There are myriads of unique and exciting travel destinations for an unforgettable March break vacation away from home. Even if you are a budget traveler, inexpensive holiday and travel spots abound. Just pick a destination and pack your suitcase!
Caribbean All-Inclusive Vacations
If you are looking for a budget-friendly destination and a beach holiday at the same time, how about a sunny vacation on a Caribbean island? There are plenty of great resorts for a March break vacation to enjoy delicious food, warm weather, and superb service. Caribbean resorts are luxurious and inexpensive and offer a variety of activities for your leisure time, including golf, scuba diving, land sports, and watersports. Adventure tours are also offered. From off-road excursions and mountain biking to canopy tours and catamaran sails, you are sure to have a memorable vacation. Entertainment venues also abound, offering unlimited spirits, theme nights, limbo dancers and fire eaters, acrobats, and a lot more. The islands in the Caribbean are also the perfect choice for a romantic getaway and candlelight dinners now that weather is nice, with daily highs of 30°C. Whether you choose to travel to Grenada, Antigua, Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, or Jamaica, you will love it. All-inclusive resorts offer concierge and butler service, free wifi and land sports, and plenty of entertainment for free – beach parties, costume and theme parties, bonfire parties, live shows, and a lot more.
Mexico
Mexico is also a good deal for your spring vacation as weather warms up in March, with average daily averages of about 25°C. You will find great deals away from the traditional tourist zones. All-inclusive resorts offer plenty of entertainment for your entire family, from theatre shows and water parks to teen’s and kids’ clubs, mini-Olympics, and handicrafts. Tourists also enjoy dance instruction, mariachi music, golden beaches, and superb food. In some resorts, kids stay for free. The best part is that you can choose from a great variety of package deals, from deep dive packages and luxury vacation packages to flight and hotel and hotel only packages, and more. There is plenty of choice when it comes to holiday destinations – Riviera Maya, Riviera Nayarit, Mazatlan, Los Cabos, Cozumel, Cancun, and many others. You will enjoy gorgeous, palm tree-lined, sunny beaches, underwater activities, nightlife, fishing activities, and a lot more.
Florida
Florida is nice and sunny at that time of the year. And there are all-inclusive resorts, too, offering world-class accommodation, superb food, spa, and family-friendly games and activities. Many resorts offer activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, and fishing. Some resorts even feature shopping villages. Recreation activities abound, from parasailing, jet skiing, and boating and scuba diving to live entertainment and cruises.
Indonesia
Indonesia is also a great choice for Canadians, especially for budget travelers. There are plenty of ways to stretch your dollar here. If you don’t mind staying in a guest house in Jakarta, for example, you can find accommodation for as little as $8 per night. A double room on Lake Toba or the island of Sumatra costs as little as $3 per night. Food is also inexpensive. A good single plate meal costs between $0.50 and $1.70 if you don’t mind eating streel-style food. You will pay around $2,50 – $5,50 a meal at a restaurant. Entry tickets for museums and other attractions are also inexpensive. A visit to the Indonesia National Museum will cost you just $0.23. When it comes to all-inclusive resorts, there is plenty of choice, whether travelling solo or with kids. Resorts offer cultural and artistic activities, sports, beach and ocean views, windsurfing, sailing and golf schools, and a lot more. Sports such as cardio, tennis, squash, snorkeling, kayaking, and water polo are often included in the price. Some resorts offer golf at extra cost. Gourmet dining is always a plus.
The Philippines
Also a great destination for budget travelers, this is a good choice for your spring vacation, especially if you plan to fly from the West Coast. Plus weather is nice in March (the high season ends in April) as opposed to June – September when typhoons and storms hit. Accommodation is more expensive but you will find plenty of good deals for your holiday. There are all-inclusive resorts that offer spas, private beaches, beauty salons, shopping arcades, swimming lessons and fitness training, billiards tournaments, snorkeling safaris, and a lot more. When it comes to budgeting, the cost of living depends on location and season. At the same time it is 50 percent cheaper to live in Manila than in cities such as Tokyo, London, and Sydney. To give you a basic idea, a combo meal (burger, Big Mac, etc.) will cost you around $3 at a fast food joint. Domestic beer (0.5l) costs around $0.90 in the store. If you prefer Coca-Cola, you will pay around $1.30 for a 2l-bottle. Prices are affordable. Taxi trips are also inexpensive, i.e. around $11 per 5 miles.
Ski Vacation
Whistler
Whistler is a popular spot and ski resort to spend your March break vacation away from home. Ski packages are available, including snow school, equipment rentals, lift tickets, accommodation, and more. Some hotels also offer event lodging deals as well as golf vacation packages and last minute deals. Whistler also features Olympic tracks, snow peaks, diverse wildlife, and glaciers.
Slovenia
If you are up for a vacation away from Canada, why not visit Slovenia? The country takes pride in having nice skiing resorts which are quite affordable. In fact, there are many low-cost hotels and other accommodation options to go skiing or snowboarding. Check ski resorts such as Kranjska Gora, Vogel, and Mariborsko Pohorje, for example. There are pistes for beginners, intermediate, and expert skiers. Mariborsko Pohorje is one of the largest skiing centers in the country, situated close to downtown Maribor. Visitors enjoy the mountainous landscape and first-class ski slopes and pistes. There are wellness and spa centers, restaurants and cafes, and excursions and guided tours on offer. You can join a wine tour or culinary tour, for example. Hiking and cycling tours are also available to visit the Botanical Garden and Pohorje forests. Another option is to visit the Organic Urban Center which is situated in Maribor and illustrates the importance of healthy food choices.
Mont Tremblant
If traveling to Slovenia looks like too much, how about a ski vacation at Mont Tremblant? There are plenty of good deals and packages for your March break, including Scandinavian spa packages and snow and ski packages. If coming over with children, what they get is lunch boxes, snowboard and ski lessons, and equipment such as helmets, boots, poles, skis, etc.
When it comes to accommodation, prices depend on time of the year but there are package deals to look into. In any case, you can find a decent hotel for about $70 (breakfast included). It is also a good idea to book in advance. Some resorts offer lift tickets as well (included in the package). Many hotels also have game rooms fitted with consoles, foosball, air hockey, table hockey, and a lot more.
I usually go on vacation the week before or after March break. It’s 30-40% cheaper and while my kids are young this is a viable option for me. Once they are in high school I’ll have to think about something else.
I know what you mean Maria, I used to that as well :).