PHOTO COURTESY OF PINTEREST.COM

A large crowd gathers at the Panama City beach in 2013, a popular spring break destination.

If you were to ask a student where they were going for spring break, chances are, they’d answer with PCB, or Panama City Beach. 

PCB is not a vacation destination. It’s hell on Earth. 

For one, the beach, in general, sucks. There’s nothing you can do at the beach that you can’t do at a much less crowded lake, which isn’t built on miles of sand. 

Lakes are great because you can tube and kneeboard and ski and whatever else it is that your little vacation heart desires. At the beach, what is there to even do? Lie in the sand and get it everywhere in your swimsuit and belongings? Doesn’t sound like fun to me. 

The beach is also far away. Lake Thunderbird is an hour and a half away and Norfork is two and a half hours away. Get your tan on there, not at the overcrowded PCB. 

PCB sees around 150,000 visitors daily during the Spring Break Season, increasing the population 600%. There’s no room to be by yourself because everyone is packed in on the sand like a bunch of sardines.

If you don’t like the lake for whatever reason, fine. Just go somewhere, as long as it’s not the beach. Take a trip to Memphis or Nashville if you don’t want a long drive.

If you still want to go to Florida, I know two great theme parks you can visit: Disney World and Universal Studios. I went to Universal for spring break one year and the crowds weren’t awful like PCB. I was able to get on all the rides and do everything I wanted to in both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios in just two days.

If you’re going to the beach for a tan, just go to the pool or lie outside. If you’re going to drink, which I’m sure a majority of you are, just go to New Orleans. It’s probably the same price and drive time, but with more stuff to do and see. If you enjoy the people watching at the beach, that can easily be done at every other spring break locale.

Or, just spend your week off from school work at home, relaxing, something you physically cannot do at a crowded and sandy beach. 

There’s no argument for pro-beach that can’t be disputed with a better, more relaxing option. But, at the end of the day, it’s your spring break and maybe your money. It’s definitely your memories, though. So make the best of it. 

Categories: Opinion