Adulthood has lots of perks: No more homework, you really can eat whatever you want, and you eventually become a good 90 percent less angsty. However, one major drawback is you no longer get a spring break (or a summer break, for that matter). Being an adult means work never stops and vacations are rare. But! That doesn't mean you can't still vicariously enjoy spring break through your favorite movies. Is it the same as escaping to a pristine beach? No... but it is cheaper, so there's that.
There are awesome spring break movies from every era, but the '90s in particular were big on vacation movies. While not all of them focused on spring break, they did showcase the joys of travel, downtime, and relaxation. Basically, all the things you can't just drop everything and do on a whim because you have responsibilities now. Bask in the joy of those simpler times when you naively thought summer would never end and life really could just be one long vacation in the sun by planning a spring break movie night with your closest friends.
Make mixed drinks with tiny umbrellas and throw pillows all over the floor slumber party style as you watch one of these '90s gems — after all, you are an adult and while you may not get a designated spring break, you make your own rules now.
1. Dazed And Confused (1993)
The first day of summer vacation leaves a group of '70s teens exhilarated and ready to party. Their raucous activities might remind you of the debauchery you got up to in the good old days, or make you glad you spent your vacations watching TV depending on your outlook on life. Either way, the talented cast of future Hollywood A-listers and feeling of complete freedom makes this movie a must for anyone starving for a vacation.
2. The Parent Trap (1998)
Sleep-away camp, lavish hotels, and lots of poolside antics make The Parent Trap an ideal vacation movie. While the girls are plotting to reunite their estranged parents, you can enjoy the amazing holiday they are totally taking for granted. As an added bonus, you definitely watched this movie during your actual spring breaks when you were a kid.
3. Now And Then (1995)
Another childhood classic, Now and Then is all about one transformative summer in the lives of four forever friends. They go on adventures, ride their bikes, flirt with boys for the first time, and begin to learn who they really are. It's liberating and joyful — perfect if you want to escape to simpler times for an evening.
4. Jurassic Park (1993)
The dinosaurs end up rampaging through the park, sure — but hanging out with cool archeologists and petting a Brachiosaurus would make the running from raptors thing totally worth it.
5. Passport To Paris (1999)
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen knew how to do spring break right. They head to Paris for a week with their grandfather in this movie that is as light and tasty as cotton candy. Watching it as an adult is a vacation for the mind.
6. Before Sunrise (1995)
Want something a little meatier, but just as satisfying on the movie vacation front? Then you can't go wrong with Before Sunrise with its European train ride, fleeting romance with a stranger, and tourist fun in Vienna.
7. My Girl 2 (1994)
Way less depressing than the original My Girl, the sequel finds Vada visiting her Uncle Phil in '70s-era Los Angeles. The movie has everything you could possibly want out of a spring break: exploring a new city, self-discovery, and '90s heartthrob Austin O'Brien. The tar pit scene alone makes the movie worthy of a rewatch — Anna Chlumsky, slaying your emotions since 1991.
8. Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992)
Every self-respecting Tiny Toons fan watched this direct to VHS movie at least a dozen times during their childhood. Babs and Buster end up going down river, Plucky and Hamilton headed off to spend the summer at an amusement park, and Elmyra is let loose on an unsuspecting zoo. It's silly and fun — perfect for watching on a warm spring night when you can practically taste summer in the air.
9. Jumanji (1995)
Much like Jurassic Park, Jumanji is pure vacation wish fulfillment. The kids aren't on break when they start playing the mysterious game that can lead to monkeys wreaking havoc in your kitchen, but their journey just proves you can go on an adventure anytime, anywhere.
10. Camp Nowhere (1994)
A group of kids create their own summer camp to avoid another summer spent at a camp they hate. This movie will take you right back to your childhood. Not only is it chock full of young versions of your favorite actors like Jonathan Jackson and Jessica Alba, it will also remind you of all the ways you wiled away vacations with your friends.
11. Captain Ron (1992)
Movies about vacations gone awry are my favorite kind of movies. In real life, you want your vacation to go smoothly, but watching a movie family's vacation go from crazy to crazier is always hilarious. Captain Ron is no exception. Watching Martin Short get shown up by the cooler than cool Captain Ron during his own family vacation is a madcap story that might just make you glad you have to work all spring.
Here's to a happy and movie filled spring break staycation!
Images: Warner Bros (3); Gramercy Pictures; Walt Disney Pictures; New Line Cinema; Universal Pictures; Columbia Pictures (2); TriStar Pictures; Buena Vista Pictures (2)
