Construction and cleanup projects in New Orleans sponsored by Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together and other groups are popular alternative spring break trips. Students at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., partnered with Lutheran Disaster Response to work in hurricane-damaged areas of Biloxi, Miss., and New Orleans over spring break in 2006 and 2007, and they're returning this year.

"It really is a service trip and not a vacation, but we still have a lot of fun," said St. Olaf student Victor Wong.

Hybrid spring breaks where students volunteer and get some R&R too is also a trend. Bush said fraternities and sororities heading to Cancun sponsor food and clothing drives; others spend three or four days working New Orleans and a few days hanging out in the French Quarter.

It's not too late to book alternative spring breaks. A major provider of student travel, i-to-i, still has room on student trips to do conservation work with sea turtles in Costa Rica, build homes in Honduras and work in Ecuador's Mindo forest. Details at www.i-to-i.com/springbreak.

SPRING SKIING: Because Easter is early this year (March 23), "most resorts are dropping rates on March 30 or 31," said Dan Sherman, spokesman for Ski.com, Ski.com's top five recommendations for spring skiing and snowboarding:

• Aspen-Snowmass, Colo., with Spring Jam events March 21-23, March 28-30 and April 4-6.

• Breckenridge, Colo., known for Spring Massive, April 1-22.

• Banff-Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, where the weather turns warm enough in spring so you can really enjoy the scenery.

• Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, hosting the April 11-20 Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival.

• Lake Tahoe-Sierra Nevada area on the California-Nevada line. It's known for late-season snowfall at places like Squaw Valley USA ski resort in Olympic Valley, Calif. Take the tram up to Squaw Valley's outdoor Lagoon pool, which opens for the season in March, and head back down the 8,200-foot mountain on your skis.

In the East, Whiteface Mountain near Lake Placid, N.Y., hosts the U.S. Snowboarding Cup March 1-3, North American Alpine Skiing Finals March 12-16, a St. Patrick's Day party in the Cloudspin Lounge March 15, and an Easter egg hunt for kids March 23; www.whiteface.com.