Cruisin’

Students may opt to enjoy a road trip; visting such places as California during Spring Break

By KIRSTEN TATE
UNIVERSITY JOURNAL

Road Trip!
Students who plan to travel for Spring Break next week have many destinations available to them.
California, especially San Diego, is a popular vacation spot for Spring Break, said Laurie Petty, office manager at Morris Murdock Travel.
San Diego, approximately 500 miles from Cedar City, offers beaches and parks. Students who visit San Diego may also visit Mexico, only a short distance away.
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is the six blocks recreating the first European settlement in California. Museums, shops and restaurants fill the area, according to www.maintour.com.
Balboa Park is full of gardens, a golf course, a recreation area with a swimming pool and tennis courts, according to the book Fodor’s Road Guide USA: California.
The San Diego Zoo is 100 acres of land with more than 800 different animal species. The zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, the guide reported.
SeaWorld is an attraction for which San Diego is famous. The park is open daily. Sea life includes dolphins, seals, penguins and, of course, Shamu, the killer whale.
For those who like shopping, Seaport Village has 75 specialty shops, restaurants, a carousel from the early 1900s and a park. Another shopping experience is Horton Plaza, a five-level mall with more than 140 shops and eateries, the road guide reported.
A taste of Mexico is only 15 miles away. To enter Tijuana, Mex., and return to the United States, a valid driver’s license and proof of residency are the only requirements. Avenida Revolucion is a popular shopping center, according to Fodor’s Road Guide.
Lake Havasu City, Ariz., becomes a mecca for college students during Spring Break. Between 15,000 and 25,000 people visit Lake Havasu between the beginning of March and the end of April, said Kristen Compton, Lake Havasu City Chamber of Commerce receptionist.
She said the water is the primary attraction, but the original London Bridge was reconstructed there in 1971, attracting people as well.
The city has four parks, beaches, a bowling alley, campgrounds, picnic areas, boat rentals, and lake tours.
“Most people go out on the lake, hang out and party; it’s definitely liberal,” Compton said.

 

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID PAYSTRUP / UNIVERSITY JOURNAL

Shaelyn Mathena, a sophomore biology major from Springville, said she is going to Lake Havasu for Spring Break because she has never been there and thought it would be something new and different.
She said she is most looking forward to hanging out with friends for the week.
Compton said people bring boats and enjoy the area because it’s nice, warm and sunny.
Accommodations range from camping in tents to the five-star London Bridge Resort & Conference Center.
Moab is a good trip, said John Peterson, a junior German major from Orem.
Last year, he said he liked it because he rode his mountain bike the whole time, but there is also camping and hiking, too.
Utah has numerous scenic routes throughout the state, but one of them travels through Cedar City.
In Utah! 21st Century Travel Guide, several highway routes are mentioned. The Utah National Parks Highway originates in Big Water, near the Arizona border, travels through Zion National Park, and up Interstate 15. Following it, travelers can find Red Canyon in Dixie National Forest and Bryce Canyon National Park.
East of Bryce, it goes northeast through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and becomes the Clem Church Memorial Highway, passing through a block of the Dixie National Forest and over Boulder Mountain.Before taking a long trip, students should make sure the car has been serviced with an oil change and the air pressure in the tires has been checked.