Long before anyone was booking flights to Cancún, the building blocks of spring break were quietly assembling in American college culture. Since the 19th century, well-to-do students have escaped their academic duties by fleeing to states with the nearest coastline. The advent of the car, higher education opportunities for women, and widespread availability of alcohol all fused together into the nationwide phenomenon of the co-ed road trip. With all of these factors settled, the only question left was where to meet up.