Spring break on the beach doesn’t have to mean endless margs, sandy toes and cabana-side tacos (though no one would complain if it did). It could be all that and more. In Waikoloa, Hawaii, where it also means snorkeling steps from your hotel. In Gulf Shores, Alabama, it can mean sleeping inside a state park. You and your mates could go further afield to Panormo, Crete, where it means strolling along preserved medieval streets past the ruins of 13th-century Castel Milopotamo to the sand. In Sydney, it means gallivanting between Sydney Harbour National Park, the Royal Botanic Garden (right near the opera house) and the incredible coastline. Spring break on the beach can be whatever (and almost wherever) you want it to be.

You always have the classics when it comes to a foodie vacation. We’re thinking: vineyard hopping through Napa Valley, hunting down fresh Cajun fare in New Orleans or Tex-Mex touring through the Lone Star State. For some road-less-traveled ideas: we love the fresh seafood in Puget Sound or Basque cuisine - originating between Spain and France - in Idaho (yes, Idaho). Scout for craft beer in Colorado’s Front Range or go wine tasting through Michigan’s pretty peninsulas or in the country’s oldest American Viticultural Area in Missouri. That’s just in the U.S., friends. Imagine wine touring in France or learning how to make pasta in Italy. On spring break, the world can be your oyster.

Mexico is one of the more classic spring break ideas for good reason. No-fail, no-stress. For a reliably blissful experience, it’s hard to beat all-inclusive spots like Cancun or Playa Del Carmen. But cast your net further, like to Jamaica, and you’ll dine to reggae beats and hike through the jungle to spots like Dunn’s River Falls or the “Blue Hole.” In the Dominican Republic, you could stroll eco-friendly beaches, take merengue lessons with your friends and taste traditional Dominican dishes like sancocho. Or look to Türkiye, where the right resort puts you a short walk away from ancient town centers or saves you a spot at the Champagne bar overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.