your friends, these destinations serve plenty of memory-making fun while you soak up the sun, dance the night away, or find your new favorite foodie fix.
In this article: Find the best spring break destinations
Mexico
Spring break in Mexico is a classic getaway for a few reasons: warm, cerulean waters, perfect sunny days on sugar-soft beaches, and plenty of quality time with an ice-cold margarita. Cancun and Playa del Carmen — both near the tip of the gorgeous Yucatan Peninsula — boast hot nightlife, picturesque beaches, and numerous activities for groups. And with the right resort or hotel, you and your friends won’t even have to venture into the city. Do more than just lounge on the beach with a stay at Hilton Cancun, an All-Inclusive Resort where you can take a Mayan art and jewelry-making class or try other cultural immersion activities. Meanwhile, a lively stay awaits at The Yucatan Playa del Carmen, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, an adults-only hotel where you can soak in the sun, cocktails, and sea views from the rooftop pool, all while a DJ mixes in the background.
Key West, Florida
With conch-style houses, coral reefs, and endless tropical sunshine, Key West is a picture-perfect spring break destination for you and your besties. You could spend your week soaking in the island's nightlife — definitely check out Hemingway's favorite watering hole, Sloppy Joe's. For beach lovers, book a stay at The Reach Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, which is set on the only private natural sand beach in Key West. It makes for the perfect home base for water sports like sailing, scuba diving, and snorkeling, but it’s also just steps away from top attractions like Duval Street and the Southernmost Point. Your group might choose to go on diving adventures, take a road trip to other Florida Keys, or ride bikes around this 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) island from one scenic viewpoint to the next.
Hawaii
You have dozens of spring break destinations as options in Hawaii. Does your ideal spring break vacation involve sleeping in style next to a volcano? That’s Maui. Do you want to bounce around shops, art galleries, and luxurious seaside restaurants? Try Oahu. Prefer traversing canyons, attending private luaus, and relaxing under waterfalls? Look to Kauai. From buzzy Waikiki to the garden isle of Kauai, take the whole week to hop between your favorites or settle into one of these hot spots for a deeper dive into the magic that each island has to offer. No matter where you choose, there are hotels and resorts to suit every travel style, from the upscale Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort to the budget-friendly DoubleTree by Hilton Alana - Waikiki Beach.
New York
The city that needs no introduction, New York puts the world’s best theater, restaurants, and museums at your doorstep. Add in the city’s tangible history and diversity, and you’ve got yourself a spring break trip that — while a bit untraditional — can and will cater to the whims and desires of everyone in your group. Bonus: From pizza slices at Dellarocco’s in Brooklyn Heights to Royal Osetra caviar at Le Bernardin, the city also caters readily to every budget. For a stylish stay in the heart of the action, book a room at Tempo by Hilton New York Times Square. The hotel’s connecting rooms will keep you close to your friends but still offer some privacy, while everyone can cheers to spring break at Highball, the hotel’s bar and restaurant overlooking Times Square.
New Orleans
The fun doesn’t stop after Mardi Gras. Spring break in New Orleans is a grade-A match. In prime spring weather, you and your crew can enjoy the city’s sprawling outdoor spaces — NOLA is made up of more than 20% parks — and stunning architecture. Indulging in the New Orleans food scene is a must — hello, beignets at Café du Monde and fried chicken at Willie Mae’s. You’ll explore history that interests everyone, from voodoo to jazz to bourbon. (Don’t miss Bourbon House, if "250+ whiskeys" sounds like your thing.) Even the city’s mantra has that spring break spirit: laissez les bon temps rouler, “let the good times roll.” And that’s exactly what you and your friends will do with a stay at Hotel Theo New Orleans, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, located just two blocks away from the French Quarter.
Las Vegas
Bright lights, late nights, and a city with an intoxicating energy and verve — cheers to spring break in Las Vegas. “Yes” is the key word for the perfect Vegas getaway. Yes to riding high on the largest observation wheel in North America or grabbing a seat at a high-stakes table. Yes to dining at the famous buffets and Michelin-starred restaurants or feasting your way through over 40 world-class dining concepts at Resorts World Las Vegas. Whatever your spring break vibe, you come to Vegas to have indulgent experiences, like the spa treatments at Awana Spa, to let loose a little and dance your heart out at Zouk Nightclub, and to believe in luck and magic, making this one of the best spring break destinations for all travelers.
Nashville, Tennesee
Perhaps no other city on this list has seen a modern renaissance quite like Nashville. For those laid-back, Parton-esque vibes, head to Lower Broadway, also known as “Honky Tonk Highway,” to enjoy live music and line dancing that goes until 3 a.m. You’ll find trendsetting restaurants, premier music venues, and a distillery scene that’s never been hotter. Music lovers should base themselves at Hotel Fraye Nashville, Curio Collection by Hilton for easy access to both downtown and Music Row. Start your evenings on a high note with cocktails at Eddie Ate Dynamite, the hotel’s rooftop bar, or indulge in the modern American menu at Gathre. Visit during warmer months to enjoy the rooftop pool, where a live DJ keeps the energy high on the weekends, or enjoy the firepit on a chilly night.
Florida
Florida is the unofficial spring break destination of the U.S. Maybe you and your friends have seen the sunny beaches , epic theme parks, and endless fresh seafood. This time, take in something new, like swimming with manatees, learning about Indigenous history, or hiking across roadless islands. Beyond the classic spring break destinations of Miami, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale, how about exploring the white sands of Fort Walton Beach? Navigating wildlife refuges and uninhabited isles in Fort Myers and Sanibel? Or kayaking through Everglades National Park? From Palm Beach to the Palm Coast, cocktail-in-hand and toes-in-the-sand is a given. Florida has something for everyone, and wherever you land in the Sunshine State, there’s a hotel that will fit your vibe — from the locally inspired stays and complimentary bike rentals at Conrad Hotels & Resorts to the spacious studio and one-bedroom suites at Homewood Suites by Hilton.
London
London has two main high seasons in terms of tourists: the winter holidays and the warm summer months. Which is to say, spring break is an excellent time to experience one of the world’s premier cities. You’ll find shorter lines, smaller crowds, and tickets and reservations easier to procure. By day, explore palaces, museums, and secret WWII bunkers, shop on Oxford Street or sip a classic cup of tea. By night, you’ll be taking in the magic of the West End, hopping between 400-year-old bars like The Seven Stars, and maybe even feeling a bit like royalty yourself. No matter where your itinerary takes you, Conrad London St. James is a perfectly located home base, less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace.
Jacqueline Kehoe is a travel writer, editor and photographer based in Madison, WI.
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