A new dating trend dubbed ‘flocking’ is sending young Brits to Florida for spring break – specifically Fort Lauderdale – and search data suggests the movement is growing.

TikTokkers are documenting themselves ‘flocking’ to spring break; the trend of groups travelling internationally specifically to have romantic encounters. New data shows that Gen Z are twice as likely to be looking for a holiday romance, and 74% more likely to travel to meet new people [1].

Robyn Alesich, matchmaker and dating expert from Sister Wives, explains what’s driving the surging trend, and what it says about how Gen Z dates in 2026.

Is spring break becoming a travel trend among young Brits?

Spring break, the period from early March until mid-April when US university students visit warm-weather beaches to party, has long been an American tradition. But it’s increasingly catching on with young Brits, with Fort Lauderdale ranking as 2026’s most searched for destination [2], partly due to Miami’s crackdown pushing the party north.

Sister Wives analysed Google Trends data and found a significant surge in UK searches related to interest around American spring break.

‘Spring break 2026 Miami’ is up 2,050% in the past 12 months
‘Spring Break 2027’ up 1,600% in the past 12 months – suggesting planning is already underway
‘When is spring break in USA 2026?’ up 5,000% in the past 12 months
‘When is American spring break?’ up 5,000% in the past 30 days
Booking behaviour also seems to support this. Gen Z books international flights on average 11.5 weeks in advance [3]. And interestingly, between 28th December and 3rd January, searches for ‘Florida flights’ were at their highest in the past year – almost 10 weeks before spring break.

Who’s actually making the trip?

Sister Wives spotted three young Brits documenting their journey from London to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Charlie, a British influencer with more than 3.4 million likes and almost 25,000 followers, posted a TikTok earlier this week proclaiming his excitement about going abroad to meet and party with women from the US – purposefully timing and planning his holiday around the spring break festivities. He’s part of a broader pattern among young Brits, intentionally building holidays around the prospects of meeting new people.

What does ‘flocking’ say about how Gen Z dates?

Robyn Alesich, a dating expert from polyamorous dating app Sister Wives, explains why young Brits might have an advantage, the psychological appeal of ‘flocking’ and whether Fort Lauderdale is the new Magaluf.

“There is a huge psychological appeal of romantic encounters being, or at least feeling, consequence-free. People are away from their extended social circle, and the situation often has a defined end date. This usually results in people feeling freer to take risks they wouldn’t take at home, such as approaching strangers, moving faster emotionally and being more open about what they want. This is such a huge reason why the likes of Magaluf, Ibiza and Ayia Napa are so popular with young Brits. Spring break offers all of this, with the added element of exclusivity and the unknown.

“This exclusivity will help young Brits earn what is known as the ‘accent advantage’. A Gen Z traveller might have an edge in the spring break environment, especially if they’re outnumbered by Americans.

“There’s also something powerful about the group element of ‘flocking’. Travelling with friends lowers the anxiety of putting yourself out there; you have a safety net, which tends to make people bolder. It creates a collective confidence that solo travel rarely does.

“Holiday romances from flocking rarely become long-term relationships, but that’s not necessarily the point. Especially for Gen Z, some of whom are more likely to treat dating as an experience rather than a search for a life partner.

“Is Fort Lauderdale the new Magaluf? Due to its high cost, probably not. But to those who have a bit of extra cash, it seems like a new option for Brits looking to ‘flock’.”