| Issue #3 - posted 1/25/01
Greetings All!
I will begin this issue with a cautionary tale: I had a good
start on NL#3 with lots of juicy spring break tidbits nearly ready
to send off. Had to take a break from it to help by dear sweet
mother with some e-mail problems that entailed a re-start of my
computer. This morning, I can find no trace of all my newsletter
efforts (sigh.)
The moral of the story: Don't help your mom with computer problems,
no matter how much she begs.
I will do my best to reconstruct, salvage and recover --
Interesting Factoid: Of the approx. 450 of you who have
subscribed to this newsletter, some 10% are coming the week of 3/2;
40% the week of 3/9 (Texas Week); 30% the week of 3/16 and 20% the
week of 3/23. these percentages have remained remarkably consistent
over the past 2 weeks.
Lodging News
Spotlight on Bahia Mar: "the other hotel" --
Located on the north side of town, about 4 miles from the throbbing
heart of spring break central, the Bahia was once considered to be
a less-than-desirable spot to stay. Over the past couple of years,
that has changed. Management has added so many activities and spring
break parties for its guests that - theoretically - one could spend
his/her whole break on the hotel grounds without missing much of
anything. Below are just a few of the many fun things the Bahia Mar
has lined up for March, 2002:
* Club X/S will be open the month of March with a D.J.
* Foam Parties -- probably on Tuesdays again this year.
* Every day pool side D.J. Geoff Clifton with contests & free
giveaways starting March 2nd.
* Beachfront activities including co-ed beach volleyball tournaments,
a D.J., plus many other corporate-sponsored activities
* Little Ceasar's Pizza in the lobby till 4am
* The Playboy Bunnies (don't have their schedule yet but it is
definite)
* The "HellFire Tatoo Expo" - Texas Week - a variety of tattoo
artists all in one place.
* Part of the Foam Party at Club X/S includes Pudding Wrestling -
yum.
(advertisement)
Get your school name or mascot up in sand - BIG! For a nominal fee,
sandy feet - SPI Sandwiz - will meet you on the beach and help you
carve your message in sand. Great for photo ops and attracting
members of the opposite sex. Excellent idea for sororities and
fraternities as well!
I will show up with shovels so we can make it as huge as you
are willing to dig -- show off those hard-earned muscles! I will
sketch out the logo/message and will provide you with the
tools/know-how to carve it out. Additional benefit: you will have
full access to the implements necessary for burying your keg ;-)
Prices start at $75 (keg not included.) For more info send an
e-mail or call 956-761-6222.
(/advertisement)
Clubs/Bars FAQ
Q. Where are the hot spring break clubs in relationship
to the hotels?
A. the clubs most of you will wish to frequent are Rio Beach at
Schlitterbahn; Louie's Backyard and Tequila Frogs. Rio Beach is
located close to Sheraton, Holiday Inn and Gulf View. Louie's and
Tequila Frog are located about a mile north on the bay. Rio Beach
and Louie's will both be providing free transportation up and down
the length of the island.
Q. How much does it cost to get in?
Club Rio Beach at Schlitterbahn is charging $10/day to everyone
(from March 1-17 you must be 18+ to enter). This one time fee
allows you to make use of all the park facilities all day and party
all night and you may leave and come back as often as you like
without re-paying. There is no extra charge on concert days.
Generally speaking, you will pay somewhere around $5 cover to get
into Louie's and Tequila Frogs ($10 if you are 18-20) and there is
no extra charge at Louie's for concert dates. (Keep an eye on my
March calendar for show updates.)
Q. How old do you have to be to get in and are they
really strict about it?
The above referenced clubs require that you be 18 and older. Yes,
they are strict about this and enforcing the drinking age limits
because they can lose their liquor license for violations. The
TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission) is a large presence
every March. They dress in plain clothes and they can and will
arrest violators. While it is true that some people have and do
get away with using fakes, the technology for spotting those fakes
continues to improve and you must decide on your own whether or
not it is worth the risk. For more info on possible repercussions,
be sure and read Mike's column on this by clicking here.
Q. Is there any place where a 17-year-old can get in?
A. To the best of my knowledge - no.
Q. Are there any bars worth checking out?
At last count there was something like 50 bars on SPI - with a
resident population of about 2000 souls, that is a fairly large
per capita. If you have acquired the wisdom granted with age
(21+) you might want to look at some of the other watering holes
the Island offers. Some personal favorites:
*Kelly's Irish Pub: North side of town; some of the lowest prices
on the Island; electronic darts; pool table; "Hole in the Wall"
diner serves superior snacks and sandwiches (be sure to say hi to
chef "DuneHead" if you go) Gets VERY crowded on March 17.
* Wahoo Saloon: Located on the bay right next door to Louie's on
"club row"; renowned for its shrimp, oysters and ceviche; ask
bartender Marge to cook you up one of her famous "Marge-er-itas."
* Boomerang Billy's and Wanna Wanna: both are beach front palapa
bars. Boomie's is centrally located at the Surf Motel, WW is on
the north end at the Island Inn. Both offer decent food, beach
volleyball courts, and killer views for enjoying the kind of
drinks that come garnished with tiny umbrellas.
* Brennan's Third Coast: North end, it is the only bar to offer
country music all night every night
* Krusty's: Centrally located on the main drag; pool tables;live
rock and roll (featuring excellent local bands); frequented by the
younger (21-30) local crowd. Home of the after-hours rave.
* Parrot Eyes: across the street from Bahia Mar on the bay.
Occasional live music; food... and the hammocks are waiting for
you.
* Coconuts and Tequila Sunset - both are located on "club row"
near Louie's; live rock on occasion; Coconuts offers water sports rentals (wave runners and parasailing) and food.
Party News
I have posted info on the March calendar regarding the infamous
"Booze Cruise" and Mexico Day Trips offered by Leisure Tours
International, along with contact information on how to sign up.
Please note that you need not book your trip with LTI to
participate on these excursions. However, if you are still looking
for a cheap flight and/or inexpensive room, you may take a look at
what they have to offer in package deals. LTI books air and rooms
in big chunks, which means they might be able to offer you a better
deal than anything you will find on Orbitz or Travelocity. You have
nothing to lose by stopping by the LTI web-site or giving them a call
at 800-838-8390 and seeing what they can come up with for you.
Coming soon to SPIonline.com -- a new map highlighting the
locations of particular interest to spring breakers (O the things
I do for you chilluns!)
Starting Next Week: Two lucky newsletter subscribers will receive
free day passes to Schlitterbahn every week until March. I am also
working on scoring other great giveaways - but you have to be a
subscriber to win.
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SPRING BREAK PAGES
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