Travel tips
Spring break 2027: 10 warm trips from the US, by flight time
Ideas for families, couples and college groups, from passport-free Puerto Rico to Costa Rica's dry season.
By Traveljin Editorial Team · Updated · 2 min read
Quick answer
- Most US schools and colleges take spring break in March 2027; Easter Sunday 2027 is March 28, so some breaks fall around then.
- Without a passport: Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. With one: Cancún, Punta Cana, the Bahamas, Costa Rica or Turks and Caicos.
- Book flights two to three months ahead; fares to beach destinations usually climb as March approaches.
| Main spring break month | March 2027 |
|---|---|
| Easter Sunday 2027 | March 28 |
| No passport needed | Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii |
| Best for families | Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, Costa Rica |
| Book by | December to January |
Under 3 hours from much of the East Coast and South
- Florida Keys and Miami: drive or fly, no passport. Key West is about three and a half hours' drive from Miami along the Overseas Highway.
- The Bahamas: about an hour from Miami to Nassau. Good for a long weekend.
- Cancún and the Riviera Maya: about two hours from Texas, four from the Northeast. The widest choice of flights and hotels.
3 to 5 hours: the Caribbean and Central America
- Puerto Rico: no passport for US citizens, rainforest, forts and beaches. About four hours from New York.
- Punta Cana: good-value all-inclusives, about four hours from New York.
- Turks and Caicos: calm water on Grace Bay, great for small children.
- Costa Rica: March is the dry season on the Pacific coast. Guanacaste's beaches pair well with ziplines, volcanoes and wildlife.
From the West Coast
- Hawaii: about five to six hours from California, no passport needed. March has fewer crowds than summer and is still humpback whale season.
- Los Cabos: about two and a half hours from Los Angeles, with desert scenery and whale-watching until around April.
- Puerto Vallarta: about three hours from Los Angeles, with a lively old town and calm bay beaches.
Families vs college groups
Some places get very busy with college spring breakers, especially parts of Cancún's Hotel Zone and Florida's Panhandle beaches. Families looking for quieter weeks should consider Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, Costa Rica or Hawaii, or choose resort areas such as Playa del Carmen instead of central Cancún.
How to get a better price
Spring break is one of the most expensive times of year for warm-weather trips, so flexibility pays.
- Search flights a day or two either side of the weekend; midweek departures are often cheaper.
- Compare nearby airports, such as Fort Lauderdale instead of Miami, or Newark instead of JFK.
- Check your passport early: it needs to be valid for your whole trip, and some countries require extra months of validity.
Frequently asked questions
When is spring break 2027?
Most US schools and colleges have spring break in March 2027, usually one week. Some districts and colleges schedule it in late February or around Easter, which is March 28, 2027.
Where can I go for spring break without a passport?
US citizens can visit Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands without a passport.
When should I book spring break flights?
Aim for December or January. Fares to popular beach destinations tend to rise in the weeks before March.
