Spring break for 1 and all
A bevy of trips for families, couples or anyone
Winter’s not done for much of the U.S., but there’s hope. And as winter begins to wind down, that means it’s time to think about spring break.
For kids, it’s a break from school, of course, but it’s also a good time for anyone to plan a getaway. Here are some options for travel from now through March: $899. 866-377-6147,
Down Under Endeavours offers an eight-day package for families to explore New Zealand, starting at $1,699 per person, double occupancy. Beginning in Auckland, the tour explores the west coast of the North Island before moving on to the South Island and the Southern Alps. Activities include zip-lining, hiking and jet boating, as well as learning about Maori culture. You’ll also visit areas used as backgrounds for filming “Lord of the Rings” movie scenes. It’s possible to customize the package to change the length, focus, types of activities or accommodations. 888-229-0082,
Santa Fe., N.M., is known for its art galleries, restaurants and Native American ties, but for a second year the country’s oldest state capital city is focusing on families, with Kids FreeFest! Spring Break 2017. Throughout March and mid-April, kids 12 and under can enjoy free lodging, meals and fun activities. At Ski Santa Fe, for instance, kids ski free on Wednesdays when skiing with two adults. And kids 7-12 can take free flamenco dance classes at Entreflamenco. At the Skateboard School, children get a private lesson with the purchase of a skateboard. Several hotels also have special free activities for kids, such as movie-andpizza night. atmosphere, CheapCaribbean.com offers fourday/three-night packages at Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. This allinclusive resort has 526 suites with private terraces, nine restaurants and six bars. Free water activities include kayaking, snorkeling, sailing, paddle board classes and water aerobics. Pricing comes with airfare and varies by date, airline and departure city, but can be found for less than $1,000 a person. You should look carefully at the air options, as cheaper flights may involve one or two stops or afternoon flights, which kills your first day in Cancun. 800786-0435, also can build your own package, choosing from activities like river rafting, climbing and canyoneering, four-wheel-drive safaris, mountain biking and horseback riding. 866-904-1163,
Active folks have lots of choices with REI Adventures, the travel arm of the popular outdoor gear store. You can choose by month (we found 37 trips in March), then narrow things down by destination, types of activities, activity level and price. Among the March trips, for example, we found four journeys — all in the U.S. — with 11 departures, each costing less than $1,000 per person, double occupancy. In the $1,000 to $3,000 range, there’s hiking in Portugal or the Southwest U.S. and kayaking in Mexico’s Baja California. Note that prices quoted are for REI members and nonmembers. A Grand Canyon hiking trip, for instance, is $1,849 for members or $2,024 for nonmembers. Given that an REI lifetime membership is only $20, your decision is easy. 800-622-2236, Cruising is always an easy, no-hassle getaway, and it’s a good vacation option for families, couples or singles. The Online Vacation Center has deals on Eastern or Western Caribbean cruises aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis, Allure and Harmony of the Seas, a new ship that’s also the world’s largest passenger vessel. The sevennight Western cruises cost as low as $848 per person, double occupancy, for a balcony cabin. For the seven-night Eastern itineraries, balconies are as low as $998. 800-760-5417,
Anyone looking for a physical challenge while visiting a bucket-list destination should check out G Adventures’ budget-priced seven-day/six-night hike of Peru’s Inca Trail, culminating in a visit to Machu Picchu. The trip includes three nights in hotels and three nights camping, and porters accompany trekkers to do the heavy lifting. Minimum age for the trek is 12. Cost is from $1,249 per person, double occupancy. 888-800-4100,