Avoid these destinations in March if you don’t want to do beer bongs with college kids

No surprise here: The Mexican beach resort of Cancun tops the list of spring break destinations for customers of STA Travel, which specializes in travel for students, college-age and young adult travelers.

Following Cancun on the STA list were Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic; Puerto Vallarta, also a Mexican beach resort area; Panama City Beach, Fla., and Jamaica.

STA spokeswoman Teresa Cordova says the list is based on numbers of bookings by STA customers, who are mostly in the 18-25 age range, for all-inclusive spring break trips.

Many U.S. colleges have a week off from classes mid-semester, typically in March, and it's an annual tradition for some students — especially those from campuses in cold parts of the country — to spend the week soaking up sunshine and partying in warmer climes.

In recent years, however, some students have used their week off for other pursuits, including volunteering, weeklong career-building externships, and adventure travel in places that offer hiking, extreme sports and other itineraries more challenging than lying on the beach.