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How One College Student Took the Ultimate Spring Break Trip — Twice

This college student said no to the usual spring break exploits and decided to try something more meaningful.

We’ve told you why we think a spring break trip with Ultimate Break is the best thing going. And how many of Ultimate Break’s trips line up perfectly with the most common college spring break dates. But we thought you’d like to hear from someone who’s done their spring break with Ultimate Break — twice. That’s why we spoke with University of Wisconsin student Kristen Clark. She answered some questions about what her experiences with Ultimate Break have been like and why she chose to travel with us during her spring breaks.

A typical spring breaker might think about somewhere warm and tropical, but not Kristen. So she decided to go bold and cold, embarking on the Iceland Winter Escape. She didn’t miss the heat one bit and says it was the trip of her dreams. “I had the incredible opportunity to witness the Northern Lights, a dream I had held for so long,” she says. She’ll never forget the way “they danced and shimmered across the entire sky, creating a magical spectacle.” Additionally, she says, “exploring Iceland allowed me to see my first glacier, a sight that was even more majestic than I had ever imagined.” Kristen chronicled the experience on YouTube.

A women standing in front of frozen waterfalls

Kristen says the trip was so deeply impactful that she decided to go on an EF Ultimate Break trip for her TK year spring break. This time, she headed in the exact opposite direction: about as far south as you can get, on Ultimate Break’s Cruise Galápagos: Ecuador & the Islands tour. And it rivaled her epic Iceland journey from the year before. “The adventure to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands exceeded all expectations,” says Kristen. “Swimming and snorkeling with a massive sea turtle, having a pod of dolphins playfully swim alongside our boat, and encountering iconic wildlife like the blue-footed boobies were just a few of the unforgettable moments that made the trip so special.” Again, she chronicled her adventure on YouTube.

A woman enjoying the Northern Lights

It’s moments like these that made Kristen choose to spend her valuable spring break time with Ultimate Break. She wanted something more meaningful than the typical college spring break. exploits. But there were other reasons that made her choose Ultimate Break for two consecutive spring breaks. For Kristen, it boiled down to curated experiences, affordability, safety and support, and the availability of bucket-list destinations.

A woman with two large turtles

She loves that Ultimate Break offers what she calls “curated travel experiences designed specifically for young adults, ensuring that the trips are engaging, adventurous, and suitable for students looking to explore and have fun.” The level of curation, she adds, makes it so much more convenient than planning a trip on her own. “Booking an Ultimate Break trip takes the hassle out of planning. Everything from accommodations to activities is arranged, allowing students to focus on enjoying their break without worrying about logistics.” She also appreciates that the trips are structured with affordable pricing options, including interest-free monthly payments, making travel accessible for college students who may be on a budget.

Perhaps the most comforting aspect for Kristen is the level of safety and support that Ultimate Break provides, including experienced tour directors, emergency protocols, and support staff available throughout the trip. It’s a huge reassurance for her and her family, and she felt taken care of during both of her Ultimate Break spring break adventures.

A woman at the beach

Kristen adds that the sheer variety of destinations that Ultimate Break offers during spring break dates made her decision an easy one. “Students can pick a trip that aligns with their interests, whether it's exploring a new culture, embarking on outdoor adventures, or relaxing on a beach,” she says. “These trips are also a great way for students to meet new people and make lifelong friends from different backgrounds and universities, adding a social aspect to the travel experience”.

And how she sums up her own Ultimate Break tours? Both trips, she says, “were truly bucket-list experiences that I will cherish forever.”

A man in a black vest and blue shirt sitting at a table with a multiple beverages on a sunny day.

About the author

Chris Abell

Chris Abell is the Associate Director, Content at EF Ultimate Break. Prior to his time at Ultimate Break, Chris spent years at Travel + Leisure as a writer and editor, most recently as the Associate Editorial Director, Commerce. Chris has also been a senior commerce editor at TripSavvy, where he edited the site’s product review articles and has been published in The Points Guy, Thrillist, Departures, and more.

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