Spring break is soon to be here, and with that comes the decision of where to go and what to do. It seems that college students flock to beaches across the country every year. Here are several alternatives to a traditional spring break trip if the beach is not an option or simply not an interest.
Chicago, Illinois
Distance from Otterbein: 5.5 hours
Attractions: Navy Pier, a 3,000-foot pier located on the Chicago shoreline of Lake Michigan, offers entertainment, museums, restaurants and shops.
Grant Park, also known as Chicago’s Front Yard, has many famous Chicago attractions, such as the Art Institute of Chicago, Buckingham Fountain and Millennium Park, where “The Bean” is located.
Events: There are several Chicago Bulls Games at home in United Center. Some other events to attend throughout the week include the Chicago Flamenco Festival, the dyeing of the Chicago River during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and a fully improvised musical called “Pitch, Please!”
Hotels: Chicago’s Essex Inn, Days Inn Chicago
New York City
Distance from Otterbein: 8.5 hours
New York City offers more entertainment and attractions than could possibly be listed. New York City Vacation Packages allows you to design your own trip to the city from beginning to end.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Distance from Otterbein: 3 hours
Attractions: The Andy Warhol Museum is the largest museum in the country dedicated to a single artist.
Carnegie Museum of Art
The Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts is a concert hall and performing arts center located in the Cultural District of Pittsburgh.
Places to go: Market Square is located downtown at the intersection of Forbes Avenue and Market Street. The area offers many shops and restaurants, or just a place to walk around and take in the city.
Going to a Pittsburgh Penguins game, the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, or Schenley Park and the Duquesne Incline are among other options when visiting the Steel City.
Hotels: Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites, Quality Inn University Center, Hampton Inn and Suites
Nashville, Tennessee
Distance from Otterbein: 6 hours
Attractions: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Centennial Park is a large, urban park located about two miles from downtown Nashville.
Robert’s Western World is a Nashville honky-tonk that hosts big-name artists.
Places to go: The Grand Ole Opry Country Music Show is the longest-running live radio show. The broadcast is found on Country Music Television and heard on Sirius Satellite Radio.
Visit the area of Nashville known as The District. It consists of some of the most popular areas in Downtown Nashville, which include Broadway, the intersection of Second Avenue and Riverfront and Printer’s Alley. Among the streets are several bars, restaurants and live music venues.
Hotels: Days Inn Nashville, Comfort Inn, Knights Inn
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Distance from Otterbein: 6 hours
Attractions: Hershey’s Chocolate World offers free admission. Hershey’s Great American Chocolate Tour Ride is free as well. There are museums, restaurants and shops throughout the park.
Known as “The Sweetest Place on Earth,” Hershey Park offers a variety of attractions such as ZooAmerica, Hershey Gardens and Hershey Bears Ice Hockey.
Events: March Basketball Fever and other special events at the Hershey Gardens are happening over spring break.
Hotels: Ramada Harrisburg/Hershey Area, Econo Lodge Hershey, Hershey Lodge
Niagara Falls, New York
Distance from Otterbein: 5.5 hours
Attractions: The falls themselves, aquariums, museums and casinos are located throughout the area.
There are many tours offered at Niagara Falls, including Niagara Adventure Tours and a tour of Fallsview Casino Resort.
Hotels: Best Western, Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn
Washington D.C.
Distance from Otterbein: 6.5 hours
Attractions: Museums, monuments, Smithsonian, theaters
Washington D.C. is home to many monuments and museums where people can go to appreciate beauty and learn a great deal about history.
Hotels: Baron Hotel, Embassy Inn
If you find yourself stuck in Ohio over break, there are still ways to enjoy your time off from school by exploring the state.
Dayton: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Distance from Otterbein: 1.5 hours
Canton: Pro Football Hall of Fame
Distance from Otterbein: 2 hours
Cleveland: Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, go to a Cleveland Cavaliers game or attend a show at Playhouse Square Center.
Distance from Otterbein: 2.5 hours
Cumberland: Visit The Wilds, a wildlife conservation center in Muskingum County that offers bus tours so visitors can see hundreds of species living on the conservation.
Distance from Otterbein: 1.5 hours
Money-saving Tip: Booking hotels through Groupon and Expedia can help you find better deals on hotel rooms.
