Spring Break planning time (Colorado Springs, Frederick: rent, motels, college)

[unbeliever]

Hola,

I'm planning a Spring Break (last week of March) road trip and looking for ideas. We're:

-looking to get away from snow/winter for a week
-not looking for skiing, hiking or any other outdoor activities that we do regularly in Colorado. If we could fly I'd go to San Diego (we haven't seen the ocean in years), Tampa or somewhere else very un-Colorado like
-open to driving a maximum of 8 hours each way from Colorado Springs. We're slow travelers. We end up making a lot of pit stops and an 8 hour drive ends up taking us 10+ hours even though we drive at normal highway speed
-Not interested in places we've driven to: Santa Fe, Albuquerque, KC, Omaha

I'd opt for Phoenix or Tucson but that would be too much driving in one day and we only have a week. Salt Lake City would interest me but I don't want to end up in a blizzard on 70. Been there done that.

Thanks!

Josh

[davebarnes]

Amarillo, TX
America's atomic bomb factory.
6 hours drive

[otowi]

Within 8 hours you're always taking a gamble about snow/winter in March.

You've said you don't want to do outdoor stuff, but what do you actually want to do at a given destination? What would be your activities in any area you go to? When I think of road trip, I think of stopping at lots of places along the way and doing short or even longer hikes to see road side tourist stuff, natural landmarks, etc. But what is your idea of a road trip?

If you're really trying to get away from snow, I'd say don't have the road trip start here and instead get a cheap flight to Vegas (or some other flight you can get for dirt cheap), rent a car and go somewhere around there. Maybe there is a dirt cheap flight to Phoenix?

[Ruth4Truth]

The Grand Canyon? It's about a 10-11 hr. drive. You could base yourself in Flagstaff or Williams, AZ. Williams would be cheaper, but to would be a slightly longer drive. Smaller town. Flag is a college town, would have more stuff happening. But you wouldn't necessarily be getting away from winter//snow. Williams is closer to the desert, so would be a little less likely to have snow.

Your only real option for getting away from winter, guaranteed, would be to find cheap flights to a desert area (Las Vegas) or the coast: LA, or Santa Cruz via Oakland or San Jose. It's getting a little late to snap up cheap fares for Spring Break week, though... The cheapest ones will be no longer available.

[NW Crow]

Your criteria are very difficult but Lubbock is within reach and could be half-decent for visitors not looking for outdoor activities and snow free for putzing around.

It would help to let people know what your group is. I see it though.

Last week of March in Lubbock is expected by long-range forecast to have highs from 70-80 with some chance of rain. Some flowers might be out. Trees might be budding.

Or maybe laze around Carlsbad NM.

Or take train to CA and back.

[interloper1138]

Las Cruces. It's about as far south as you can get in 8 hours.

Honestly your list of requirements is a bit strange. What do you actually want to do on your vacation other than not be cold?

[DOUBLE H]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Last week of March in Lubbock is expected by long-range forecast to have highs from 70-80 with some chance of rain. Some flowers might be out. Trees might be budding.

Or maybe laze around Carlsbad NM.

NW Crow just beat me to it!!

The trees ARE budding in Carlsbad in late March as temps average around 75 or so. Take I-25 south to Las Vegas N.M. Then take U.S.84- it goes over Interstate 40 and connects to U.S. 54 to Vaughn. Then Vaughn to Roswell on U.S.285-a good place to spend the night-plenty of motels on the north side of town and restaurants as well. That next morning you can check out the UFO museum in downtown Roswell only because it's there. Roswell plays up the UFO festival every July, if for nothing else for tourism in Roswell except maybe Bottomless Lakes State Park east of town and the Ruidoso/Cloudcroft area an hour west of town. Still, the museum is cool in its own way.

By the OP's post he doesn't sound like he wants to do any hiking but if he goes to Carlsbad Caverns National Park he'll be hiking quite a ways, it does have an elevator though. The Caverns is one of the crown jewels of the National Park System. I've been there several times. If you stay to dusk you'll see the bat flight--way cool! Check out Carlsbad Caverns website, lots of good pictures and info there!

I like NW Crow's suggestion on Lubbock if for only one reason-that reason could be the Buddy Holly Museum. It's just off U.S. 87 at 18th and Crickets Ave. (as in Buddy Holly and the Crickets) The hours are a tad short right now but it is a must see. I've been there twice, it's an excellent facility. Like Carlsbad, you'll find the temperatures in the 70-75 degree range. Carlsbad to lubbock is about a 3 hour drive.

Take your time, late March is a good time to go to SE New Mexico. Raton Pass can get a little dicey in a storm but the highway crews do a good job on snow removal. And enjoy!

[Mike from back east]

Albuquerque might be doable, but not much there except the tram up to the top of Sandia Mountain.

Find a cheap airfare to San Diego or Los Angeles where there is a TON of things to do.

[BarryK123]

Los Alamos is an interesting place to visit. The Bradbury Science Museum is very good.

If not, there's always Nebraska, but it's not for everyone.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Amarillo, TX
America's atomic bomb factory.
6 hours drive

Add cyber "stealth" driving and squeeze in Roswell and Big Bend.

Personally.... I'd do Fredericksburg / San Antonio (12-14 hrs) in hopes of early bluebonnets.

Not flying? SWA offers new choices from COS. Santa Barbara with a side of Solvang and SLO. But if you like SAN, that's fine too (I could use a free outdoor organ concert about late March, but I'll probably be at Nethercutt museum and nearby CA Poppies reserve, depending on wildflowers and Joshua Trees further east) 35 SWA flights booked through June (so far). Gotta get to 100 flts for annual companion pass.