Twelve weeks of early mornings, late nights, and caffeine consumption have come and gone. Thousands of words poured into term papers and all of those 27 cent credit card and 15 cent per page transactions at the bookstore for that one Scantron you almost forgot to bring to class have made spring break a much anticipated and well-deserved week away from all of the academic chaos.

While glistening waters and white sand beaches of the most talked about spring break destinations may be flooding the ‘gram this month, most of us probably aren’t looking for spring break to make us spring broke. That being said, there are still inexpensive ways to enjoy the week off and take a deep breath before thinking about finals.

Though students said they did not have spring break plans, noting that the break was too short, these are some day-trip options available to make the most of the break.

Wind Wolves Nature Preserve

Roughly a 40-minute drive from CSU Bakersfield, Wild Wolves Preserve offers the perfect escape from books and emails with expansive hiking trails and beautiful sights. This Bakersfield hidden gem boasts a 4.7 star review on Google reviews. The preserve also has gained student approval.

Daniel Sabalza, a senior engineering major said that he and his friends would be taking a trip to Wind Wolves this spring break.  Sabalza talked about the beauty of the preserve and said, “It’s nice to get out of the city and see how small we really are.”

Sabalza also talked about the potential to practice an activity called foraging, which he said involves learning how to live off of nature. Foraging is about learning how to use different plants and learning which plants are poisonous or safe to touch and eat.

The outdoor website, visitcalifornia.com, mentions that Wind Wolves’ 93,000-acre preserve even has natural creeks, a waterfall and much more.

Beach Day

If hiking isn’t your thing, Bakersfield is the perfect central location for a number of beaches that are only about two hours away. Santa Monica is the nearest beach to CSUB, at 112 miles away. In an hour and a half drive, you can be sitting on the beach, allowing the sounds of the ocean to soothe all of the bad grade blues that midterms may have caused-just remember to apply sunscreen.

Angie Gruggett will be spending her spring break at Pismo Beach. Only 127 miles from CSUB, Pismo Beach is a great way to beat the heat and still enjoy the central coast. While there, Gruggett recommended a good-eat to try out the food that gave Pismo Beach its claim to fame.

“I like Splash Cafe,” Gruggett said. “It has really good clam chowder.”

California’s ‘Super Bloom’

If you’ve been on any social media platform or tuned into the news in the past few weeks, you’ll have seen the beautiful wild flowers blooming throughout California.  From vibrant oranges, to gentle lavender, and everything in between, the cotton candy colored hills of the valley are practically begging every Californian to experience the super bloom.  Spring break falls at the perfect time to witness the end of this natural wonder and beauty.

Though the many blooming fields can be seen bordering the freeway, for safety reasons and optimal viewing, it’s best to visit a nature preserve. The Carrizo Plain National Monument is located 63 miles from CSUB, just west of McKittrick. There are rolling fields of wildflowers and beautiful natural features crafted by the shifting of San Andreas Fault.