Students and staff who are frustrated with mid-term assignments, exams and work are ready for a bit of freedom and relaxation.

March 12 through March 20 marks the dates for Palo Alto’s Spring Break. For those who do not have the whole break available or just do not have the funds to make a long journey, keeping your travel time to ten hours or less might make for an affordable trip. Despite these minor constraints, you can still plan a pretty enjoyable vacation.

Sophomore Optometry major Anthony James Saenz is taking his break north of San Antonio for about an hour drive up Interstate 35. He wants to visit Austin to “do whatever [he] can do that is cheap…and do some clubbing.”

Saenz will be able to see a vast amount of nightclubs along Austin’s famed Sixth Street, but he may have a limited selection as many of the clubs have an age limit of 21 to enter. Maggie Mae’s, for example, is one of Austin’s premiere rock and jazz venues on Sixth Street, but minors are not allowed in because alcohol is served. Sixth Street is great for students and faculty who are of age, and it offers a wide-range of clubs, like sports bars, comedy clubs, dance clubs, lounges and live music venues.An alternative to the Sixth Street nightlife is Austin’s annual South By Southwest Film Festival that will be held from March 11 - 19. The nine-day event offers hundreds of features, shorts, documentaries and music videos, which are followed by interactive panels, trade shows and award assemblies. The event costs $475 for an all-access pass that includes all films, shows, and interactive panels, or $275 for a film pass that includes just the films. Film students are offered a discounted price of $175. It is a hefty price, but it is worthwhile according to eFilmCritic.com who, called it, “the coolest of the five [film] festivals [they] attended throughout the [2004] year.”

Besides big-city attractions, trips to the Texas coast seem to be popular. Sophomore Education major Aimee Russ will be vacationing south of San Antonio traveling about three hours down Interstate 37. This will be the first time she visits Port Aransas, located on Padre Island, and she plans to spend a lot of time boating along the Texas coast.

“My husband’s quite the fisherman,” said Russ.

According to TripAdvisor.com, hotel and camp lodging may be difficult to find unless you book in advance because of the increased number of visitors during Spring Break. The site also offers Port Aransas Beach, Mustang Island State Park, and the University of Texas Marine Science Institute as its top attractions.

Sophomore Communications major Jacie Lozano will also travel to the Texas coast, across the Corpus Christi Bay from Port Aransas.

“I’ll probably visit family I have down there,” said Lozano.

Yahoo! Travel rates the Selena Museum as the number one thing and the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay as the number fifteen thing to do in Corpus Christi. Admission to the Lexington Museum is just under $12, while the Selena Museum is free to the public. The Texas State Aquarium is also located here, and hundreds of sea life, birds, reptiles and mammals are housed in this top rated facility with an admission price of $12.95. Downtown night clubs such as Sharkey’s and Stingers are tropically themed and add to the coastal experience.

Just under a nine-hour drive west of San Antonio, Big Bend National Park is one of the United State’s largest parks and is open daily, 24-hours a day, throughout the year. The park’s campgrounds can be reserved for less than $30, and they have full hook-ups for RVs and trailers. The natural feel of the park makes it a great place for hiking, fishing on the Rio Grande, horseback riding and many other outdoor activities. VisitBigBend.com recommends that all visitors pack food, supplies and first-aid kits because all hospitals, supermarkets and banks are at least 100 miles away.

Outside of Texas, Louisiana offers excellent vacation spots for Palo Alto students. New Orleans is just under a ten-hour drive east of San Antonio. TripAdvisor.com ranks “The Big Easy” as its No. 7 “hot spot” in the world. Bourbon Street, located in New Orleans’ French Quarter, gives visitors an opportunity to experience the vibrant Cajun culture that can be found throughout Louisiana. With its famous seafood dishes and jazz music, Bourbon Street gives tourists a chance to relax and take in the Louisiana culture. The New Orleans Museum of Art displays many European, pre-Colombian, and native Louisianan paintings making a trip to New Orleans even more interesting.

Out of the country, Monterrey, Mexico, is about a seven-hour drive south of San Antonio and is a great place to vacation, according to Yahoo! Travel. La Cascada Cola de Caballo is a national landmark and literally translates to Horse Tail Cascade. The park has a long nature trail that leads to the many waterfalls located around it. El Museo de Historia Mexicana in Monterey is a national history museum that displays paintings, antiques, and videos of different aspects of Mexican history. The museum charges six Mexican pesos, approximately 60 cents.

For those students who cannot leave the San Antonio area for any reason, there is still plenty to do to have a great Spring Break. From the beautiful River Walk to the surrounding missions, San Antonio is one of the top-rated tourism destinations in the world. The San Antonio Zoo is considered one of the best in America and is home to more than 700 different species. With a low rate of $8 general admission, the S.A. Zoo presents a “treasure for the community…that’s fun for everyone,” according to Epinions.com.

Dreaming of a future vacation can also be a nice way to spend Spring Break. Freshman Psychology major Veronica Reyna would love to visit Australia, and sophomore Communications major Jesse Longoria said that he has dreamed about vacationing in Rome and possibly Romania.

Whether you visit an area of Texas, a nearby location or dream about an exotic location, have a safe trip and a pleasant Spring Break!