Top 10 Spring Break Destinations for Families

Having endured months of cold weather, families usually have only one thing on their minds: spring break! From the best beaches to the top-rated kid-friendly resorts, we’ve put together our top 10 spring break destinations for your family vacation.

• Jamaica
• Fort Lauderdale
• Costa Rica
• The Florida Keys
• Cancun
• Nassau
• San Diego
• Puerto Vallarta
• Las Vegas
• Cuba

Canadian families love to hop across the border for a sunny and stress-free vacation. Florida is a popular favourite among travellers from Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, while Southern California is the obvious choice for Western Canadians.

If you’re simply looking for flights and hotels, American destinations like Las Vegas are easy on your wallet. But when you factor in meals and activities, an all-inclusive resort stay in Cuba can actually be your cheapest and most value-packed option.

Additionally, timing is everything! If you can manage to start your vacation the day before spring break (or March break) officially begins, you can typically save yourself a few hundred bucks. And as always, the earlier you book your getaway, the better the prices and the more options you have to choose from.

Flight Centre’s travel consultants can help you find the perfect all-inclusive resort for your kids’ ages, your travel styles and your budget. Check out our favourite kid-friendly resorts in Jamaica, family resorts in Punta Cana and family all-inclusives in Mexico for some ideas.

Start by searching for flight deals on Flight Centre’s website or subscribe to Club Red for travel deal alerts, trip inspiration and more.

Of course, it’s up to you, but we recommend picking somewhere with sun and sand. Take a look through our list of top 10 destinations below for some inspiration!

Where else can you take the kids to ride bobsleds through a rainforest canopy? Or climb up a world-famous waterfall? Or see a lagoon glow in the dark with your own eyes? Jamaica is home to beautiful cultures, mouth-watering flavours and some of the most picturesque shores in the world. It’s impossible to get a real taste of the entire country in just a short spring break trip, but that’s just one more reason to keep coming back for more.

Touted as the original spring break destination, Fort Lauderdale offers the world-famous "Spring Break Beach" with over seven miles of white sandy beach, an award-winning wavewall and signature beachfront promenade.

Don’t forget to check out the Museum of Discovery and Science, Flamingo Gardens (in Davie, nearby), the Everglades, Deerfield Beach and Hillsboro Beach.

If you’re looking to stay away from the spring break cliché, but still get some sun and surf, consider Costa Rica. Combine a few days at one of the famous surf beaches with a few more days ziplining through the rainforest canopy.

Take a tour of our favourite Costa Rican beaches and top adventures in nature in between cannonballing into the pool.

Why not celebrate spring break in "Margaritaville"? The Florida Keys (made up of Key Largo, Key West and Islamorada) offer not only great beaches and a hot nightlife for the grown-ups, but world-class diving and snorkelling as well.

Step up your itinerary with unique family-friendly experiences like beach camping in Islamorada, meeting injured sea turtles being rehabilitated in the Middle Keys’ Turtle Hospital and exploring the Fisher Museum’s Potter-inspired “Renaissance Science, Magic and Medicine” exhibit.

Cancun is a popular vacation choice for both students and families, but since post-secondary reading week happens in February and March break happens in (well… never mind), you don’t have to worry about crowds.

Enjoy plenty of family-friendly diversions like an underwater museum, epic days at Xcaret Park, trips to cenotes and fascinating tours of Mayan archaeological sites.

The city of Nassau is not only the capital of The Bahamas but an increasingly popular spring break destination. It is connected to Paradise Island by a bridge which is home to premium resorts like The Reef at Atlantis and The Ocean Club — a Four Seasons Resort.

While you’re there, take a trip to Blue Lagoon Island and meet the adorable local wildlife at Pig Beach, where you’ll be sure to get lots of squeals out of your little ones.

San Diego is the perfect choice for a family spring break featuring Balboa Park. It has 1,000-plus acres, 15 museums and the city’s famous zoo. Get active together and enjoy bike tours, kayaking, SUPing and even surfing!

Boasting an awesome nightlife, beautiful beaches and great all-inclusive hotel deals, you’ll need nothing more to enjoy a great spring break in Puerto Vallarta. If you’re smart, you’ll tie in a quick trip to the Marieta Islands… it’s a vacation within a vacation!

Get more inspiration for you family holiday with our quick expert guides to whale watching and beach hopping.

There is nothing in the world quite as dynamic as the never-ending party in Las Vegas. And that goes for kids, too! Pack up the family and enjoy Hershey’s Chocolate World, the Observation Wheel, aquariums, Discovery Children’s Museum, and fun kid-friendly shows like Cirque du Soleil and Jabbawockeez.

Spanish architecture, vintage automobiles and salsa dancing — timeless Cuba is waiting for you. If you’re craving quality time at the beach, it’s hard to beat breathtaking Cuba. There’s plenty to enjoy both on and off the resorts: must-try dining, tours of Santiago de Cuba and snapping family pictures along El Malecon.