Spring break — a week away from the stress of school work, and for some, a time of sun, sand and sleep. Many college students across the nation will be taking their spring break adventures global to places such as France, Germany and Costa Rica.

Others will be taking the plunge down ski slopes in Aspen and Montana.

Yet there are other students who may not want to dish out the funds it takes to jump into the warm ocean and drink Coronas. Some of these students have opted for an alternative spring break plan and are heading to places like Canada.

The most popular spring break destination this year is anywhere in Mexico, said Angela Thompson of Chippewa Valley Travel, 3221 E. Hamilton Ave. On average, the cost of a travel package to Mexico can range from $800 per person to more than $1,400 per person, depending on what type of hotel students want to stay at.

A major factor in choosing a hotel is to find out if students are allowed to rent rooms. Some hotels don’t allow spring breakers to rent rooms from their resorts because of past problems they have experienced with college students, Thompson said.

Sophomore Joe Gast and some of his friends have been planning their trip to Cancun, Mexico and they are anticipating a good time.

“I think my only fear is losing all my boys at night,” Gast said. “The trip has added up to be a lot of money, but I think going to Cancun is a trip you have to take with your friends while you’re still young.”

Spring breakers in Mexico can anticipate spending about $300 for a week, Thompson said. That’s only if you want to stick to the bare minimums, she added.

Many students might not have the funds to go to Mexico this March. A group of sophomore girls have decided on a different plan for spring break.

Kim Herbst and Sarah Bates are planning a trip to Winnipeg, Canada with a couple of friends from high school.

“None of us had the money to go somewhere warm, so we decided driving to Canada would be fun,” Herbst said.

The drive to Winnipeg, Canada takes about eight to nine hours. There are benefits to a trip to our neighbors in the north, instead of a trip down south, Bates said.

“The drinking age is lower there I guess,” Bates said, “but just being able to not worry about losing your luggage or someone stealing stuff from your hotel is a huge relief.”

Students should definitely look into these alternatives over spring break, Thompson said.

Chippewa Valley Travel can help students find “last-minute hot deals,” as they are called, which can supply some cheap packages. Last-minute hot deals are tickets purchased right before the time you want to leave.

Right now, Chippewa Valley Travel has a two-person package to Las Vegas for $500, Thompson said, adding that these packages include air and hotel.

“Just getting away from Eau Claire for a little while will be nice, no matter where I go,” Herbst said.

Time away from school is one major reality for most students, but some students aren’t leaving town at all.

“I have to work, so I’ll be here all spring break,” junior Cortney Cushman said. “It’s not too glamorous, but I’ll be making some money.”

Other students have different plans for their spring break. Sophomore Ashley Kleist will be volunteering in Appleton during her break.

“It will be nice to get my service-learning done all at once,” Kleist said. “Plus, I’m broke and can’t afford to go somewhere warm.”

Sophomore Pete Hartman is following in the same direction as Kleist. He is not joining his roommates on their Cancun trip; instead, he is traveling to New Mexico to help teach at a Native American reservation through a university program.

“All the roommates are going to Cancun, but I think this will be a really good experience,” Hartman said.

Wherever your spring break destination may be, the goal for most is to be to have fun while getting a break from school.

So gas up the car or pack up your sunscreen, because the wait for spring break is almost over.