Spring Break… what to do?

Spring Break.

These two words mean something different to everyone: road trips, beach days, sleeping in, camping, hiking, or maybe for you it means working extra hours to get ahead.

Sadly, in general, the term “spring break” tends to hold a negative connotation.  Party-crazy crowds and all that entails seems to take center stage both as a societal norm and even in the news and social media!

However, as a Christian college student, standards of ethical and moral behavior should naturally dictate that the activities of choice during spring break (any break, actually) stand out from the mainstream “spring break beach bash” mentality.  Biblical truth and the responsibility to “shine as lights in the world” should be ever-present in our minds — even on vacation!

Does this mean you must spend the week in prayer and fasting and abstain from any type of fun?  No.  But it does mean that your identity as a Christ-follower must be your point of reference and what determines your decision to engage in any given activity.

So… what are your plans this spring break?  Will you skip town for the week?  Or are you staying local due to your work schedule or other factors?  Leaving town is always nice, but if you’re sticking around, there are quite a few fun experiences to be had right here in Jacksonville and surrounding areas.  Here is a round up of some of our favorites:

Entertainment:

• Indoor Skydiving https://www.iflyworld.com/jacksonville/
• Escape Rooms – there are quite a few around Jacksonville, but here is one example to get you started: https://mastermindescapegames.com/locations/escape-room-jacksonville-fl/
• TopGolf https://topgolf.com/us/jacksonville/
• Ax Throwing (yep, it’s a thing) https://autobahnspeed.com/axe-throwing
• High-Speed go-cart racing https://autobahnspeed.com/locations/jacksonville-fl-indoor-go-karts/

Outdoors:

• Visit the beach (take your pick!) There really are quite a few different areas to choose from, each with their own unique look and surroundings.  https://vacationidea.com/florida/best-jacksonville-beaches.html
• Scuba in Devil’s Den near Ocala http://www.devilsden.com/
• There are dozens of beautiful springs to explore in northeast Florida – many of them are within daytrip distance. You may even get to see a manatee this time of year! http://www.floridasprings.org/visit/map/

Volunteer:

• Volunteer at the Trinity Rescue Mission https://www.trinityrescue.org/ or
• Women and Children’s Center https://www.trinityrescue.org/programs/women-childrens-center/
• Consider filling in for an absent small group teacher in Trinity Kids or Trinity Students on Sunday – contact Charity Milligan at 596-2524. If you attend a local church other than Trinity, reach out to your church’s volunteer coordinator!

For the History Buff:

• Kingsley Plantation https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/kp_visiting.htm
• Augustine has quite a few options including Fort Matanzas https://www.nps.gov/foma/index.htm or the Castillo De San Marcos https://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm

Low-key:

• Check out the calendar for your local library. The Jacksonville main library offers everything from basic digital photography to Ukulele lessons!  Once a month, you can take your lunch to the lounge of the main library and enjoy live guitar music while you eat. http://jplcalendar.coj.net/evanced/lib/eventcalendar.asp
• Get lost in Chamblin’s Bookmine – either location http://chamblinbookmine.com/topic/15-locations-and-hours.aspx
• Find a new café you’ve never tried – there are so many to choose from!
• College students with ID get free admission to the Cummer Museum Tuesday through Friday 10am – 4pm, and general admission is free to everyone on Tuesdays from 4pm to 9pm. https://www.cummermuseum.org/visit

However you choose to spend spring break, remember that you are called to be salt and light to a world who needs Christ! 

#StriveToRise