Sun sets over the beach in Outer Banks, North Carolina
Most tourists don’t start arriving in Outer Banks until Memorial Day weekend, which means you can enjoy a more tranquil getaway.
Photo Credit: iStockPhoto / ricksause

Spring Break Family Vacations: Take a Step Back & Make Some Memories

Escape the Monotony of the School Year

Spring break is the perfect opportunity to pack up your kids and head somewhere that will give you all a much needed breather from your routines.

Whether you are wanting to shed the winter layers for a few glorious days on the beach, or just get out of town to enjoy winter-verging-on-spring activities somewhere else, these spring break family vacations are the perfect fit.

Outer Banks, North Carolina

By the time mid-March hits in Outer Banks, North Carolina, winter’s chill has typically all but vanished. Most tourists don’t start arriving until Memorial Day weekend, which means you can enjoy a more tranquil getaway on this long, narrow strip of land that separates Pamlico Sound from the open waters of the Atlantic.

A beach goer’s paradise, visitors can take part in all sorts of activities from surfing to paddle boarding to kayaking. Your spring break family vacation wouldn’t be complete without visiting the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, though, where you can enjoy encounters with playful otters and an albino sea turtle.

Check out the historic haunts in the three-centuries-old town of Beaufort, voted America’s coolest small town by Budget Travel readers in 2012.

Waves crash onto the beach at sunset in San DiegoSan Diego is a popular vacation spot year round, home to miles and miles of powdery shores, countless golf courses, a mild climate and so much more.Photo Credit: iStockPhoto / anouchka

San Diego, California

San Diego is a popular vacation spot year round, home to miles and miles of powdery shores, countless golf courses, a mild climate and so much more. It’s the perfect family vacation spot as it has nearly endless attractions within the city, and a waterfront to die for.

The 1,200-acre Balboa Park is one of the not to be missed attractions your kids will surely love. Ideal for people watching and picnicking, it also happens to be home to the legendary San Diego Zoo and a number of museums.

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Trees and boulders under a blue and purple sky in the Mohave DesertMany people feel Joshua Tree National Park, located in the Mojave Desert, is at its best in the spring.Photo Credit: iStockPhoto / anouchka

Joshua Tree National Park, California

If you’re in the mood for desert scenery, many feel Joshua Tree National Park, located in the Mojave Desert, is at its best in the spring. When stepping into this other worldly landscape, you’ll feel as if you’ve walked onto another planet, with the thousands of bizarrely-shaped trees, strange plants and massive boulders that tower hundreds of feet into the sky.

Temperatures this season are often idyllic, with highs that average around 80 to 85 degrees. The park is also filled with colorful wildflowers that are splashed across the landscape.

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