Destination: Spring Break
Whether you’re headed East or West, to the beach or to the mountains, here’s a look at what some students don’t want you to miss if you party in their hometowns.
Thursday, March 8th, 2007
Destination: Los Angeles
Miles Away: 1,322
Tour Guide: Tiffany Jones, sophomore
During the day
While visiting the Golden State, be sure to take in the restaurants, shopping, and surf at Venice Beach, Jones says. It’s a warm, sunny beach, and artists and street performers give it a funky atmosphere. And if you’re looking to spend money on a new wardrobe, check out Melrose Avenue to score some designer duds from Fred Segal, Von Dutch or Agent Provocateur.
Grab a bite
Miyagi’s & Co Inc., 8225 W. Sunset Blvd., serves up great sushi and Japanese if you get hungry lugging all your purchases around town. If you have breath mints handy, Jones says students should eat at The Stinking Rose, where all items on the menu have one thing in common: garlic. But if dessert is all you crave, head directly to Islands Restaurant, where Jones’ mouth waters just thinking about the divine desserts served at the Hawaiian-themed restaurant, such as the Chocolate Lava — a fudge brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, roasted almonds and a cherry.
Evening events
If you’re looking for entertainment after dusk, head to Sunset Boulevard, where you can find clubs like the House of Blues and the Viper Room that are frequented by Hollywood stars. “It’s just one big party/traffic jam, but everyone is nice and talking to each other. It’s fun,” Jones says.
Words of advice
Jones warns spring breakers to steer clear of Travelodges. “It will look good on the Internet, but once you get there, it’s not so good,” she says. Instead, spend the extra cash to stay at a big hotel, such as the Hilton Checkers Los Angeles, 535 South Grand Avenue. Some of the cheaper hotels are in bad areas of the city, so spring breakers should be careful, Jones says.
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Destination: Nassau, the Bahamas
Miles Away: 1,412
Tour Guide: Anthon Bowleg, senior
Hot Spots
Don’t miss out on the island culture if you’re traveling this far. Bowlegs suggests visitors stop by Cafe Johnny Canoe Restaurant in the Nassau Beach Hotel, a casual place to enjoy live authentic Bahamian and calypso music while devouring everything from grilled mahi mahi to a grouper fillet, a Bahamian classic.
There’s nothing better
To experience real Bahamian nightlife, plan to dance to reggae music all evening at Fluid Lounge. “It’s kind of a different club. They don’t play as much rock or pop as the U.S., but the drinks are cheap and it’s where the natives go to party,” Bowleg says.
But if you’re looking for something more comparable to the music and atmosphere of It’s Brothers Bar and Grill, 1105 Massachusetts St., in Lawrence, Bowleg suggests you stick to carousing at Señor Frogs, a name sure to sound familiar to spring breakers.
Other than that
If you need time to recuperate from the day before, enjoy snorkeling in the cove, walking around the Atlantis Hotel to look at the marina and magnificent pools and water slides, or shopping downtown.
Stay safe
Be aware of your surroundings when visiting this spring break destination. Be mindful of the taxis you hail outside the airport or hotels, because some scam artists will try to lure you into their vehicles and then charge you an outrageous fee. “It’s better than Jamaica, but not 100-percent safe,” Bowleg says. Also, feel free to venture out during the day, but be extra careful if you decide to embark on a nighttime journey.
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Destination: Corpus Christi, Texas
Miles Away: 780
Tour Guide: Erin Cook, senior
During the day
Cook suggests spring breakers visit JP Luby Surf Park on Mustang Island, a beach where the college crowd soaks up the sun during the day. Not only can spring breakers drive onto the beach, they can also spend their days playing volleyball, surfing and swimming, or grilling up a little Texas barbecue.
Good eats
If you work up an appetite while lying on the beach, try Snoopy’s Pier, 13313 S. Padre Island Drive, where they serve up fresh seafood and cold beer in a great atmosphere, Cook says. But if it’s Mexican food you crave, don’t be afraid to try one of the more than 50 hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants, she says.
Party time
When looking for a popular place to party the night away, head to Dead-Eye Dicks, 305 N. Chaparral St., if you’ve got your cowboy boots on, or Stingers, 301 N. Chaparral St., if hip-hop and dance music is more your style. You only have to be 18 to enter, and both bars have nightly drink specials.
If you have the extra cash to drop on an evening out, Cook suggests going out for drinks at the Havana Club, or at 21, 317 N. Mesquite St., which are a little more expensive, but also more exclusive.
Besides these bars, Cook recommends students look for bars on the south side of the city, which attracts a younger crowd than other areas. “The north side is kind of trashy. It’s trying to be a resort destination, but it’s not great. You can find better restaurants on the other beach,” Cook says.
The morning after, Cook says visitors should try Elva’s Restaurant for $1.75 breakfast tacos. “It doesn’t really sound appetizing, but we loved them in high school,” Cook says.
Roadtrip
The drive down to Corpus is fun if you take advantage of all the cities along the way, including Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, so be sure to stop and enjoy all Texas has to offer. Although Corpus Christi offers plenty to keep you busy, Cook suggests a side trip to Port Aransas if you want to get away from getting away. Only 45 minutes away, the city caters to tourists and is situated right on the Gulf of Mexico. There you can enjoy more seafood and beautiful sites.
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Destination: Denver
Miles Away: 525
Tour Guide: Katia Birge, senior
Wine and dine
For being located in the heartland of the United States, Denver is not short of exciting places to take in different cultures. “LoDo,” short for Lower Downtown, is full of restaurants and dance halls. The Denver Pavilions offers a little bit of everything to visitors: upscale stores, delicious restaurants and even flamenco dancing, Birge says.
If you’re adventurous enough to taste some new cultures, try Buenos Aires Pizzeria, which is not as strange as it sounds. Another tasty restaurant Birge recommends is Mexico City. “It’s not fancy, but it’s really good food,” she says.
On the town
If you’re looking to dance off the scrumptious food you just consumed, head to La Rumba, a hot night club with different tunes every night and a cheap cover.
Out of town
Birge warns that the hotels located in the heart of Denver might break your budget, so instead she suggests staying in a cheap hotel on the south side of town and taking the light rail, which operates 24 hours a day, to get to your destinations.
Take it easy
Denver is full of night life, but if you want to take it slow, check out the many history and art museums, or take a tour of Coors Field where the Colorado Rockies baseball team plays. But if you’re a fan of the cool weather, you could always bundle up and find a snow-covered hill to sled down, a favorite pastime of Birge.
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Destination: New York City
Miles Away: 1,131
Tour Guide: Adam Sechrist, 2006 alum
Taking in the scenery
Don’t skip out on a walk through Central Park, Sechrist says. Or, detour over to his favorite recreational area, Riverside Park. “It’s a really cool park. It’s different. It’s next to the Hudson River. It’s a place to walk, jog and chill. There are a couple bars there, too,” he says. While you’re near Central Park, check out The Boathouse, East 72nd St. & Park Drive North, a bar and grill right next to the lake where you can watch gondolas drift by, or even rent one yourself.
Feeding your appetite
You might be in the northeast, but if you’re looking for some good Creole food, try Delta Grill, 700 9th Avenue, which serves giant portions of jambalaya and chicken gumbo. Or if you’re craving Kansas City’s favorite food, chow down on some barbeque at Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, 1485 2nd Ave., where you can find a special on buffalo wings any night of the week.
The nightlife
If you’re looking for a great place to enjoy the city that never sleeps, go to Mercury Bar, 659 Ninth Ave., which is always a good place to party, Sechrist says. “The bartenders walk on the bar and it’s the same type of feel that you get at the Sandbar in Lawrence. It’s a college bar,” he says. Or try Crobar, 530 West 28th St., if you want a nightclub. “It’s a big-time party bar,” Sechrist says.
Show time
Plan on seeing a Broadway show such as Hairspray or Wicked while visiting. Sechrist suggest going to the TKTS Booth at 47th and Broadway, because they offer a 50 percent discount for shows before 3 p.m.
Before you leave the Big Apple, do all the touristy stuff too, Sechrist says. You should pick up a guide book and plan on seeing the World Trade Center Memorial and Rockefeller Center, where you can ride to the top of the 70-story building and see for miles in every direction. “The lines are shorter than the Empire State Building,” he says. “The tickets are cheaper and the view is better.”
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