Courtesy of Dough4872
Most affordable hotels (via Travelocity):
Hampton Inn & Suites Ocean City/Bayfront – $76 per night
Fenwick Inn – $83 per night
Sea Bay Hotel – $85 per night
Travel:
2 hour, 45 minute drive from campus
What to do:
Possibly the most well-known Spring Break destination to Maryland residents, Ocean City is an affordable and close locale for your break. Want to spend a day? Leave early in the morning and just spend a day at the beach. But if you are ready to stay for a night or two, there are plenty of hotels to choose from along the Boardwalk that put you close to the action of all Ocean City has to offer. Spend a day walking the length of the boardwalk to try visit the different shops, or just enjoy relaxing at the beach. Ocean City is also famous for its popular mini-golf courses, so come up with a tournament with your friends and battle it out on the course. If you are hungry and looking for something to snack on, The Towerlight recommends visiting Boardwalk Fries on the boardwalk to get a taste of Maryland with plenty of Old Bay on the fries.
Courtesy of Matt Hamilton
Washington, D.C.
Travel:
One hour drive from campus
What to do:
Washington, D.C. is our nation’s capital, so there must be something to do there. Right?
Well, you’re in luck, because D.C. offers numerous sights for visitors to check out.
We have to start at the most notable location in town, the White House.
Yes, you can walk right up to “Barry” Barack Obama’s house and take pictures.
He must really like company, because most people would not let thousands walk in their front yard each day.
Travel down 15th Street and you will run into the pinnacle of Washington, D.C., literally.
The Washington Monument cannot be missed from any part of town and it represents the center of what is essentially a plus sign design of the city.
It stands over 500 feet tall and it makes for some great pictures.
The next two attractions also represent presidents, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.
The Lincoln Monument features a giant reflecting pool and it, too, makes for some super fantastic picture-taking chances.
You’ll have to ask a stranger to take your picture, though, which wew know is hard.
The Jefferson Memorial sits on the Potomac River and if you get the chance to see it during cherry blossom season, it is b-e-a-utiful.
The flowers with the memorial as a backdrop will get you hundreds of likes on Instagram.
Lastly, go check out the place where no work gets done, the Capitol Building.
Other than the White House, it’s the most important building in the country.
Alright, so those are the go-to spots, but there are plenty of other sights you can lay eyes on.
If you have time, check out the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Chinatown and the Arlington Cemetery. All of these places can be accessed by subway.
Enjoy your trip!
Courtesy of Cody Boteler
New York City
Most affordable hotels in New York City (via Travelocity):
Howard Johnson at JFK Airport – $90 per night
Holiday Inn Express on Staten Island – $91 per night
Day’s Inn in Long Island – $93 per night
Travel:
Drive – Three hours
Megabus from White Marsh – $30 round- trip
Bolt Bus from Penn Station – $50 round- trip
What to do:
It’s New York City, what isn’t there to do?
It may not be as warm as going to a Caribbean island, but taking a trip to New York City for Spring Break gives you the feel of a real vacation, but it’s only a few hours away from campus.
Any method of travel will get you to the heart of the city, giving you the option from doing anything you want.
Times Square is the most popular New York City attraction, home to plenty to places to eat, as well as a number of shopping locales, including a Toys R’ Us with an indoor ferris wheel.
Into theater?
Check out a show on Broadway (The Towerlight suggests “Newsies”).
If you are looking to spend the majority of your Spring Break in New York City, there are some lesser-priced hotel options perfect for two people to share a room on a college student’s budget.
Being there for multiple days also allows for plenty of time to see all the city has to offer.
Take a walk through Central Park and see all of the street performers for free.
Go down to Rockefeller Center and take a tour of the NBC Studios.
For video game lovers, Nintendo World is only a few blocks down from Rockefeller and has a large collection of Nintendo merchandise and memorabilia.
Traveling on a smaller budget?
Walking is free, and New York City has plenty of buildings and attractions that are all within walking distance.
Don’t get wrapped up in it all, either, and be sure to check out some of the small mom-and-pop businesses and restaurants in the city (they often have the best pizza).
Virginia Beach
Courtesy of Mark Lagola
If you’re looking to go to a beach south of Maryland, look no further than our neighboring state: Virginia.
About a four-hour car ride south of campus, this mid-Atlantic coastal paradise has plenty to offer. To go along with the beach itself, there’s a boardwalk, plenty of fine dining and numerous sporting events and facilities. Not to mention Virginia Beach itself is the 39th largest city in the United States. Who would have guessed?
As goes for most beaches along the mid-Atlantic East Coast, the waves are big enough to boogie board or body surf, collect sea shells down by the seashore and just lay at the beach and get a nice tan. Or sunburn for those of you who unfortunately don’t tan.
During Towson’s Spring Break, Virginia Beach is hosting two athletic events to go along with the recreational games sports lovers can do regularly.
Running from March 14-16, the 2014 Yuengling Shamrock Marathon Half Marathon 8K will be hosted on 31st St. and Atlantic Avenue. The Virginia Beach Spring Classic Soccer Tournament will also run on the 15-16 at 2276 Recreational Drive.
If you’re looking to stay for a few days at Virginia Beach, check out the Travelodge, the Sundial Inn and the Belmont Inn & Suites.
All three are right next to the beachfront and are extremely cheap.
The Travelodge, located on 2802 Atlantic Ave., has an average rate of $37.71 per night and is right next to plenty of shops and restaurants. It has a pool, comes with cable (including HBO and ESPN) and most rooms have kitchens.
The Sundial Inn, located at 308 21st St., has an average rate of $38.75 per night and is right next to the boardwalk. Rooms come with a full kitchen and there’s a swimming pool.
The Belmont Inn & Suites, located at 1113 Pacific Ave., is one block from the beach and comes with cable and wifi access. The average rate is $43.62 per night.
Courtesy of Jon Dawson
Most affordable hotels(Via Travelocity):
Econo Lodge Lavale $56 per night
Super 8 La Vale Cumberland $64 per night
Best Western Plus Braddock Motor Inn $71 per night
Travel:
About a three-hour drive from campus
What to do:
Deep Creek Lake is something that’s relaxing and it’s far enough away to call it a get away but not so far that it’ll break the bank. At about a three hour drive, Deep Creek is nestled in the hills of Western Maryland and in warm weather the lake and mountains offer swimming and hiking, and in not so mild weather there is skiing and snowboarding nearby at Wisp. You can stay at a hotel and drive to the lake or rent a cabin on the actual lake, which gets pricey, but if you’re in for family fun mom and dad can pay the bill and you can all enjoy nights by the open fire and days on the water. Or you could get a big group together and split the cost. Winter activities vary from skiing, snow tubing, ice skating and even dogsledding.
Some more spring-like activities are whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking at the top of Wisp.
Then there’s of course swimming and hiking at Deep Creek Lake State Park. Other interesting things could be horseback riding at Western Trail.
Courtesy of Ron Cogswell
Most affordable hotels (via Travelocity):
Travelodge Frederick – $56 a night
Days Inn Frederick – $61 a night
Best Western Historic Frederick - $72 a night
Google Maps distance:
55 minutes, 52.8 miles
What to do:
If being a college student is all about getting the most bang for your buck, there isn’t a much better destination than Frederick.
Many who have never been to Frederick assume that it is “just farms” but in the middle of the rural Frederick County is the city of Frederick, a small downtown hub with a lot to offer.
According to Google Maps, a trip to Frederick from Towson is just short of an hour, and the drive is an easy one.
Once you’re there, you can make your way to Main Street and browse the unique independent shops and boutiques.
Then when you’re hungry, make sure to stop by Pretzel & Pizza Creations on Market Street.
The shop offers a variety of fresh pretzel meals, including its pizza pretzels, renowned among the locals.
In the evening, you can choose one of Frederick’s many upscale restaurants if you’re looking for ambiance, or check out the local nightlife and music scene that comes alive in its bars.
Frederick is also teeming with history, making it a great destination for anyone interested in evening ghost tours.
What really makes Frederick stand out though, is its scenic location.
Frederick can offer many pars for recreation, from its own Baker Park inside the city to Cunningham Falls State Park, which is just a short trip north.
The surrounding Frederick County is also home to six wine trails, so wine connoisseurs will find plenty to explore.
Frederick always has a special event to offer, and Spring Break is no exception.
The weekend of March 21 and 22 The Comedy Pigs improv comedy group will performing at Frederick’s Maryland Ensemble Theatre, so make sure to check it out of you’re looking for laugh.
Though Frederick makes a great day trip, there’s plenty to do if you want to stay multiple days.
A night in Frederick can cost as low as $56 and a night, and there are plenty of options below the $100 range.
If you want to find out more about what to do in Frederick, be sure to check out http://www.visitfrederick.org/.