Each State’s Top-Searched Spring Break Destination [2026 Study]

Spring break is getting closer, and whether you’re planning a quick long weekend or a full week away, the hardest part is often deciding where to go.

To see which destinations travelers are most curious about, we analyzed Google Trends search interest and identified the top-searched spring break destinations and resorts in every U.S. state.

Specifically, we analyzed U.S. search interest from January 2025 through January 2026 across terms for international and domestic destinations and resorts.  

Each State’s Top-Searched International Spring Break Destination

When it comes to international spring break destinations, Mexico dominates search interest, with Cancún as the clear standout.

Key International Takeaways

• Cancún, Mexico, is the top-searched international spring break destination in 13 states, making it the most searched international destination overall.
• Greece ranks second, coming in at No. 1 in 8 states, showing that spring break curiosity isn’t limited to the usual beach-party or nearby suspects.
• Belize leads 5 states, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, tops 4 states.
• A handful of destinations are top-searched in multiple states beyond the leaders, including Iceland (3 states) and Peru (3 states).

Top International Destinations Overall

Each State’s Top-Searched Domestic Spring Break Destination

For domestic spring break travel, Florida runs the table.

Key Domestic Takeaways

• Key West is the top-searched domestic spring break destination in 17 states and Washington, D.C. (18 total).
• Destin ranks No. 1 in 15 states.
• Combined, Key West and Destin account for 33 of the top domestic results (out of the 50 states plus Washington, D.C.).
• Overall, Florida destinations make up 37 of the 51 top domestic results (50 states plus Washington, D.C.).

Top Domestic Destinations Overall

When a State Had Multiple In-State Options in Our List, What Came Out on Top?

Because our domestic search-term list included multiple destinations within a few specific states, we were able to see which in-state option generated the most search interest within those states:

• Florida: Orlando ranks as Florida’s top-searched domestic destination, outpacing Florida beach destinations in our list like Key West, Destin, and Panama City Beach.
• Texas: Galveston is Texas’ top-searched domestic destination, beating out other in-state options in our list like South Padre Island and Port Aransas.
• South Carolina: Myrtle Beach ranks above Hilton Head Island.
• Alabama: Gulf Shores ranks above Orange Beach.

This doesn’t mean these are the only places residents consider; it simply reflects what ranked highest among the destinations included in our study’s domestic keyword set.

Each State’s Top-Searched International Spring Break Resort

Destination searches are one thing, but for a lot of travelers, spring break planning really comes down to choosing the right resort.

Key International Resort Takeaways

• Resorts in Mexico are the top-searched international resort choice in 16 states, spanning the Cancún/Riviera Maya and Los Cabos/Cabo areas.
• Resorts in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, rank No. 1 in 12 states.
• The most frequently top-searched international resorts (each No. 1 in 4 states) are:
  • Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort (St. Lucia)
  • Secrets The Vine Cancun (Cancún, Mexico)
  • Excellence Punta Cana (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)
  • Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos (Los Cabos, Mexico)

Each State’s Top-Searched Domestic Spring Break Resort

On the domestic side, resort interest clusters heavily around the Sunshine State, which tracks with Florida’s dominance in domestic destination searches.

Key Domestic Resort Takeaways

• Florida-based resorts account for 28 of the 50 domestic resort top-searched results in this dataset.
• The single most frequently top-searched domestic resort was:
  • Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina (Fort Myers Beach, Florida) – No. 1 in 10 states
• Other resorts that repeatedly rank No. 1 across states include:
  • Candy Cane Inn (Anaheim, California) – 5 states
  • Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) – 4 states

Methodology

To identify the most-searched spring break destinations and resorts, we built a keyword list of 42 international destination terms, 21 domestic destination terms, 56 international resort terms, and 36 domestic resort terms using reputable travel publishers and industry reports. Sources included U.S. News Travel, Inertia Tours, AAA, Vrbo, Lonely Planet, Hopper, and Tripadvisor (including Tripadvisor’s “Best Spring Break Resorts”).

We then analyzed Google Trends U.S. search interest from January 2025 through January 2026, using “Interest by subregion” to compare relative popularity within each state. Google Trends scores are indexed and normalized (0 to 100), not absolute search volume. We determined each state’s “top-searched” destination or resort by identifying the term with the highest relative indexed interest over the study period.

Note: For this study, “international” was defined as being outside the 50 U.S. states (including places like Puerto Rico), while “domestic” includes destinations within the 50 U.S. states (including Hawaii). Montana is not included in the domestic resort table due to insufficient search volume for the terms included in our dataset during the study window.

Final Thoughts

Spring break search behavior paints a clear picture of what travelers are thinking about as they head into peak season. Internationally, Mexico leads the way, with Cancún standing out as the most-searched destination overall. Domestically, Florida dominates, and Key West emerges as the most common top search across states and Washington, D.C.

On the resort side, international curiosity centers on Mexico and Punta Cana, while domestic resort interest heavily favors Florida.

Fair Use 
You are welcome to use, reference, and share non-commercial excerpts of this study with proper attribution. If you cite or cover our findings, please link back to this page so readers can view the full methodology, charts, and context.