Having spent a great deal of money to maximize their academic pursuits on campus, college students often run out of resources to fund their pre-planned sight-seeing trips. However, not every college student is aware that they can still travel to amazing places to have fun with their scanty resources.
You just need to do some research, plan carefully in advance, and maintain a disciplined spending routine. There are some fascinating travel destinations around the US and beyond that students on a lean budget can visit. Many tourist centers across the world also provide less expensive accommodations like campgrounds and hostels, good exchange rates, cheap delicious meals, etc.
The expenses might even reduce if you are traveling and staying with your friends. In this article, we have come up with some of the top cheap winter break trips for broke college students:
Best Cheap Winter Break Trips for Broke College Students
Amazing Beaches of Florida
With its beautiful beaches, buzzing nightlife, and sunny warm winters, Florida has become a great place where many fun-seekers, including broke college students, visit to have winter vacations. Florida’s winter temperature normally ranges from 65 degrees to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, which is warm enough to enjoy every bit of your time on the beach.
There is so much to see and explore. Florida’s beach spots are perfect for avid surfers and beach lovers. If you are looking for a place to relax and feed your eyes with the wonders of nature, arts, and technology without spending a lot of money, Florida’s beaches will make this dream come alive.
Florida is home to many popular travel destinations like Daytona Beach, Clearwater, Jacksonville Beach, Panama City, and Key West, with affordable hotels and special considerations for college students.
New Orleans
New Orleans is a stunningly beautiful city with wonderful sights and landmarks. It’s a city distinguished by its inspiring history, sumptuous foods, fascinating culture, beautiful monuments, and ever bubbling and resplendent nightlife scenes that promote cocktail to-go cups.
There are a good number of hostels around the French Quarter that offer very affordable accommodation rates to students. It’s worthy of note that hotel rates in New Orleans can be very outrageous and far beyond the financial means of a well-meaning college student. So, the hostel options are the most affordable rates out there for students on a budget.
But ensure you consider these hostel options well beforehand so they don’t get booked up before your arrival. You can just stroll around or board a streetcar instead of driving and paying exorbitant parking rates.
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San Juan, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is often said to be a home away from home. Little wonder, the place has become a favorite pick among many college students in the USA. San Juan in Puerto Rico is a budget-friendly travel destination with many adventure opportunities. San Juan has a lot of modest hostels for students with rates as low as $15 per night.
Since it’s a US territory, Americans don’t need a passport. You will get to link up with many adventurous students from other parts of the world. San Juan is home to animated party joints with local rum-packed mojitos. La Plaza del Mercado in Santurce is a wonderful place where you can treat yourself nicely with a variety of Puerto Rico delicious foods and special drinks.
Thailand
Given its wide array of stunning destinations, Thailand has become a stamping ground for many US college travelers especially those on a budget. Thailand is a very awesome place to visit in the winter and get some sunshine and warmth. With many adventure sports and fun-filled parties, memories of Thailand will forever be etched on your mind.
The guide companies typically offer rafting, kayaking, and many other outdoor excursions. With visitors like college students in view, Thailand provides nice and spacious hostels with shared bathrooms and rooms. These hostels are cheaper and better alternatives for broke college students who cannot afford deluxe lodges. Accommodations, food, transportation, and alcohol can be afforded at around $20 per day if you are prudent and arrange your trip beforehand.
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Go Camping In National Parks in American States
You can make your winter break a memorable one even as a broke college student. A very cheap option is to go camping with your friends in a national park. The fees charged by most national parks in the US are surprisingly low. Though there are modest and expensive lodges in most national parks, they also provide campsite with basic amenities like electricity and water hook-ups for less than 20$ per night.
The National Park Service features fee-free days at over 100 national parks, including Yosemite and Grand Canyon. These fee-free days constitute a couple of days and weekends every year. With these days in mind, you can fix your trip accordingly.
Give Volunteering a Try in Asian Countries
Being a volunteer allows you to travel to new places, broaden your horizons, get familiar with other cultures, and give back to local communities. If the idea of volunteering goes down well with you, visit Projects Abroad, an organization that’s committed to helping people arrange volunteer trips overseas.
As a volunteer abroad, you don’t have to be bothered about hostel, meal, or hotel bills. You are likely to stay with a host family or in a hostel while you undertake your volunteer endeavor. Project abroad has a wide array of places you can visit, including India, Thailand, Costa Rica, and South Africa. As a volunteer, you will get to meet other volunteers from all over the world and even form a good bond with members of the local community.
