9 TV Vacations to Inspire Spring Break Plans (PHOTOS)
Travel in Style
When it comes to spring break, most clichés are terrifyingly true, with college kids up to their eyeballs in debauchery for one week in March or April. Sure, some have much tamer spring vacations, but one thing’s for certain: the quintessential birthright of youth across America should be about enjoying yourself (preferably in warm weather). No matter how you’re getting ready for spring break, look no further than these inspired TV shows for some inspired fun in the sun.
Playtime in Paradise, The Bachelor
It’s no surprise that a show about fantasies offers up about a million escapes to exotic locales. Pick a season, any season, and the shirtless studs get to helicopter off to the Bahamas, Mexico, Jamaica and seemingly every other gorgeous tropical island on planet earth. The hotels even seem to be picked based on pools alone. And with romantic candles and plush makeout-ready couches, time spent relaxing beach at any of these heavenly spots means a rose would be accepted by just about anyone.
Group Outing to Mexico, Awkward
Being young is all about having many Awkward moments and experiences, like spending spring break with a big group of close friends…under one roof. Jenna (Ashley Rickards) and the gang do just that when they head to Mexico for plenty of debauchery and drama. So if you like your vacays jam-packed with gossip and hookups, and zero chill, just beware of the aftermath.
College Tour Road Trip, Gilmore Girls
Got a week off and on a budget? Why not hit up sunny New England like Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Lorelai (Lauren Graham), who road tripped from Stars Hollow up to Cambridge? Sure they were on a mission to check out Harvard, but the trip tightened the bond between the mom-daughter duo, who got plenty of banter time while they savored the future (and some architecture). Even if a campus visit seems a bit dull, a road trip to somewhere is anything but. Just choose your travel companion and destination carefully.
Nostalgic Road Trip, How I Met Your Mother
There's more than one way to do a road trip, and Ted (Josh Radnor) and Marshall (Jason Segal) made it their priority to hit the road for the best pizza in Chicago. Too bad their enthusiasm to relive their glory days by taking one last journey to their old haunt, with Lily (Alyson Hannigan) in tow, turned into a cautionary tale about choosing trip friends carefully. Spending way too much time together in a very small space meant getting annoyed at many pet peeves (like too many bathroom breaks), but nothing still sealed their bond like driving together through the night.
Fun in Florida, Nip/Tuck
Miami may be full of sunshine and palm trees, but it’s also a den of sin in the plastic surgery world. And with Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), the handsome devil with the Rolodex full of clients, in South Beach, there’s no shortage of temptation: hot bodies, poolside play, heavy drinking and endless dancing all day and all night. Time spent in Miami is a spring break cliché on steroids or, in this case, Botix, but you’ll always feel like your beautiful (thought not necessarily natural) self.
Las Vegas Escape, The O.C.
Vegas should be reserved for only the most adventurous spring breakers, but if studious emo Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) can survive Sin City, so can anyone. Even if you get an unwanted travel partner (of the parental supervision type) and you get in hot water with gamblers, a night in Vegas might give you a lesson in how to stay in your lane and survive when you’re outside the comfort zone. Instead, let Chino do Chino.
Family Vacation to Disney, Modern Family
Being stuck with parents during spring break doesn’t mean everything has to suck. Just take a look at the Dunphys and Pritchetts, because no one does family vacation like this crew. Whether they roll into Hawaii, dress up in Vegas costumes, straddle broncos at a dude ranch or even put Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) on a leash at Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom, the entire family goes all out. There’s no shame in facing your genes head on and embracing the free family vacation.
Snowy Ski Slopes, Curb Your Enthusiasm
If you have your heart set on getting sunshine on the snowy slopes, be sure to choose your ski mates very carefully. The last thing you want is to invite people you don't really want to spend time with...only to lie to them about your life or get stuck on the chairlift with the wrong person (imagine getting stuck with the neurotic Larry David). Things could get very, very uncomfortable. Otherwise, bundle up and just grin and “brrr” (or is it “grrr”?) it.
Staycation, The Real Housewives
No one knows how to look haute at home quite like the real housewives. Look to any city—Atlanta, Orange County, Beverly Hills, Potomac—for inspiration on how to stay in your own town and still have an awesome time. Even spoofs on the Real Housewives franchise (see: The Hotwives of Orlando and Hotwives of Las Vegas) is hysterical spoof on how to lounge and look gorgeous without going anywhere.
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