With college students back from spring break and public school students anticipating their vacation, AJC Gwinnett Opinions asked readers about their spring break traditions. We asked members of our online Voice of Gwinnett panel to respond to any or all of the following:

What did you do on spring break when you were growing up?

Is it still a special time for you?

If you now have children in school, or formerly had children in school, how do (or did) you generally spend that time?

If you travel, where do you go? Do you allow your kids to invite friends?

Do you allow your children to go with other families? At what age?

If you don't have kids, do you generally avoid the beach during those weeks?

Here's what they said:

Maybe my advanced age is causing me to forget, but I do not recall having a spring break each year in 1960s DeKalb County.

We usually had a long weekend for Easter, but that was it.

My kids think it is one of their inalienable rights!

That said, we have had great times each year since the first spring break for my oldest daughter in 1989. We are fortunate to have had a place to stay at St. Simons Island because my parents have a condo there. My girls grew up thinking that it was vacation heaven on earth, which has served me well all these years. I managed to get two graduated from high school without once going to the Gulf Coast! I have one still in high school, and I am not sure my luck is going to hold out, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

St. Simons is the kind of place you can take teens and not worry too much about what trouble they might find, which is comforting because we usually have extra kids with us. We have enjoyed lazy days at the pool and hot tub (key to a successful April beach stay in Georgia!) and nights out on the town at our favorite restaurants and ice cream shops. Putt-putt golf, the pier, and movies have been fun options, as is shopping in the village. The beach and hot-weather activities generally wait for the summer trip, but spring break holds its own special memories. The island is usually in bloom, the kids are so anxious for sun, they lay out and shiver if the breezes are still cooler than hoped.

I have been blessed to not only have this wonderful place to visit each year but to have my kids look forward to it almost as much as I have. Frankly, it gets me through the winter each year!

As soon as I cross the bridge from Brunswick, I feel time slow, and I forget all of my worries. At the end of the trip, all that remains is counting the days until I return again!

KATHLEEN MAGBEE-BROWN, Loganville

At spring break when I was growing up, we would begin spring cleaning of the house and the yard. Our garden would be prepared and planted no later than Good Friday.

When my children were still in school, we would try to do something outside. Most trips were fishing at Lake Lanier. This was before they charged an entry fee at Pine Isle.

We didn't travel over the holidays.

ROBERT "BOB" TWEEDELL, Lawrenceville

I usually prefer to work during spring break, as it is a week with greatly reduced traffic volume during my normal commute. That is what makes it a special time for me.

KEN WATKINS, Lawrenceville

My best spring break was during 1974. I was an eighth-grader, and my junior high school (no middle school in those days) took a group of eighth- and ninth-graders to Washington, D.C., for spring vacation. It was my first plane ride and my first experience with being independent.

We were allowed a lot of freedom from constant adult supervision while on the trip (as an adult reflecting back, we probably had too much lack of direct supervision).

One of the bolder girls persuaded the clerk in the lobby shop at our hotel to let her buy a Playgirl Magazine (it was new on the market); she showed off her treasure to the other girls, and we glimpsed at the centerfold and giggled all night long about what we saw.

My most painful spring break was in the early 1980s; I took a Greyhound bus from Columbus, Ohio, to San Francisco to visit my brother. The ride was almost three days; I stayed in California for about two days and then had to make the three-day ride back to Ohio.

It was glorious to witness the changing topography as I traveled from the Middle West to the far West. I remember meeting people on the bus who I would have never encountered otherwise and literally falling in love in tandem with both America (the land) and its unique people.

I also remember having an enormously sore backside for about a week after I returned home from that very long ride in a very short time period.

The memories of the spring breaks of my youth make me smile. It is a special time for youthful exploration and renewal.

Kids, enjoy it now, because when you get to the working world, spring break for most adults is just another work week.

I like kids, but I would not plan a cruise or beach vacation during this time unless I really wanted to be immersed in the kid world for a week.

BENI DAKAR, Duluth

While growing up, on spring break we would go to my uncle's cabin on Lake Rabun. (Unfortunately, he sold the cabin.)

I have 9-year-old twins. We go to the beach —- the Gulf Coast. We go to our condo in Panama City Beach. We do not allow any other children to be invited. My goodness —- it is hard enough keeping up with my own.

We do not allow our children to go with other families, except for their Grandmom. Unfortunately, she is too old to go anywhere, as far as traveling.

When we did not have children, we would spend our time at Road Atlanta during spring break, camping. The old owners sponsored the IMSA [International Motor Sports Association] GT/GTP races. So much fun!

LYNNE SHRIBER, Snellville

When I was growing up in the '50s, going away on spring break was not an option. We were happy just to be out of school and have our curfew extended by an hour or two.

When my girls were in school, spring break was a time for family skiing. We usually planned to take the girls somewhere they hadn't been before. Often, their four cousins went with us, and it was a lot of fun.

The girls are adults now, and my husband and I avoid going anywhere during spring break. It's not worth the hassle these days.

CAROL FIELD, Lawrenceville

My parents worked, so my siblings and I would stay home or spend time with grandparents who lived close by.

When I was older and could drive, I was usually working myself at the Decatur/DeKalb YMCA; they would have a spring camp.

I have four children —- 5, 13, 18 and 19. I work parttime, so I try to take a few days off and do something special with them one or two days. We go to Six Flags, Stone Mountain or the [Atlanta] Botanical Gardens. If we are visiting places around Atlanta, I do let them bring friends.

I have let my children go with other families. I let my children go when they were about 12. I knew the family really well, and it gave my children an opportunity to get to go somewhere instead of sitting in front of the TV for the whole week.

ERIN VAUGHN, Lilburn

When I was growing up, spring break was just a week to sleep in and watch television all day.

For my daughter's spring break, I usually take the week off from work and spend it with her. We try to do things we don't normally have time for on weekends, like sleep in, go to the High Museum, read, go shopping, crafting, have a spa day, watch movies all night, or go to the zoo.

One spring break, we spontaneously decided to drive at night to go to the beach in Tybee all day, then came back later in the evening, just for an adventure.

Since she's graduating this year, I'll try to make sure it's something special because I probably won't have this kind of time with her in the future.

CORI HOMER, Grayson

When I went to school, we called spring break "Easter vacation." It always centered on Easter.

Our family was what they called "church hoppers," meaning we hopped into church twice a year —- Easter and Christmas.

After church, we headed off to visit my aunt, still wearing our Easter finest. We grabbed our Easter baskets and hopped into the car. Once there, we trashed our clothes while hunting for Easter eggs. Usually a fight or two would break out, there would be tears, but most of all there would be great stories and lots of laughter. Every year, our Easter basket would have a chocolate bunny with the ears missing. It was our Dad's job to be the official bunny tester. We spent the rest of the week playing with the neighborhood kids and finishing off the Easter basket.

We didn't go to Ocean City, Md., or Panama City Beach, Fla. My family didn't have the money to do such things. If they had, I doubt that we would have spent our vacation that way anyhow. I don't remember ever going over 20 miles from home my entire childhood. It was a different time.

My children grew up going to church, but they also grew up traveling. Their children now have a spring break that has nothing to do with Easter. Seems like most of the family traditions have been done away with —- sad, really.

DIANA CAIN, Snellville

I only have grandchildren now, and when I travel to and from work during spring break, THE TRAFFIC IS TERRIFIC! That's all I have to say about spring break.

MARGIE GARNER, Sugar Hill

I grew up in a family with eight kids in Delaware, so spring break was mostly day trips to either Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, where we walked along the boardwalk and rode the carousel, or —- if money was not so funny —- we would go to Ocean City, Md., as a real treat.

It was always a special time for us kids, but now that I am an adult with two school-age children of my own, with the way our economy is, it's almost stressful trying to figure out what we can do with the kids that won't be so costly.

I live in Georgia now, and with my family being in Maryland and Delaware, spring break would be a great time to go see them. But with the cost of gas, making that drive will be very costly. And with the cost of airline tickets, especially during this peak week, the prices are way too expensive for a family of four to fly. So what are we to do?

More than likely, we will take maybe one day trip (within a couple of hours drive time), and then, weather permitting, do some outside activities with the kids at one of the local parks in Gwinnett County, or visit the Georgia Aquarium.

Before the economy got so jacked up, we would plan a trip to the mountains, Disney World, home to Maryland and Delaware, or to Myrtle Beach or Charleston, S.C. We usually will go with family members, or another family who has school-age children.

I have allowed my older children to go with other families when they were 12 or older.

My children and husband love the beach. I actually find it very soothing, though I do not swim, so do not spend much time in the water myself.

SANDRA CHOATES, Lawrenceville

When I was growing up in Birmingham, Ala., I only remember one family vacation, and that was a summer trip to Gulf Shores, Ala. Most of my friends' families just stayed in town for spring break. My friend, Sheena, who had perfect attendance all the way through school, even managed to have measles during spring break!

We didn't travel much when my girls were growing up either, except for one surprise trek to Six Flags.

These days, I endeavor to get away each spring break with my grandson, who is now almost 10. One year, we had a great time ghost hunting and playing on Tybee Island in Savannah. Mostly, we do day trips to Helen or play tourists at Stone Mountain Park.

JOYE OLTMANN, Snellville

Growing up, we did not go anywhere. I liked to sleep in, have no homework and watch TV. It was just nice spending time at home and relaxing.

It is still a special time for me since I get to spend some relaxing time with my family.

We spend the time at home. It is nice to have a relaxing week. Usually toys get brought out from Christmas that have not been played with since there is so much homework to do. It is also nice to do things that ATLANTA has to offer.

This is the first year that we will be going somewhere for spring break. We are going to D.C. for the week. I am not thrilled about it since I like to go on vacations during the summer so that when you return you still are on vacation and do not have to jump right back to the regular routine of school/work.

I would not allow my daughter to go with other families somewhere. This is a time that should be spent together as a family.

ROBIN SCHMIDT, Norcross

When I was growing up, spring break was the time to make some money! Coming from a single-parent family, I had to earn any money I wanted to spend. When I was baby-sitting for some school-aged kids younger than myself, I was able to watch them all day vs. right after school. When I had "real jobs," I always put in for more hours. I used to see others who went on family vacation and wonder what that was like.

I have a daughter in high school now, and we've been to Connecticut (where we're from) to visit family once or twice during spring break, but found it was too cold! Now she stays home while my husband and I work. We try to have her spend time with her friends, but she likes to just hang out at home and watch TV.

If we could afford to go on vacation we would, but right now money's just too tight. We can't even drive anywhere because the price of gas is so outrageous!

I dread the phone calls to come when my daughter is away at college . . . "Mom, can I have some money? The girls and I want to go to Florida for spring break!" As a parent those words are scary, scary, scary! Have you seen MTV lately?

LIZ CARTER, Lawrenceville

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