Spring break is a short holiday, occurring at around Easter – late March or April – during which, in the USA at least, students flood to beaches and resorts, newly reopened after the winter. A similar holiday occurs in many other countries too, but it is usually simply called ‘the Easter holidays’. Spring break, first inspired by a swimming coach transporting his team to sunny Florida for extra training, has become something of an American rite of passage.
The combination of sunshine, freedom from adult supervision, sometimes for the first time in their lives and having recently reached an age of majority, usually conspire to ensure that a good time is had by all. But where to go to make sure your spring break is all that you would hope? Let’s take a look at the 7 best spring break spots in New Jersey.
#1. Atlantic City
Immortalised in the TV show, Boardwalk Empire, Atlantic City is a cultural touchstone, with the glorious boardwalk, beaches and sunshine for the daytime, followed by a thriving casino and restaurant trade for the evenings. In between-times, there are museums, ballets, art galleries and more – a little of something for everyone.
#2. Whale Watching Cruise
If the beach and casino life does not appeal, you can hop aboard a whale-watching cruise, where you can get up close and personal with these immense and gentle creatures as they go about their underwater lives. The Cape May Whale Watcher has fast boats and will take you amongst whales, dolphins and all sorts of marine life.
#3. Crystal Springs Resort
A little out of the way – but what could be better than hiring a limo or party bus to get the party started before you have even arrived? There are great options for party bus rental in NJ and this will start your spring break off with a bang! This resort covers 4,000 acres in Sussex county and includes beautiful buildings – elegant and timeless, but packed with all the mod cons you could desire – and various sporting amenities, including a golf course, three swimming pools, and many other sports, arts and crafts.
#4. Wildwood
Despite the wonderfully Grimm Brothers name, Wildwood is a great place for a family break as well as catering to the student crowd. Morey’s Pier offers over 100 amusement park rides and elsewhere, you will find historic re-enactments, go-karts, and a thriving arcade scene.
#5. Columbia
Yes, that’s Columbia, New Jersey, not the country. Home to the Lakota Wolf Preserve, where you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about the magnificent dog-like creatures who have lived in the area for as long as we have known about them, it also offers a number of inviting hiking trails for those in search of something a bit more energetic than the usual spring break leisure options.
#6. Seaside Heights
Kissing cousin to Blackpool, Seaside Heights is the quintessential beachfront entertainment village, with an amusement park boasting a brightly illuminated Ferris wheel, a range of roller-coasters, and a fun waterpark. There’s a boardwalk too, with various pubs and restaurants, making it an ideal venue for the whole family, for students, or even for a businessperson enjoying a night out after completing the deal.
#7. Mountain Creek
For those reluctant to say goodbye to winter, you can always head to the ski slopes of Mountain Creek instead. The resort has snowmaking equipment to enhance the powder laid down by nature, and you can ski, snowboard, or even tube down the slopes – or, if the snow is already too thin, you can enjoy an alpine coaster (a sort of summer toboggan run), ziplines or – later in the year – the water park and all it has to offer.
New Jersey offers a great climate, with a range of activities suited to both winter and summer. See if you can get the best of both this spring break!
