The 3 Best Places for Spring Break (If You Hate Spring Breakers)

PHOTO: Sunrise on beautiful Hilton Head Island. Note the lack of empty beer cans everywhere. This is why HHI made the list. (Photo via Flickr/Lee Coursey)

Bro. Bro. BRO! It’s spring break, bro. We got mad PBR, I got us a hookup on a killer suite right on the beach, Fat Steve’s bringing his cousin’s PA system and Dooker’s gonna DJ until the police shut us down. It’s gonna be siiiiick, bro.

If you’re as turned off by reading the previous sentences as I was by writing them, congratulations on being a grownup.

Don’t throw on the polo shirt and hop in the sensible crossover SUV just yet, though—there are still a few drops of youthful energy in you. There is still that yearning to break free from the daily monotony and enjoy a sun-baked spring break somewhere beautiful.

It's just that you’ve reached the age where your idea of fun does not necessarily entail drinking keg beer out of a funnel until you vomit on somebody. Good for you.

When you’re ready for a spring break that doesn’t automatically end with the word “WHOOOO,” check out the following destinations.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

The author freely admits to some small measure of homerism in this case, but the fact is: My hometown is tailor-made for that more refined spring break experience.

Bring your golf buddies and hit up the island’s 24 golf courses (just keep in mind some are still recuperating from the tumult of Hurricane Matthew) or watch co-eds play beach volleyball from your seat at the world-famous Tiki Hut. Or, bring that special someone for a romantic stroll along secluded sandy beaches before sharing a meal of mouth-watering local oysters (a known aphrodisiac, and damn tasty to boot).

READ MORE: 10 Best Beaches in America Outside of Florida

Antibes, France

We know, “you should vacation on the French Riviera” is probably not advice everyone can follow without breaking the bank, but if you have the means, there is nothing like Antibes in spring. The entire region offers a world of possibilities, from the seaside metropolitan vibe of Antibes proper to the fine-grain sand beaches of Juan-les-Pins. The blissfully temperate sea breezes and that inimitable south of France atmosphere are both at their finest in spring, making this the time to get there.

Plus, hop on a train and you’re just a short ride away from Nice, Cannes and Monaco, letting you explore some of the swankiest places on earth.

Los Cabos, Mexico

Not quite sharing in the same frat boy spring break fame as its Mexican east coast counterparts, Los Cabos nonetheless enjoys a vibrant party scene and a well-earned fame for its nightlife (not to mention its tequila), and while it offers the same Mexican hospitality, white sandy beaches and jeweled waters as anywhere on the Gulf side, Los Cabos just does spring break a little classier.

If you still want to let your hair down and spend the day on the beach throwing back tequila, but you don’t want to do so while surrounded by the Delta Theta Sigma Gamma set, this is your jam.

READ MORE: Los Cabos' 6 Best Surfing Spots

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