How to Choose Your February or April Break 2026 Destination Without Overthinking It (Even Though You Absolutely Will)
By Kate Van Dell for Sebastian Luxe Travel
There are only two kinds of trips for school break: the one you booked in September and the one you overpaid for in January.
Everything else is just tabs open, pretending there’s a secret third option.
Because let’s be honest: if you have a week off in February or April, you’ve officially unlocked the hardest travel puzzle of the year.
And by “where should we go,” I don’t mean the country. I mean:
Where has direct flights
Where the room doesn’t cost $4,800 a night and still require a waitlist
Where there’s a kids’ club with actual programming (and not just a coloring book on a folding table)
Where your friends are going (but not all your friends)
And where the airport transfer doesn’t involve two ferries and a winding dirt road
If you’re already 42 tabs deep, toggling between Google Flights and the Four Seasons while waiting for your best friend to report back from Anguilla, take a deep breath. Here’s how to narrow it down without losing your mind — or your deposit.
Step 1: Decide the Temperature, Not the Destination
Start with the vibe. It’s not “Costa Rica or Rome?” It’s:
Do I want to wear linen or fleece?
Après-ski or poolside nachos?
Sunscreen or snow pants?
You are allowed to not pack snow gear in February. You are also allowed to eat fondue and post smug chalet pics.
Step 2: Book Two Things. Cancel One Later.
If you’re like 90% of my clients, you’re going to book two options — probably one beach, one ski — just to keep your options open.
Then you’ll text me six days later saying, “Wait, is Rosewood still available?”
Honestly, it’s a valid strategy. Just remember to cancel the one you’re not taking before it becomes a very expensive backup plan.
Step 3: Wait for a Friend to Go First
We are all influenced. You know it. I know it.
You’re waiting for someone to come back from St. Barth and say, “The hotel was amazing, but the transfer was brutal” before you book.
The good news? I already know which ones are worth it and which ones require motion sickness bands and a backup iPad. Ask me.
Step 4: Direct Flight + Shortest Transfer = Sanity
This is the golden rule.
If it requires a layover and a 90-minute car ride after landing, it’s not a school-break trip. It’s an anniversary trip.
Look for the unicorns:
Direct flight
Resort within 30 minutes of the airport
No boats unless they’re pretty and come with a welcome drink
Your children will never thank you. But your cortisol levels will.
Step 5: Choose the Vibe, Not the Zip Code
Stop naming countries. Start naming feelings.
“We want somewhere warm, easy, where our kids can run around while we drink a cold glass of wine and pretend we didn’t just fly coach.”
That could be Turks. That could be Miami. That could even be Lisbon.
You’re not choosing between “Mexico or Europe.” You’re choosing between “I want someone else to do the cooking” and “I want to wander a museum while my kids eat pastries.”
Step 6: It’s One Week. Not a Personality Test.
This is not your forever home. You’re not marrying the Four Seasons.
At the end of the day, you’re going to be somewhere beautiful, with your people, and someone else will be making the beds. That’s the win.
TL;DR — Sebastian Luxe’s School Break Matrix™
February
→ Cold & Sporty: Andermatt, Zermatt (ok longer transfer but it’s scenic and easy), Park City, Deer Valley
→ Warm & Glistening: Turks & Caicos, Rosewood Mayakoba or somewhere on the Riviera Maya, Aruba, St. Barth (if you’re lucky)
April
→ Culture & Croissants: Paris, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon
→ Sun & Sanity: Jumby Bay, Grand Cayman, Riviera Maya (Mexico’s chic new resorts), anywhere with a kids’ club and a margarita menu
All with:
✔️ Direct flights
✔️ 30 minutes from airport to hotel
✔️ Children joyfully distracted upon arrival
Still Can’t Decide?
Let me do it for you.
Tell me your school break dates, preferred airline, and tolerance for sand in your suitcase. I’ll send you two perfect choices, talk you into one, and let you pretend it was your idea all along.
If you liked this…
For a family-first city trip, read Paris with Kids.
Or dream up a winter option with Best Ski Resorts in France.