South Padre. Dublin, Ireland. Rhode Island. One questions whether or not Simpson students have the money or the ambition to get to these excellent vacation spots.

However, a few must think so because that is exactly where they plan to spend their spring breaks.

Sophomore Ashley Nemitz and a few of her friends are planning to have a girly spring break in South Padre. Nemitz is excited for the warm summer climate.

“We plan to relax on the beach and go sightseeing,” Nemitz said.

Although South Padre’s beaches seem to be the main spring break attraction, there are many other appealing sights.

Through SpringBreakDiscounts.com, South Padre’s tourists can get a reasonably priced hotel located on the beach. Along with this, extra trips and events are offered.

For only $85 extra per person, tourists can attend one party cruise, a day trip to Mexico and a party on the lagoon.

Nemitz and friends don’t have permanent plans yet. Their spring break is scheduled for fun and relaxation, but they seem to have planned it well.

“The final cost of my trip should be around $500,” Nemitz said.

This could be seen as very inexpensive, considering that the girls are taking the 15-hour plus drive to South Padre.

Nemitz is not the only student at Simpson to find a good deal. Senior Amy Templeton discovered plane tickets to Dublin, Ireland for around $600.

Expedia.com is now listing their round-trip flights between Des Moines and Ireland for no less than $1,000.

“The reason we decided to travel to Dublin was the price of our tickets,” Templeton said. “My friend Becka Neary suggested the idea and after we discovered how inexpensive the tickets were we concluded we could not resist.”

Even more appealing than the low-cost of their spring break is the fact the women get to visit their friends from Loras College, who are studying abroad this semester.

Seeing friends in Dublin is the main point of the trip, but Templeton and Neary do plan on some traveling.

“Our travel to the Aran Islands will be a highlight,” Templeton said. “I have been researching the area and it looks beautiful.”

Another alluring aspect of visiting Dublin for spring break is getting to spend St. Patrick’s Day with the locals. Throughout the day, several fairs and parades are held.

Not many students will be lucky enough to experience this, but a few others have found another great spring break location: Rhode Island.

“Discover Rhode Island, an exciting destination for leisure opportunities of every description,” VisitRhodeIsland.com said.

Senior Amber Smith and a few friends have taken advantage of the numerous activities of different kinds.

One of the attractions, once arriving in Rhode Island, is visiting colleges. Brown University and Yale University are located nearby.

Fun daily activities have also been planned for the group, such as ice skating in Providence, R.I. and looking around Fenway Park.

Even with all of the stops, Smith and friends are keeping their budget minimal.

“I have free board and meals because I’m staying with a friend’s family,” Smith said. “The final cost of my trip will be $260 for plane tickets, plus about $100 once I get there.”

This is a small price to pay to experience a small taste of a friend’s hometown.

“My friend invited us to visit where he came from,” Smith said.

Her friend also wants to show them around the state. There are trips to Newport, R.I. and Boston, Mass. which seem to be promising.

So, from South Padre to Ireland to Rhode Island the decision is unanimous.

Keep the costs down, have some fun and spend a great week of bonding with best friends.