SAVANNAH

Just four hours and 13 minutes from Athens, Savannah is a quaint Southern town that just so happens to play host to one of the most enthusiastic and exciting St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

Spring break conveniently includes this celebration of little leprechauns and four-leaf clovers. So if you don’t yet have plans, and feel like taking a little road trip, Savannah is an ideal destination.

STAY

Rooms are selling out quickly, and a hotel a few miles outside Savannah’s historic district might better suit the college student’s wallet. But more and more hotels are filling up each day, so hurry and make a reservation before the rooms are gone.

CONSUME

After a long night of green beer and other festive spirits, The Express Café & Bakery serves breakfast all day, the perfect site for refueling with its expedient location in the historic district. Also, River Street boasts a myriad of eateries and bars, from Boar’s Head Restaurant and One-Eyed Lizzie’s to The Cotton Exchange and Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room.

Also located on River Street, Chuck’s Bar is a great place to grab a green beer and join in on this distinctively Irish tradition. The bars and pubs in the historic district, such as The Rail, Six Pence Pub and Churchill’s Pub, offer alternative locations for traditional spring break activities.

DO

St. Patty’s festivities start March 13 and last until March 16. River Street is prime location for the parade on Friday. There will be live bands, packed bars, busy streets and green ubiquity.

However, St. Patrick’s Day is not Savannah’s sole trademark. One of the earliest settlements in the United States, this Southern port town offers rich local artifacts with guided tours, river cruises and carriage rides that highlight Savannah’s commitment to a gentile society past.

See the bench where Forrest Gump sat. Try and spot Paula Deen. Venture through the Telfair Museum of Art, the oldest public art museum in the Southeast. Take a phantom-inspired tour to root out Savannah’s local ghosts. Spot the Second African Baptist Church where Gen. Sherman read the Emancipation Proclamation – the very same place that hosted Martin Luther King Jr. on the pulpit to preach his famed “I Have a Dream” speech almost a century later. While so many activities may seem daunting, Savannah is relatively easy to navigate. As “America’s first planned city,” Savannah’s layout boasts 21 of the original 24 squares, making Savannah one of the best walking cities in the U.S. Also, there is public transportation – Chatham Area Transit – and numerous cabs for those farther sightseeing destinations. But when walking around the city, keep in mind that Bull Street divides the city into east and west.

So start planning for a great last minute vacation – and don’t forget your green.

- Erica Schwartz

ASHEVILLE, N.C.

Asheville, located in the North Carolina mountains, has a wide array of parks and trails where you can hike, kayak, mountain bike or sightsee. Combined with great nightlife and an easy-to-navigate city – you’ve got a relaxing spring break in a scenic mountain town.

DO

Take a drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile path that leads through meadows, mountains and historic farm lands, and stop for a picnic at one of the many lodges and camping grounds. On your drive, make sure to stop by Craggy Gardens Lookout Point, a majestic and popular mountain lookout.

Downtown Asheville has many different trendy clothing stores that offer a wide range of lesser-known designers and labels. Some of the most popular clothing shops for women are Minx, Zakya and Honey Pot. Honey Pot offers dresses, shirts and skirts designed and made by local Asheville artists. For the more environmentally-conscious shopper, Spiritex offers solely clothing made out of organic and all-natural cloth.

For nightlife, check out the band listings for The Orange Peel, a popular venue that hosts both national and local acts. It’s having a local musician showcase on March 7, and tickets are reasonably priced. There are also some bigger bands and names performing during spring break at The Orange Peel. Meshell Ndegeocello, a singer/bassist who concentrates on issues of gender and race, will be performing March 9, and Built To Spill is scheduled to play March 11.

If the ticket prices at The Orange Peel are a little too steep, check out the other lesser-known venues in Asheville. The Grey Eagle is a venue that hosts independent alternative, indie, folk and bluegrass bands and has prices fitting to students on a budget. The Warehouse hosts little known bands with styles ranging from underground rap to electronic.

CONSUME

After hiking and shopping all day, it’s time to check out some of Asheville’s downtown restaurants and nightlife. Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company offers $3 movies all day with many varieties of pizza available for order and also serves locally brewed beer.

For the non-carnivores, Laughing Seed Café and Rosetta’s Kitchen are popular vegan/vegetarian restaurants downtown. They both offer international vegetarian dishes and are moderately priced. The New French Bar is a trendy, new wave-themed restaurant that serves as a local favorite. After dinner, stop by Old Europe Café to drool over the extensive European dessert bar and have an espresso before going next door to the adjacent nightclub.

STAY

When looking for a place to stay, first check Bon Paul & Sharky’s Hostel. It offers reasonable rates and room choices with many amenities included in the nightly price. There are kennels on the premises if you want to bring your dogs and there is a back-deck hot tub available for guest use on chilly nights.

If the hostel is full and you are still searching for a place to stay, The Comfort Suites at The Biltmore Mall offers decent rates and is located close to downtown.

- Courtney Smith

CHARLESTON, S.C.

Just more than four hours to the north is another quiet Southern port town. With plenty of nightlife, daytime activities, and, of course, seafood, Charleston has plenty to offer for a last minute spring break getaway.

DO

Charleston Ghost & Graveyard Tour
www.bulldogtours.com
Cost: $18 for adults

South Carolina Aquarium
www.scaquarium.org
Cost: $16 for adults

Beaufort Film Festival- The Beaufort Kaleidoscope: Film, Food & Fine Art
Today through March 9
www.BeaufortKaleidoscope.com

The Gibbes Museum of Art
www.gibbesmuseum.org
Cost: $9 for adults, $7 for students

Chartered Fishing Trips with Affinity Charters
Contact: Captain John Ward Jr.
www.affinitycharters.com
Half-day (4 hours) of fishing: $350

Overnight In a Treehouse

http://www.canoesc.com/

Cost: $125 per person. Includes treehouse, shuttle and canoe rental.

CONSUME

Carolina’s Restaurant, 10 Exchange St.

Grill 225, 225 E. Bay St.

S.N.O.B., 192 E. Bay St.

Hominy Grill, 207 Rutledge Ave

Magnolias, Cypress, and Blossom, 185 E. Bay St.

Blind Tiger Pub, 38 Broad St.

Griffon, 18 Vendue Range

Silver Dollar, 478 King St.

Library Restaraunt and Rooftop Bar, 23 Vendue Range

Roof Top Bar

Vendue Inn, 19 Vendue Range

AC’s Bar & Grill, 338 King St.

STAY

Hilton Hotel
20 Patriots Point Rd.
Mount Pleasant, S.C.
(843) 856-0028

Holiday Inn Charleston-Riverview
301 Savannah Highway
(843) 556-7100

Embassy Suites
81 Saint Philip St.
Charleston, S.C.

Charleston Place
130 Market St.
Charleston, S.C.
(843) 722-4900

- Compiled by Mac Sullivan

BIRMINGHAM, ALA.

Among Southern states, Alabama is likely the one with the worst reputation for backward-ness and “redneckery.” For those who have taken the plunge and visited the state, they know that Alabama is not actually “Deliverance” brought to life.
Birmingham, or the Magic City as some call it, offers a variety of activities for University students on spring break.

STAY

For travelers on a budget, Birmingham offers most of the basic hotel and motel accommodations. Days Inn, Motel 6 and Super 8 all have locations near downtown.

For those able to drop a bit more cash, The Hotel Highland at Five Points South or The Redmont, located in an historic building, are also centrally-located options.

DO

Birmingham’s most noticeable feature and perhaps most famous attraction is Vulcan Park. Vulcan, the god of fire and forge, stands 180 feet over the city. Visitors can pay to see both the museum about Vulcan’s history as well as the view from the observation deck.

For those interested in the city’s history, the Civil Rights Institute gives visitors a window into the South’s segregated past as the fight for civil rights.

The more outdoorsy types might be interested in the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center. The Center, located just outside downtown Birmingham, offers over 11 miles of paths.

Five Points is another local attraction. Similar to the Atlanta version, Five Points offers shopping, dining and music for the more eclectic set.

One of Birmingham’s more unique drinking experiences is The Garage. The joint is housed in an old antiques mall, and there are remnants of the locations scattered about within the wisteria-covered walls.

For live music, The Nick is pretty close to a Birmingham landmark. The venue is a bit gritty and dark but has been around for more than 20 years, so they must be doing something right.

CONSUME

Milo’s Hamburgers has been serving up food since 1946. The menu is nothing new, offering burgers, chicken and fries. Milo’s is known for its over-the-top sweet tea – just the way residents like it.

Barbecue is also aplenty. Though the town is not known for it like some other Southern cities, Birmingham can hold its own. Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q and Dreamland are two places to get messy.

- Cameron Hubbard