Looking for some inspiration for your spring break destination? This blog is filled with great ideas for camping, hiking, rock climbing destinations, and more.
Oh, how clearly I remember my college Spring Break years waayyyy back in the 1990s. Victor and I were dating at the time and every spring break we’d head south to Mexico to party. He loves to tell people the story of how we’d go there and drink a ton but he’d take Met-Rx packets and ask the bartender to add it to his pina coladas. Lined up next to all the bars are identical taco shops selling a plate of tacos, rice, and beans for $4. I’d always say “no rice, double beans”. Even at 20, I was a bit obsessive about what I ate.
Oh how we’ve changed and now as a full time RV living family of 7 for 8 years now, we look for outdoor destinations for spring break destination– places where we can camp, hike, rock climb, and mountain bike. These are 15 of our favorite spring break destinations for outdoor adventure.
Table of Contents
Spring Break Destination: Hawaii
1 | Camp on the Big Island
Camping in Hawaii is one of our favorite adventures because the campgrounds are really affordable and right on the beach. All the islands have campgrounds but we especially like camping at Spencer Beach and Pine Trees near Kona on the Big Island. Both feel very safe and are close to great hikes and surfing.
Related Blog: 12 Best Campgrounds in Hawaii
2 | Hike Kalalau Trail on the NaPali Coast, Kauai
This is a hike everyone needs to do at least once. The hike starts at Ke’e Beach on the northwest corner of Kauai and ends at one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The only drawback is that you need a permit to hike this and they can be hard to get.
Related Blog: Guide To Backpacking The Kalalau Trail
3 | Surf Haleiwa
We love surfing a lot of great spots in Hawaii but Haleiwa and Chun’s Reef on the north shore of Oahu are our favorites. If you make it to Oahu, be sure to hike Olomana Ridge on the east side too.
Related Blog: 10 Epic Adventures in Oahu
4 | Watch the Sunrise at Haleakala NP
Another once-in-a-lifetime experience is driving up to the top of Haleakala Crater in the dark, freezing your booty off, and watching the sun rise over the clouds. It’s a memory you will never forget. Spring break is a great time to visit Maui because it is warm but not unbearable like it can be in peak summer.
Related Blog: 18 Memorable Things To Do in Maui
Spring Break Destination: Arizona
5 | Hike Grand Canyon
While everyone has to see the Grand Canyon at least once in their life, we think hiking from the rim to the river and back to the rim in one day was one of our favorite hikes ever. It is a long day and not recommended for summer. But doing it around spring break is typically ideal weather.
Related Blog: How to Hike Rim to River to Rim of the Grand Canyon in One Day
6 | Explore Sedona
Increase your vibrational frequency and heal your chakras by spending time hiking the magical vortexes near Sedona. Don’t miss our favorite hike, Devil’s Bridge.
Sedona also has some incredible (and difficult) mountain biking trails. There are also great MTB trails, as well as hiking and rock climbing nearby in Prescott. Or head north and explore Flagstaff. If the snow is melted, you have to hike the Lava Tube in Flagstaff!
Related Blog: Southwest Road Trip Itinerary
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Spring Break Destination: Utah
7 | Road Trip to the Big 5 Utah
If you love to hike, this is the perfect spring break destination! Utah’s Big 5 National Parks include Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef all have incredible hikes for all levels. While I love all 5 of these national parks, Zion NP is one you just can’t miss! This is a great road trip to take during spring break as the weather is typically in the mid 50’s to 70’s.
Related Blog: Utah Road Trip
8 | Hike + Climb in St George, Utah
St George is one of our favorite winter destinations and Spring Break is the perfect time to visit if you want warm weather and lots of great hiking, climbing, and mountain biking.
Related Blogs: Best Hikes St George and Best Rock Climbing St George
Spring Break Destination: Idaho
9 | Soak in Hot Springs in Idaho
Looking for a different type of adventure? While most of Idaho will still be covered in snow, you can pack up your snowshoes and hike to one of the dozens of hot springs scattered throughout this great state of Idaho. Some, like Kirkham Hot Spring, are roadside and won’t even require hiking! While it can be crowded, we love hiking to Goldbug Hot Spring near Salmon, Idaho.
Related Blog: 21 Things To Do Idaho
10 | Climb in City of Rocks
This is one of our favorite rock climbing destinations and a place you very well might find us this spring break. City of Rocks has tons of great climbing but even if climbing isn’t your thing, there are nice hikes and some of the coolest campsites in the US.
Related Blog: Beginner Climbers Guide to City of Rocks
Spring Break Destination: Wyoming
11 | Bike Grand Teton Road
This has been on our bucket list forever. And with spring break being in April for many this year, biking Grand Teton Road would be a super fun adventure to do.
The 17 miles of Grand Teton Road from Taggart Lake Trailhead to Signal Mountain is closed to cars from Nov 1 to May 1 so as long as there hasn’t been a ton of snow, the road is usually plowed by the beginning of April. The best part is this road is pretty flat so you don’t have to be a hardcore cyclist to enjoy this adventure.
Related Blog: Road Trip From Grand Teton to Yellowstone to Glacier NP
Spring Break Destination: California
12 | Explore Big Sur
Big Sur is a beautiful year-round destination. Driving Highway 1 from Cambria to Carmel-by-the-Sea provides you with some of the most epic ocean views you will ever see. There are a ton of great hikes and surf breaks along the California Coastline. Many even road bike this (although I’d be too scared of cars hitting me). If you are thinking of camping, you need to reserve a campsite way in advance.
If you have time, extend the road trip further north and explore Mendocino.
Related Blog: Big Sur Road Trip
13 | Hike and Camp Death Valley
Southern California has so many great beach and desert destinations and Spring Break is the perfect time to squeeze in both. We loved camping in Death Valley because of the incredible stargazing. There are a ton of great hikes here and you’re only a few hours away from the coast so you can really squeeze in a lot of adventures into your Spring Break getaway.
Related Blog: Visit Mountains, Desert, and Sea on a Weekend California Getaway
14 | Surf Cardiff
This is our favorite California surf break and if you happen to be one of the lucky few who gets a campsite at San Elijo this will be a vacation for the books. With great waves, beautiful views, so many delicious food options within walking distance, and nearby boutique shopping, you will love Cardiff. We know because it was our home base for many years!
Related Blog: Best Campgrounds California
Spring Break Destination: Oregon
15 | MTB Phil’s in Bend
Depending on the year’s weather, Spring Break can be a perfect time to ride what I think is one of the best trail networks in America, Phil’s Trailhead. These flowy rides are a perfect way to start the day before heading into the foodie town of Bend. Plus, the forest road right next to the trail network has free camping!
Spring Break is also a really good time to visit Smith Rock which has great hikes and world-class rock climbing. Check out our Bend 4 Day Itinerary for all the deets.
Related Blog: Guide to Mountain Biking Bend, Oregon
Spring Break Road Trip
Road tripping is our favorite way to travel. You don’t have to worry about delayed flights and you get to experience the thrill and excitement of the open road! (or is that just me?)
Check out Escape Campervans and Outdoorsy for great deals. You’ll love the freedom and convenience of being able to cook your own meals and connect more with the outdoors. Plus, you can save a ton of money by just free camping.
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