We’ve never posted a specific article about Spring Break, although we’ve mentioned it from time to time. As young adults and families start planning their Spring Break vacations, here is an article from Travel and Leisure that may help determine locations that appeal to you.

We are uninterested in crowded venues, so we’ve never chosen to visit popular Spring Break locations. But many others love the excitement and fun of this festive time of the year and can’t wait to arrive at their chosen locale. The following are all US-based locations, but many other countries offer similar venues.

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Depending on your travel style, defining the best spring break destinations in the United States is a personal choice. Whether you’re a family with one week to make the most of or a couple looking for a sunny reset after a dreary winter, we’ve got spring break vacation ideas for everyone in almost every region of the country.

• Best for families: Destin, Florida
• Best for a quiet spring break: Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
• Best tourist destination: Palm Springs, California
• Best for couples: Valley of the Sun, Arizona
• Best beach destination: Hilton Head, South Carolina

Read on to see the 10 best spring break destinations in America.

Destin, Florida

Destin (along with Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island) is a popular spring break destination for families on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Daily high temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s make the beach town a prime spot for boating, fishing, and relaxing on the fine white-sand beaches of the Florida Panhandle. Henderson Beach State Park is the perfect place to enjoy the calm waters and thirty-foot-high dunes. Still, you can take the adventure further with a snorkeling or parasailing excursion with a local company like Pelican Adventures. Bring the kids to the boardwalk to try out the zip line or rock-climbing wall at HarborWalk Adventures if they still have energy.

Where to stay: Choose from a variety of accommodations, from campgrounds in the state park to one of Destin’s best resorts, such as the luxurious and kid-friendly Silver Shells Beach Resort & Spa, which offers multi-room condos perfect for week-long stays.

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Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

One of the best beaches in North Carolina, Wrightsville Beach offers water sports like surfing and kayaking, beautiful nature, and coastal history. Even if it’s not swimming weather just yet, you can still enjoy being on the water with a sightseeing cruise with Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours. Fishing is also popular on Johnnie Mercers Pier, where you’ll find a tackle shop and restaurants, or take a day to learn more about the area at the Cape Fear Museum in the historic district of nearby Wilmington.

Where to stay: You could rent a beach house or get an ocean-view room at an iconic local hotel like the Blockade Runner Beach Resort.

Palm Springs, California

Warm weather arrives early in the Southern California desert, making Palm Springs an attractive destination for spring breakers. Go to the top of Mt. San Jacinto on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway before visiting The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Take a day to get out in nature with a hike along the Araby Trail, or stay in town and try some of the delicious dining options like Spencer’s, with its award-winning terrace, or Trio, an upscale Italian restaurant in the Design District.

Where to stay: A newly updated hotel with a strong midcentury modern aesthetic, Life House Palm Springs offers an incredibly stylish setting that embodies the classic Palm Springs vibe.

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Valley of the Sun, Arizona

“The Valley of the Sun” is a well-deserved nickname for the Greater Phoenix area, including Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and Chandler. Even in the spring, this part of the Sonoran Desert sees temperatures in the high 70s and 80s. Lounge by the pool, take a kayak or stand-up paddleboard on the Salt River or go for a romantic hot air balloon ride with Hot Air Expeditions. Couples can make time together at one of the fantastic spas at Scottsdale’s best hotels.

Where to stay: In Scottsdale, the Mountain Shadows Resort is a hotel with stunning views, large rooms, and a historic guestbook, as seen in vintage photos of celebrity visitors like John Wayne and Elizabeth Tayor.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Hilton Head Island attracts beach bums from all over the Midwest and East Coast with its 12 miles of Atlantic shoreline. Its waters are ideal for spotting sea life with Dolphin Discoveries or collecting shells at Driessen Beach Park. There’s rarely a shortage of things to do in Hilton Head, thanks to multiple golf resorts and over 60 miles of cycling trails. The weather is warm, with highs in the 60s and 70s, but not too hot to spend entire days outside visiting the family-friendly Coligny Beach or picking up a pole and going fishing at Fish Haul Creek Park.

Where to stay: Consider The Westin Hilton Head Resort & Spa, a grand hotel with multiple pools, private beach access, and the Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club right next door.

Park City, Utah

Not everyone is looking for a beach vacation, so for the powder seeker or mountain lover, Park City charms with its artsy city center and silver-mining history. Ski season typically lasts through mid-April at Park City Mountain and Deer Valley. But with spring temperatures in the 50s and 60s, it should also be warm enough — if you’ve got the right layers — for hiking, mountain biking, and strolling along Main Street. Families with kids will be happy to know there’s bowling, ice skating, zip lining, tubing, and more to keep little ones entertained.

Where to stay: Depending on where you decide to ski, you can splurge on a room at one of the resorts the Waldorf-Astoria Park City for Park City Mountain or the St. Regis Deer Valley, two Utah resorts most loved by our readers.

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Early spring weather is in the chilly mid-50s at Cannon Beach, but it’s still a fun time to explore tide pools and watch seabirds. Every April, the resident puffins return to their roost on Haystack Rock after about eight months away. The beach is dog-friendly so your pet can enjoy playing on the sand or joining you for a hike. When you want a break from the chilly shore, you shop the boutiques in the charming town. Secure your restaurant reservations for the waterfront Wayfarer Restaurant & Lounge or pop into the tap room at Public Coast Brewing Co.

Where to stay: There’s a great selection of hotels here, including luxurious oceanfront properties, vacation home rentals and campsites. The Stephanie Inn is a lovely property with rooms overlooking the beach, and guests can come together for afternoon wine tastings.

South Padre Island, Texas

One of the best towns in Texas, this barrier island resort town off the southern Gulf coast is popular among college students and families alike because of its warm weather, water sports, and nature. Paddleboards, kayaks, and Jet Skis are available for rent from various shops or you can try kiteboarding with Air Padre Kiteboarding. Kids can learn about some of South Padre Island’s most-loved residents at Sea Turtle, Inc., a sea turtle rehabilitation and education center, while the college-student party crowd will be found dancing and drinking to DJ sets at bars like Louie’s Backyard.

Where to stay: There are many large resorts at this sring break destination, but if you want something cozier and maybe a little off the beaten path, you can try the Lighthouse Boutique Hotel.

New Orleans

The Big Easy is known as a party destination, but families with kids should keep New Orleans on their spring break radar, too. The historic city has an aquarium, zoo, and several standout museums like The National World War II Museum that mix entertainment and education. In the French Quarter, you can get an education in cocktails at the Sazerac House and even though you might miss Fat Tuesday by a few weeks, you can still see the floats year-round at Mardi Gras World.

Where to stay: Among the best hotels in New Orleans, the luxuriously quirky Maison Metiér puts hospitality first with an outstanding breakfast spread and unique design touches.

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Atlanta

With so much to do in Atlanta, you don’t need a beach to keep you busy when the pleasant spring weather rolls in. The Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the United States and features sharks, dolphins, sea lions, seabirds, and more. The World of Coca-Cola offers tastings and other experiences in the city where the soda company is headquartered. The Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame will delight university students, and there’s a Lego Discovery Center for kids.

Where to stay: After exploring the city, the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta is an excellent hotel to retreat from the bustle with its heated saltwater pool and fantastic Italian steakhouse.”

Whatever location you choose, it is imperative to be on guard, protecting your safety and security, as you would in any country. When visiting pubs and nightclubs, guard your drinks with sealed lids with a straw if possible since, especially during this time, many people are drugged unknowingly while their drinks are unattended. Pickpocketing is rampant. Do not leave a public venue with a stranger; always remain in public areas. Observe fire exits and easy access to the outdoors in all public places.

In any case, have a safe and wonderful time wherever you travel.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, February 18, 2015: