Enjoy Spring Break Within 600 Miles of BSU

By Dejah Miles
Spectrum Staff Writer

            Winter is ending and spring is slowly approaching in the next few months. With spring semester approaching one can't help but be mindful of how they plan to spend their spring break. As a university student, many people don’t have the means to splurge on an expensive spring break vacation How does one enjoy their spring break without breaking the bank? Well, if you have a vehicle here are two exciting places you could visit for spring break in 600 miles.
            First on the list is the South Carolina Islands or more specifically the Gullah Geechee Islands. Visiting the Gullah Geechee Islands would be a great experience for students interested in furthering their knowledge of an African-American cultures within the United States that has remained intact after slavery in America. The Gullah Islands are rich in the history of the Gullah civilization culture and history that has been preserved and upheld for over a century.  According to nps.gov, the Gullah Geechee people are descendants of West and Central Africans who were enslaved and resided in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia working on rice, cotton and indigo plantations. 
            A trip down to the Islands would take nine hours, 35 minutes and the distance would be 602 miles or 969 km by car from Bowie State University according to trippy.com. The cost would be around $71.24, but split between three people the travel isn’t that costly.  A budget-friendly hotel would cost around anywhere from $140 on the frugal side but splitting the cost of $400 between four friends would get one a 2-bed hotel room on the Ocean Oak Resort by Hilton Grand Vacations according to Booking.com. If your intention is to spend your spring break relaxing on the coastlines and indulging in a culture rich in spirituality, music, food and languages without emptying your bank account, a trip to the Gullah Islands is a must.
            When people think of spring break many people want a tropical vacation, but some might prefer something a bit more urban-like visiting a city rich in culture, something New York City is widely known for. If you wish to have fun in the Big Apple without breaking your pocketbook, a ride out to New York City would only take 1 to 3 hours or about 213 miles from Bowie. The cost would be around $30 per gallon from Bowie Maryland to New York City.
          New York is known for being the city of dreams and great luminous scenery when visiting its Time Square or many iconic landmarks such as the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty. New York offers many of the country’s most sought-after Broadway experiences and it’s famous for having many museums full of rare art.
         Excluding the inexpensive car ride, finding a hospitable place to stay in New York City is known to be costly. It’s less expensive to stay at a hotel in New Jersey and take a trip over to New York. A standard four-star hotel such as the Hilton East Brunswick Hotel would only cost you around $120 a night for a two-bedroom hotel room and standard service. The cost split between four people wouldn’t be too costly. According to rome2rio.com, a bus ticket from the Hilton East Brunswick Hotel would cost one around $4-$14, by train $5-$15, by drive $3-$5 with exception to rush hour traffic. Since New York is a walkable city, traveling by foot is best because there are many areas to experience on every block and there are many bike stations and scooters to use when one gets tired of exploring the city.
       Being on a budget doesn’t have to ruin your spring break – if you have a car.  Enjoy your break without breaking the bank. You’ll have plenty to brag about to your friends when you get back on campus.