Spring Break

Emerald Coast Spring Break FAQ

For eight weeks during March and April families, teens and 20-something college students will descend on the Emerald Coast for a much-deserved break from school, work, winter weather and everyday doldrums.

The Emerald Coast Travel Guide offers everything needed to plan that perfect Spring Break – hotel and airline reservations, directories of activities and attractions, dining and nightlife, and much more. Check out Emerald Coast Travel Guide for the answers to all your vacation questions.

1. What’s the weather like on the Emerald Coast in March and April? Spring comes early to the Emerald Coast with some locals venturing out to the beach as early as February. By March and April temperatures can reach into the low 70s. Average rainfall for these two months is only five inches, so there should be plenty of sunshine. To find out more about local weather, check out the Emerald Coast Travel Guide and read through each city’s Area Guide or get the current weather forecast on Local Weather.

2. How do I find an inexpensive, student-friendly hotel? Some rental companies will not book accommodations to teenagers or even young, single adults while on spring break. To find out which hotels and vacation rentals are student friendly, just call and ask. For a listing of local hotels, motels, condos and vacation homes check out the Emerald Coast Travel Guide Reservation Center.

3. Where are the best beaches? Rated as some of the best beaches in the world, the sugar sands of the Emerald Coast and the clear, emerald green waters can’t be beat. Any of the Emerald Coast destinations you choose to visit during spring break offer a wide variety of adventures. To find out more, visit the Emerald Coast Travel Guide and check out the Beaches. Find out how to stay safe when playing in the sun and a checklist of what you need for a day at the beach.

4. What can I do on Spring Break that doesn’t cost a lot of money? It is easy to enjoy your Spring Break and not spend every dime you have. With a little planning, you can do something new everyday for little or nothing. Stop by the Emerald Coast Travel Guide and read Everyone Loves a Bargain for a list of local attractions, festivals, parks, and historic and cultural places to visit that have an admission cost of no more than $6.

5. What is the best way to get around without a car? Okaloosa County has two options for public transit: The Wave – which offers transportation anywhere inside the county, and the Okaloosa Island/Destin Shuttle – which runs three routes around the southeast portion of the county. To find out more visit the Okaloosa County Online Public Transportation Web site . In Panama City, visitors can venture around town on the Bay Town Trolley, making stops near beaches, shopping and downtown businesses. To find out more visit Panama City’s homepage.

6. Is there somewhere a family can go for fun with both a teenager and younger sibling? Many local vacation resorts are staffed with activity directors that plan a long list of fun programs throughout the spring and summer that would appeal to younger and older kids. There are also several miniature golf courses along the Emerald Coast and hands-on science museums in Fort Walton Beach and Panama City where everyone can have fun. There is a long list of water parks, marine life parks, zoos and go-cart tracks that offer hours of family fun. To find out more, visit Emerald Coast Attractions. For tips on traveling with a teenager, click here.

7. Where can I go for the best spring break souvenirs, beachwear and swimming suits? When on Spring Break it is almost mandatory to bring home something with a beach theme in bright neon colors. While on the Emerald Coast you can find some of the most unique and fun souvenirs, and clothing to commemorate your Emerald Coast adventure at Alvin’s Island, Wings, Beach Bums or Sunsations, all with locations on Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton, Destin, and Panama City. To find these and many more places to get that perfect spring break memento visit the Emerald Coast Marketplace.
   
   
8. Where can I tune for the best beach music? Whether you like Rock, Country or Rap, or want to keep up with your favorite sports team, there is a radio station to suit you. With huge listener markets in Pensacola, Panama City, Fort Walton Beach and even Mobile, Ala., there are plenty to choose from:

9. What are the rules for having coolers on the beach? Coolers are allowed on most beaches, but no glass containers. Many public beaches also offer covered pavilions equipped with picnic tables and charcoal grills. Trashcans are available at most beaches and littering fines can be stiff. Florida beaches have always been recognized as some of the cleanest in the country and littering laws are strictly enforced. Beach patrols monitor area hot spots from Navarre Beach to Apalachicola.
   
   
10. What else is there to do at the beach besides tanning and swimming? The list is almost endless. You can enjoy a staggering array of water sports including parasailing, surfing, sail boarding, wave runners, dolphin cruises, and fishing (whether from the beach, any of the public piers or from a deep-sea charter boat). Volleyball nets are set up on many beaches and mammoth kites can be seen flying most sunny days. If you want to take a break from the sand and surf, enjoy a side trip to a local sports complex complete with batting cages, shopping centers, theaters, and some of the best restaurants on the Gulf Coast. Florida is home to more than 150 State Parks (http://travel.emeraldcoast.com/stateparks.php) encompassing 723,000 acres of picturesque nature trails, rivers and beaches prefect for hiking, picnicking, and canoeing or kayaking. The Emerald Coast offers a wide choice of award-winning golf courses including courses designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and Rees Jones (sons of legendary course architect Robert Trent Jones). To find a new adventure visit the Emerald Coast Travel Guide or check out 25 Things To Do on Spring Break.

11. What can I do if it rains during spring break? The Emerald Coast offers visitors much more than beaches and warm Gulf waters. Whether you like shopping, museums, art, music, sports, or movies, there is something for everyone. Find out about what else the Emerald Coast offers at the Emerald Coast Travel Guide.

12. What are the rules for going to local clubs? Emerald Coast nightspots strictly adhere to the laws regarding underage drinking. You have to be at least age 21 to drink in any local club or restaurant, but many of these venues have great music and exciting events planned during spring break and invite those 18 and older to join the fun. Find out about Emerald Coast Nightlife on Emerald Coast Entertainment.

13. What do the colored flags on the beach mean? Unfortunately, it is not always fun at the beach. There are also avoidable hazards. Throughout the spring and summer, strong rip tides, jellyfish, or red tide (Karenia Brevis – an organism that can cause moderate to severe fish kills and aggravate respiratory problems in humans), sometimes invade area beaches. In an effort to warn beachgoers of potential danger, Florida has devised a colored flag system. Whenever there is a single or double red, or purple flag flying, swimmers are cautioned against going into the water. Not all beaches post warning flags, so be careful when swimming in the Gulf. To see a complete explanation of the flag warning system visit the Emerald Coast Travel Guide’s Beaches site.

14. What is a riptide and what can I do if I get caught in one? A rip tide is not actually a tide, but strong current that runs parallel to the shore. As waves roll toward the beach, they do not come in straight, but at an angle pushing water ahead of them. Because waves also push sand in toward the beach, sometimes a channel, or sandbar forms. If more water is coming in than can flow out of the channel, a rip tide forms. The best precaution you can take is to obey the beach flag warnings when a rip tide is running. If you do get caught in a rip tide, try to stay calm. Just as if you are swimming in a creek or river, go with the flow – swim parallel to the beach until you can get out of the current. The rip tide may take you far away from the shore, but you can eventually swim out of it.

15. How do you treat a jellyfish sting? It may seem like a grocery list instead of supplies for a first aid kit, but keep white vinegar and meat tenderizer (such as Adolph’s™) on hand when venturing to the beach. A jellyfish sting can be a painful souvenir to take home. Jellyfish have specialized stinging cells called cniodocytes. Within these cells are nematocysts that act like tiny harpoons. When a jellyfish tentacle touches you, it releases these nematocysts, injecting toxins into your skin. If you get stung, do not rinse the area with fresh water, this will release more toxins. Remove any tentacles and rinse the area with vinegar to neutralize the poison. A paste made of seawater and meat tenderizer and applied to the affected area also works well. Ibuprofen can help ease the pain of a sting and an antihistamine (such as Benadryl) can relieve any itching. You should seek medical attention for most stings, especially if you experience worsening symptoms or have severe pain or difficulty breathing or swallowing. Do not touch a beached jellyfish. They can still sting even if they are dead. (They look like a small, clear plastic bag full of water.) When jellyfish are sighted in a section of beach, purple flags will be posted indicating the presence of dangerous marine life For more beach safety tips, click here..

16. I got a sunburn my first day out, what can I do to make it feel better? It seems to be a rite of passage to get sun burnt while on spring break, but it can also ruin an otherwise great trip if it happens. Avoid this painful problem by taking a few precautions. Wear plenty of sunscreen, reapplying often, especially after swimming. Remember to wear sunglasses and a hat. It is possible to get burnt even on a cloudy day, so do not forget sunscreen even if the sun is not shining. The Food and Drug Administration makes these recommendations for sunscreens and skin type:

Sun Exposure History	Sunscreen SPF	Examples
Burns easily, rarely tans	20-30	Red-headed, freckles
Burns easily, tans very little	12-20	Fair skin/hair, blue or green eyes
Burns moderately, tans slowly	8-12	Average skin types
Burns minimally, tans well	4-8	Mediterranean-type Caucasians
Burns rarely, tans easily	2-4	African-Americans

If you do burn, do not treat it with ice or butter. Use cold compresses, apply hydrocortisone creams to the affected area, take aspirin or acetaminophen for pain, and avoid the sun for a while. There is plenty to do on the Emerald Coast while out of the sun. Visit the Emerald Coast Marketplace for a directory of attractions or Area Guides for ideas on what to do.

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