Ah, Spring Break. You’ve watched the film, you’ve heard about the parties – but what exactly is it all about, and crucially, do you want to go?

If you’re thinking of timing your visit to Cancun with this huge American holiday, you’re in for a crazy experience: so read on to find out everything you need to know about this month long Mexican party.

Ariba!

What is Spring Break?

Spring Break is used to describe the seven day holiday that American university students take. It’s been ‘a thing’ since the ’60s, when Fort Lauderdale (or “Liquordale” as it was known) in Florida became the unofficial SB hotspot.

While Florida is still popular, today, many students head to Cancun in Mexico for the cheap deals, warm weather and legal drinking – as you have to be 18, not 21, to buy booze there.

cancun coast via flickr by jthetzel

When is it?

In efforts to lessen the crowds, there are several weeks throughout March (and sometimes spanning into April) that Spring break can land on. It’s up to the universities, but you can bank on festivities taking place anytime between March 1st and April 21st – so mark your calendars and plan accordingly.

spring break mtv

What happens?

Truth be told, most people spending Spring Break in this Mexican mecca are looking to party – big style.

So if you’re in Cancun this spring, expect lots of beach bound students drinking throughout the day (and well into the night) making for quite a lively atmosphere.

MTV even take their Spring Break celebrations ‘MTV U’ along for the ride – and this year, they’ll be holding their 28th annual event at The Oasis Cancun Resort from March 19th-21st.

deck chairs on beach via flickr by mike mcholm

Is it family friendly?

If you want to experience Mexico in Spring without getting mixed up with the Spring Breakers, there are plenty of resorts near the Riviera Maya (located just south of Cancun) which are quiet and family friendly.

Some of these chilled out areas include Playa del Carmen, Playa Maroma and Puerto Morelos. Each of these resorts have the same beautiful scenery and the pristine Caribbean Sea beaches that you’ll find in Cancun, but without the hordes of fun-loving students.

Interested? Search our site for holiday deals in Mexico.

Have you ever been to Spring Break?

 

Images:  aokettunBenjamin Chunmike mcholm,  jthetzel via Flickr