Not hot for a crowd?
Check out cool cities
PETE MARHOEFER is a senior
Engiish major and a Daily Nebras
kan staff reporter.
Spring break offers students a
chance to do much more than go to
the usual hot spots with crowded
beaches, $15 cover charges, and the
lingering smell of urine and vomit.
There are some great values for stu
dents who would like to go someplace
new, but not necessarily warm.
The best value for your money is
to drive to Kansas City, Mo., and fly
to San Francisco. Western PacifiG air
lines offers a round trip fare of $127,
based on a 21-day advance purchase.
. San Francisco offers a wide range
of cultural diversity with many elute,
art, and historical districts. A Napa
'Wiley wine tour is a must, offering
samples from Americas best
winemakers.
A drive down the Pacific Coast
Highway, featured in movies like “\fer
tigo” and “Basic Instinct,” gives spec
tacular views of the California coast
line. Dinner at Fisherman’s Wharf
will offer a chance to get some great
seafood. Cable cars offer easy trans
port around the city. Hotels, except for
those downtown, can be reasonably
cheap.
Southwest airlines offers great
fares to Chicago and St. Lotus, two of
the Midwest’s greatest cities. Based on
a seven-day advance purchase, round
trip flights run as low as $76 from
Omaha to St. Louis, and $98 to fly into
Chicago Midway.
St. Louis has a great subway sys
tem that allows quick access to the
downtown and entertainment districts.
St. Louis can put any spring break
hotbed to shame with its 4 a.m. bar
time.
The Landing offers a slew of dif
ferent bars and dance clubs to keep a
visitor entertained. Its historic jazz
clubs are some of the Midwest’s best.
The Gateway Arch is a must-see, giv
ing a great view of Missouri and Illi
nois. Hotels surrounding the airport
can be very inexpensive, and the
Metro is a quick 20-minute drive
downtown.
“St. Louis offers a lot for a person
to do. From taking a Budweiser Brew
ery tour, seeing the Arch, or listening
to some of the great music that we
have here,” said Maureene Rone, Who
works in the visitors’ bureau.
Chicago offers everything to a visi
tor. Great restaurants, bars, clubs,
sports and history. A Chicago spring
break can be very expensive, but if you
take advantage of all the low-cost of
ferings, you can have a great vacation.
The Museum of Art is free, as is
The Museum of Science^and Indus
try. Tickets for the taping of the
“Oprah Winfrey” or “Jenny Jones”
talk shows are also free and can be
obtained by calling the studio in ad
vance.
A trip to the top of the Sears Tower
is inexpensive, and on a clear day of
fers a view of four states. The
Aquarium is inexpensive and offers a
good look at the fish of the Great
Lakes. Chicago’s bars and clubs offer
a wide variety to satisfy anyone.
Chicago’s elevated train system
makes commuting around the city
quick and easy. Staying in a hotel near
an elevated train route, will make a
quick commute to anywhere in the
city.
For the sports aficionado, the Fi
nal Four falls on March 29 in India
napolis, a short 10-hour drive.^Obtain
ing a ticket is difficult, but the atmo
sphere will be worth the trip.
South Padre Island police
promote ‘partying smart’
By Erin Gibson
Senior Reporter
South Padre Island, Texas, is a
spring break legend thanks to the
week-long, drunken parties it hosts
for college students every March.
The island’s tourism industry
spendsmonths on publicity and in
vites everyone to enjoy die wild,
“don’t-tell-your-mama’’ fun.
But business owners aren't the
only ones who wiU welcome you
to the island.
So will its police officers.
E.E. Eunice, police chief of the
South Padre Island Police Depart
ment, said spring break’s rampant
partying presents few problems for
island police officers.
“We accept this as part of the
tourism trade,” Eunice said.
Eunice said students are wel
come to join the island parties.
“We’re generally very tolerant
and understanding of people who
are intoxicated,” he said. “We want
them to party smart, and we want
j them to have a good time.”
Between 135,000 and 150,000
people are expected to visit the is
land during spring break, and share
the island’s 6,000 hotel and motel
rooms. The heaviest traffic comes
in mid-March, during the “Texas
weeks,” he said.
During these weeks, about
300,000 university students in
Texas are out of school for spring
break. The University ofNebraska
Lincoln will miss the heaviest tour
ist time with its late March break,
he said.
But even at the end of March,
the extra tourist traffic means busy
police officers, Eunice said.
As a result, island police do not
interfere with party-goers’ revelry,
unless drunken tourists become
dangerous to themselves or others.
Eunice said sober students are
often trusted to take care of their
intoxicated friends, and only com
bative, belligerent or disorderly
tourists should have a conflict with
the police.
Underage drinkers also present
a slight problem for island offic
ers* and those caught by a police
officer will be prosecuted, he said.
“If they do it long enough
they’re probably going to get
caught,” Eunice said. '‘But it’s not
something we target.”
He said bar owners take care of
about 95 percent of the underage
drinking problem.
But all those drinking should
remember to keep their I.D.s
handy, he said, and remember to
“party smart.” ...
Eunice said the island is gener
ally safe for party-goers, but police
are still concerned about safety.
Eunice said students should re
member the following “party
smart” tips:
■ Use die buddy system when
out partying, lb help avoid assault,
women should be extra careful to
keep a friend nearby if they’re
drinking, he said.
■ Know limits on alcohol con
sumption.
■ If driving a car to the island,
assign a designated driver, Eunice
said. Otherwise, taxis will drive
students anywhere on the island for
$3, and free shuttles run to popu
lar bars and clubs.
■ Don’t go to strange condo
miniums, hotels or motels with
people you don’t know.
If students keep in mind those
tips, South Padre Island should be
a great spring break trip, he said.
And the police will help remind
you to enjoy the party.
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