Spring Break

S pring break!" The mere           Florida. Daytona Beach and Panama  mention of the phrase would     City Beach, also in Florida,       conjure distinct visions of     began solidifying their own        fun for any particular age group      respective popularity not long     in American history. For              after. Palm Beach, California,     well-heeled college students at       along with international stars     least as far back as the 19th         Cancun, Acapulco, and the          Century, the spring holiday was a     Bahamas, have all established      casual time to recuperate from        themselves as crowd favorites      academic stresses. For those who      today.                             came of age in the late 1950s and                                        early 60s, Frankie Avalon and         There's another major spring       Annette Funicello defined and         break hotspot right in Texas'      inspired a more established           backyard. South Padre Island, 25   spring break ritual. Young adults     miles north of Mexico on the       today, who have never known life      Texas gulf coast, has gained       without MTV, experience spring        steadily in popularity since the   break as an aggressively produced     tents and bonfires of the 60s.     and marketed event that has all       South Padre Island offers an       the flash of a rock concert,          expansive five mile stretch of     major sporting event, and fashion     beach, and there is ample lodging  show, all rolled into one annual      to accomodate any budget. A trip   beach blast.                          into Mexico is only a thirty                                             minute drive, for those spring     Over the years, spring break          breakers who want an               revelers have made a home for         international experience. For      themselves at many different          spring break with a Texas flair,   beach locales. The Frankie and        come on down to South Padre        Annette crowd could be found          Island.                            primarily at Ft. Lauderdale,           About the Author: Mark Stone writes for various sites including this one, http://www.south-padre-island-spring-break.com/. Source: www.isnare.com