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Top 5 Spring Break Destinations in the Panhandle

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UWF chapter.

Spring Break is one of the most anticipated times of the of the spring semester. One of the biggest things college students face is the problem of what to do, especially if you have a limited radius. Luckily, UWF is smack in the middle of the Emerald Coast so it only takes a short road trip to visit some of the most sought-after spring break destinations.

Panama City Beach (PCB)

134.5 mi, approx. 2 h 25 min 

Everyone knows PCB. It is one of the Spring Break locations in the US. College kids make a point of stopping by at least once in their college career to catch a glimpse of the beautiful beach and catch some rays.

Marianna Caverns

131.9 mi, approx. 2 h 6 min 

Go on this cool tour through the limestone underbelly of Florida. Spend the day exploring the caverns as well as the grounds above. The park opens at 8 a.m. and is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Plus, it’s only $8 per person.

Vortex Springs

90.8 mi, approx. 1 h 30 min 

Vortex Springs is a beautiful Spring Break destination. It’s filled with crystal clear freshwater, with tons of other activities not limited to swimming, diving, snorkeling and camping. The water stays at the cool temperature of 68 degrees that will help you cool down during that hot week. General admission is only $8, so you won’t be breaking the bank.

Destin Commons

75.4 mi, approx. 1 h 23 min 

It’s the shopping center right in the middle of Destin. Not only does it have plenty of shops and has recently expanded, it has a bowling alley and a movie theater to fill all your time. Spend the whole day, shopping and eating before ending the night with one of the movies you’ve been dying to see.

Gulfarium

51.2 mi, approx. 1 h 15 min 

Everybody loves aquariums! The Gulfarium is a local aquarium right on the water on Okaloosa Island. It features an array of different and wonderful sea animals and a different animal shows. Plus, the Gulfarium even has a few animal encounters. You could spend hours there for just $22 per person. And who doesn’t love dolphins?

Have a safe and happy Spring Break Argos! 

Evangeline Murphy is currently studying to get her BA in English: Creative Writing at University of West Florida. You can usually find her in her room, under a fluffy blanket watching Disney movies or reading. She hopes to use to degree to be an editor. Being paid to read is the dream.
Abigail is a Journalism and Political Science major minoring in Spanish. She has a penchant for puns and can't go a morning without listening to NPR's Up First podcast. You can usually find her dedicating time to class work, Her Campus, College to Congress, SGA or hammocking. Her dream job is working as a television broadcast journalist on a major news network. Down time includes TED talk binges, reading and writing. You can follow Abigail on instagram and Twitter @abi_meggs