Top 10 Spring Break Hot Spots for 2009

Cancun, you're still the one. This little piece of Mexico is pure craziness during March and April: margarita madness and a massive influx of students doing the spring thing on drop-dead gorgeous beaches and in late-late-late night clubs. Hop the ferry to Cozumel or the bus to Playa del Carmen for slower-paced sandy paradises. Xel-Ha is fun for snorkeling, and Tulum is worth a visit (90 miles south; go early a.m.) -- great beach and unba ruins, but don't expect nightlife (the quiet nights -- generator-powered lights out by 10 -- are part of the charm). Don't forget to get a passport for this perennially popular paradise on Mexico's Caribbean!

• Beginner's Mexico Travel Guide
• Mexico travel budget

Both of these beautiful Caribbean countries will see plenty of people in 2009: the blue, blue water and white, white sand of extremely accessible Nassau, Bahamas will bring boatloads of breakers to its balmy beaches in 2009 (even though Nassau's sometimes not so friendly). Rent a scooter or hit the Straw Market; gambling's on nearby Paradise Island. Bahamas spring break packages are uber cheap, and you can choose a cruise.

Meanwhile, the forecast for spring break 2009 in jammin' Jamaica is sunny and the outlook is partly party, party with scattered water sport fun in happening Montego Bay and quieter Negril. If you go, remember that parts of the island can be a walk on the wild side: don't fear to adventure -- just be safe.

Acapulco's not Mexico's best beachside city (that might be Puerto Vallarta), but it's tried, true, and ready for you. Acapulco's turf war problems have little to do with you -- mind your Mexico manners and consider student travel safety tips, and you should be as safe as you would in any US city.

Acapulco beaches range from quiet hideaways, like Playa Pie de la Cuesta, to elbow-to-elbow humans, like La Condesa. Stay in a hotel on the Costera (main drag) -- drop by the small Puerto Marques village for an afternoon.

• Acapulco travel guide
• Acapulco beaches
• Acapulco mercados
• Acapulco cliff divers
• Acapulco hostel

Welcome to prime time, South Beach and Miami Beach! Just east of Miami, South Beach is bordered by Biscayne Bay on one side and the Atlantic on the other (which is where you'll find the beaches you'll like). South Beach is a tres cool club scene (is your attitude really ready?). Just up the sand is Miami Beach -- bit cheaper and less of dress-with-the-best thing. Get the skinny:

• All about Miami and South Beach Spring Break
• Spring Break in Florida

As for Fort Lauderdale (which doesn't want you and hopes you don't come), forget it. And Daytona Beach... you'll enjoy yourself anywhere if you're going with friends, of course: just don't expect it to be fast paced fun in this part of Florida.

Puerto Vallarta's a beach-meets-Mexican-mountains city that will again have a lot of what you want for 2009 -- friendly folks, awesome nightlife, beautiful beaches, great all-inclusive hotel deals -- and all the action's not just at the beach, either: parasail or mountain bike, for instance. Hasta pronto!

• Puerto Vallarta Photos and Travel Guide | Puerto Vallarta Nightlife

And welcome to the list, Mazatlan! Think about taking the STA party bus (no passport needed) from southwestern states to this beach town not far south of the US border, where laidback days lead into long cocktail hours by the sea. Ahhhh -- now that's Mexico.

Unlike current economic conditions, snow conditions are awesome and ski resorts are still on the list of cool spring break hot spots for 2009 even though lift tickets and resort lodging can be spendy. You'll find plenty of fellow partiers boarding the days away and doing the apres-thing at North America's best ski resorts for spring break 2009, though. These are the slopes welcoming you in Colorado, Jackson Hole, Heavenly, Canada's wild Whistler, a few quieter spots, and some places you may want to give a pass. I live in Rocky Mountain high country now, and have lived in, partied in or skied all but one of these top ten ski resorts -- and I promise it's all good. Get the whole skinny on how to get there, and where to stay and party.

Exchange rates ain't bad, and thus Europe (yep, the whole thing) retains its 2008 spot on the list of spring break hot spots for 2009 -- Amsterdam, London and Paris will be the cities in which you'll see the most American students, with Rome a close fourth place followed by Florence, Madrid, Berlin and Frankfurt. Those are mostly chilly cities at this time of year, so the social scene will be indoors (your hostel's always the best bet for finding the party place), but the sights will be free of summer's mobs... great time to be in Europe. Learn more:

• Backpacking Europe 101 (links to the places you'll want to be, too)
• Free Things to Do in Fave European Cities
• European Hostels by Country
• STA Europe Spring Break Packages

You need no passport to drive to Mexico this year, and Rosarito Beach in North Baja will get some last minute driving traffic through San Diego from those who forgot to get passports (you need a passport to fly home from Mexico). Cabo in South Baja, Mexico, will have the usual hot weather and cool clubs (fly, don't drive to South Baja). And learn whether Mexico is safe for spring break!

New passport rules also mean Puerto Rico may be lively this year: the Puerto Rico drinking age is 18, though it's a US territory (no passport needed).

• Spring Break Without a Passport

And STA has a "hybrid" spring break package to the Dominican Republic: volunteer for 3-4 days in a DR village and spend the rest of the week beaching and clubbing.

Enjoy!