“Spring break!” The mere mention of the phrase would conjure up different visions of fun for any particular age group in American history. For wealthy college students, at least since the 19th century, spring break was an informal time to recover from academic stress. For those who came of age in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello defined and inspired a more established spring break ritual. Young adults today, who have never known life without MTV, experience spring break as an aggressively produced and marketed event that has all the flare of a rock concert, a major sporting event, and a fashion show, all wrapped up in an annual blast on the beach.
Over the years, spring break revelers have made a home for themselves in many different beach spots. The Frankie and Annette crowd could be found primarily in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach, also in Florida, began to consolidate their respective popularity soon after. Palm Beach, California, along with international stars Cancun, Acapulco and the Bahamas, have established themselves as crowd favorites today.
There’s another major spring break spot right in your Texas backyard. South Padre Island, 25 miles north of Mexico on the Texas Gulf Coast, has steadily gained popularity since the tent-and-campfires of the 1960s. South Padre Island offers a wide five-mile stretch of beach, and there is ample accommodation to fit any budget. A trip to Mexico is only a thirty minute drive away, for those who are on spring break and want an international experience. For spring break with a Texas twist, come to South Padre Island.