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I received an interesting question about Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale from a blog reader recently and I feel it’s something that deserves a good answer.
He wrote: “When I booked my vacation I did not realize that most high schools are out on spring break during that week. Does the beach/city get crowded with teens that week and does the city manage the crowds pretty well. I am a 30 yo and don't really want to be stranded with a bunch of teens.”
Dear Blog Reader:
Relax and come to Fort Lauderdale. The city hasn’t been overrun with teens for a long time. Here are the facts: The high point for the traditional “Spring Break” was more than two decades ago, in 1985, when 350,000 students boozed it up along A1A. Last year, just 15,000 young partiers showed over a several week period and about 10,000 are expected in 2006.
Are there more younger folks than usual around town during the time you’ll be here? Sure, you’ll see them. Do they crowd the city and take over? Hardly! When they’re mixed in among the many thousands of regular tourists, they barely cause a ripple. The bars that attract the remaining spring breakers probably aren’t the places you’d want to go anyway.
Fort Lauderdale still offers the same great weather and same great beaches but has turned too upscale for most spring breakers. If you’ve budgeted enough for two hamburgers and 12 beers per day and you need to squeeze five students into a hotel room, you should find some other beachy spot to go. Fort Lauderdale is the wrong place for you.
Let me tell you what I see and hear around town these days. A lot of European accents and languages, for one thing, as people from Germany, France, Scandinavia and elsewhere look for a sunny escape from their winter. I run into people from the Northeast and Midwest too, from New York and Chicago, New Hampshire and Michigan, wherever – and they have money to spend in our sunshine as well.
Hotels, restaurants, bars, spas, all of them are going one way. Up. The trend is distinctly toward the high-end and the sophisticated. I’ve lived here for 17 years and when I arrived in town the choices for food, beverage and entertainment were limited and pretty funky. Today, I can’t even begin to try all the new interesting establishments. If you’re looking to mingle with the spring break set, I’d suggest Panama City or Daytona Beach. But if you want to see a world-class art exhibition, eat a fabulous meal of red snapper and jasmine rice, sip a glass of single-malt scotch while listening to classic jazz, then Fort Lauderdale and its neighbors have a lot to offer you, this or any time of year. That’s why I have stayed here so long.
What I’m trying to say is that the Fort Lauderdale area has grown up since the 1960 Connie Francis film, “Where the Boys Are,” which burned the spring break image into America’s head. Those days are gone. There aren’t many $1 burgers or motels allowing that five-to-a-bed thing. But that’s ok. It may cost more now – but it’s worth every penny. So come on down.
He wrote: “When I booked my vacation I did not realize that most high schools are out on spring break during that week. Does the beach/city get crowded with teens that week and does the city manage the crowds pretty well. I am a 30 yo and don't really want to be stranded with a bunch of teens.”
Dear Blog Reader:
Relax and come to Fort Lauderdale. The city hasn’t been overrun with teens for a long time. Here are the facts: The high point for the traditional “Spring Break” was more than two decades ago, in 1985, when 350,000 students boozed it up along A1A. Last year, just 15,000 young partiers showed over a several week period and about 10,000 are expected in 2006.
Are there more younger folks than usual around town during the time you’ll be here? Sure, you’ll see them. Do they crowd the city and take over? Hardly! When they’re mixed in among the many thousands of regular tourists, they barely cause a ripple. The bars that attract the remaining spring breakers probably aren’t the places you’d want to go anyway.
Fort Lauderdale still offers the same great weather and same great beaches but has turned too upscale for most spring breakers. If you’ve budgeted enough for two hamburgers and 12 beers per day and you need to squeeze five students into a hotel room, you should find some other beachy spot to go. Fort Lauderdale is the wrong place for you.
Let me tell you what I see and hear around town these days. A lot of European accents and languages, for one thing, as people from Germany, France, Scandinavia and elsewhere look for a sunny escape from their winter. I run into people from the Northeast and Midwest too, from New York and Chicago, New Hampshire and Michigan, wherever – and they have money to spend in our sunshine as well.
Hotels, restaurants, bars, spas, all of them are going one way. Up. The trend is distinctly toward the high-end and the sophisticated. I’ve lived here for 17 years and when I arrived in town the choices for food, beverage and entertainment were limited and pretty funky. Today, I can’t even begin to try all the new interesting establishments. If you’re looking to mingle with the spring break set, I’d suggest Panama City or Daytona Beach. But if you want to see a world-class art exhibition, eat a fabulous meal of red snapper and jasmine rice, sip a glass of single-malt scotch while listening to classic jazz, then Fort Lauderdale and its neighbors have a lot to offer you, this or any time of year. That’s why I have stayed here so long.
What I’m trying to say is that the Fort Lauderdale area has grown up since the 1960 Connie Francis film, “Where the Boys Are,” which burned the spring break image into America’s head. Those days are gone. There aren’t many $1 burgers or motels allowing that five-to-a-bed thing. But that’s ok. It may cost more now – but it’s worth every penny. So come on down.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 2:10 PM
Thank you very much and you have made me feel much better about my visit.
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