With spring break around the corner, the chatter of elaborate vacation itineraries has begun. From Spain to Tahoe skiing, to the classic Cabo San Lucas trip, these are common buzzwords you might hear when the topic of college spring break vacation springs up. While these trips are top destinations, they may not be accessible for every prospective traveler, especially those on a typical student budget. Trips are expensive, but breaking out of the Berkeley bubble for spring break is an attainable goal. This is a guide for spring break itineraries that won’t break your bank. 

Day trip via Amtrak

Taking the Amtrak can be an easy and more adventurous alternative to taking flights across the state. UC Berkeley is located next to three major Amtrak stations: Berkeley, Emeryville and Oakland. Take a day trip to Sacramento or Davis for as low as $30 and enjoy the nostalgia of the train tracks with a book and a coffee in hand. If you’re up for an all-nighter, take the overnight Coast Starlight route to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles or Dunsmuir, California. If you book in advance, tickets to LA can be as cheap as $80 per trip. Amtrak is a fantastic way to explore the views of the California coast without the worries of a car or the high price of a plane ticket. 

Monterey Bay Aquarium

A quick and easy getaway is to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Located about a two-hour drive away from Berkeley, this aquarium is an iconic Northern California landmark. It’s home to exhibits that highlight the extraordinary marine life of the California coast. Alternatively, you can take the Coast Starlight route to Salinas as well. The standard aquarium ticket is about $65 per person, but for those with Electronic Benefits Transfer, you get free admission for you and three other friends! Holy mackerel, what a deal. And if you’re up for it after a day of admiring marine life, you can visit Carmel-by-the-Sea, which is a short 10-minute drive away and catch a nice dinner before your drive back to Berkeley. 

Camping or backpacking

Another easy and affordable getaway is to take a moment to unplug and be with nature through a quick camping or backpacking trip! Some recommendations include Point Reyes National Seashore, Henry W. Coe State Park and Pantoll Campground. All three of these locations are less than two hours away from Downtown Berkeley and are perfect for a local spring break getaway with a few friends. Campsites range from $20 to $30 per night and camping gear is rentable through on-campus organizations such as CHAOS or the retail store REI.

Explore museums

The Bay Area is a hub of an incredible array of museums, ranging from the Legion of Honor to the de Young Museum or the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Immerse yourself in art over the course of spring break and go museum-hopping with a friend! Ticket prices range from $11 to $29 with a student discount and if you’re a Bay Area resident. These museums also offer free Saturday admission for any resident of the nine Bay Area counties. Take advantage of your BayPass and explore both the art and culture of San Francisco.

You must be wondering, how do I get to half of these excursions? Zipcar!

Berkeley students as young as 18 can get access to the rental car service Zipcar. Utilize your student discount and drive a Zipcar for your day trip! This rental car can drive up to 180 miles per day and rates go for $8.25 an hour or $72 per day. Whether you split with your friends or go solo, having easy access to a car can make any camping, museum or aquarium trip that much more obtainable. 

These excursions are only a fraction of the spring break possibilities at your doorstep. But most importantly, as your well-deserved spring break arrives, it is important to take a break from Telegraph Avenue and Wheeler Hall to take advantage of all that California has to offer.