Spring break vacations on a budget

Dear PropellerHeads: My first spring break as a college freshman is coming up soon. Do you have any suggestions or resources for finding spring break vacations on a budget?

A: My guess is that unless you are lucky enough to have wealthy parents, your budget is very limited. I have a few suggestions that should make for a memorable spring break, particularly if you don't stay too close to the beer tap.

Take a look at www.studentuniverse.com. The site has a spring break tab which will allow you to pick your preferred destination. Choose from "Skin & Sand," with several popular options for beach vacations; "Party in Europe," which offers destinations of London, Amsterdam (why would students possibly want to go there?), and Paris; or "Top U.S. Cities," with trips to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York City.

Each trip lists a package price including flight and hotel accommodations. You'll be on your own for food and beverages.

Student Travel Services (STS), www.ststravel.com, caters to those who wish to spend their spring break soaking up the sun. They list beach travel packages to several cities in Mexico, as well as some in the U.S., the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. STS also solicits campus representatives and allows you to apply for the position from their website. If you are great at selling, you can earn cash as well as free trips.

If you're a fan of the travel channel, take a look at their spring break ideas at http://bit.ly/i0v4SU. One of their suggestions is a visit to Washington, D.C. There you can see all of the Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo for free. Culture abounds, and you may run into a donkey or elephant even if you don't make it to the zoo.

If you plan to go to a foreign country, remember to check the U.S. Department of State website for their list of travel warnings at http://bit.ly/DsFg. Some of those beaches on Mexico's shores may not be the safest place to travel at the moment.

I'm a big fan of cruises. There are many interesting ports of call, and much fun to be had on the cruise ship itself. Take a look at www.vacationstogo.com to find some hot deals. You can choose your cruise based on several criteria, such as cruise line, departure port, ports of call, and more.

If you're like most students I know, including my own, you really have no money at all. Perhaps volunteering during your spring break will make you feel good while helping others. Go to www.volunteermatch.org and enter your zip code and area of interest. VolunteerMatch will return a list of organizations in need of help. Clearly this isn't the fun-in-the-sun vacation you dreamed about, but maybe you can help others find their dreams.

Whether you plan your own travel or go with one of the sites mentioned, remember to include some cash in your budget for sight-seeing, souvenirs, food and beverages. Just don't include too much money for beverages - that will help ensure you actually remember your first spring break. Happy travels!

When the PropellerHeads at Data Directions aren't busy with their IT projects, they love to answer questions on business or consumer technology. E-mail them to [email protected] or contact us at Data Directions Inc., 8510 Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23116. Visit our website at www.askthepropellerheads.com.