Top 10 BEST Spring Break Movies

Can’t wait for spring break? Here are a few films to tide you over and help you get in the spirit! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Spring Break Movies.

For this list, we’ll be looking at some of the most entertaining and memorable films set during spring break, as well as movies that have become closely associated with it. Classic party films you can take inspiration from, cautionary tales and vacations from hell... we’re covering all our bases to bring you the very best spring break films ever made!

#10: “The Cabin in the Woods” (2012)

A horror film likely isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think ‘spring break’. But this horror comedy is more fun than an open bar and a surprise performance by The Weeknd! Okay, we’re not sure any film is that great, but you get the point. Starring Kristen Connolly and Chris Hemsworth, the movie follows a group of friends who escape to a secluded cottage over, yes, spring break. Here, they soon find themselves tormented by the machinations of underground technicians and supernatural threats. A self aware film that’s equal parts a love letter to and parody of the slasher genre, it’s a riot. And unless you similarly plan on spending your spring break in a dilapidated cabin, it’s unlikely to kill the vibe.

#9: “Where the Boys Are” (1960)

The grandfather of spring break movies, “Where the Boys Are” is an absolute classic. It follows four young female students, Merritt, Melanie, Angie and Tuggle, as they explore their sexuality over spring vacation. By modern teen comedy standards, their misadventures and sexual exploits might seem tame, but in 1960 this film was seriously pushing the boundaries. Set in Fort Lauderdale, the movie actually inspired many university students to visit the Florida city in the years after the film’s release, establishing it as one of the most popular spring break destinations in the United States to this day. Funny, heartwarming but also tackling some serious themes, “Where the Boys Are” will really make you appreciate the long history of spring break in America.

#8: “Spring Breakdown” (2009)

Woefully underrated and seen by far too few people, “Spring Breakdown” is something of a cult classic. Released direct-to-video in 2009, the film stars Amy Pohler, Parker Posey and Rachel Dratch as Gayle, Becky and Judi, three women who, having been geeks in college, get something of a do-over when they head to South Padre Island over spring break. There, armed with the life experience of thirtysomethings, you’d think they’d be above college-age shenanigans, but they soon find themselves being pulled into both the fun and drama of the festivities. It’s by no means a comedic masterpiece, but the trio of talented lead actors make “Spring Breakdown” an undeniably fun watch.

#7: “Project X” (2012)

Spring Break often brings with it a lot of pressure to find the ultimate party. In “Project X”, however, rather than just seeking out the biggest party of the year, our trio of high school protagonists, Costa, J.B. and Thomas, decide to take matters into their own hands. With Thomas’ parents out of town, they organize the party to end all parties, and the entire thing is captured in a found footage style. Much to the chagrin of parents everywhere, the film has gone on to inspire countless real-world imitators. We don’t recommend throwing a “Project X” party of your own, but watching the movie is a great way to get pumped, especially since promoters often host “Project X” themed spring break events.

#6: “XOXO” (2016)

This 2016 Netflix original film is the perfect modern spring break film. It follows the intertwining lives of six young adults on one fateful night at the biggest EDM festival in the country. Filmed at various music festivals and raves in and around Los Angeles, “XOXO” really does feel the biggest music festival in the world. Though it’s sure to give you plenty of party fomo and have you feeling desperate for your own spring break, it’s first and foremost a story about love, youth and chasing your dreams. Spring break gets a bad rep, but “XOXO” perfectly captures the hopeful spirit of adventure, reminding us that there’s more to this tradition than partying yourself senseless.

#5: “Van Wilder” (2002)

Before he was Deadpool, the king of Twitter or a bonafide A-lister, Ryan Reynolds was best known as Van Wilder. And even against steep competition, there’s really no movie character more synonymous with taking college partying to the extreme than this iconic slacker. Now in his seventh year as a freshman, the titular Van Wilder gets cut off from by his wealthy father, threatening his lifestyle as an eternal student and campus legend. With his back against the wall, Van is forced to get creative - or, rather, more creative than usual- and that translates to wild parties, pranks and the sort of shenanigans that one hopes to find at any spring break party.

#4: “Piranha 3D” (2010)

“Piranha 3D” is an over-the-top film in every sense of the word. Set at the fictional Lake Victoria resort during spring break, the film sees debaucherous good times interrupted by the sudden arrival of prehistoric, highly aggressive piranhas that have escaped from a crack in the lakebed. Gore, skimpy bikinis, nudity, immature jokes, bad decisions and CGI - everything about this film is excessive and gratuitous, but the end result is a whole lot of fun! If the pre-piranha party looks like your idea of a good time, you should consider spending spring break at Arizona’s Lake Havasu where the film was shot. It bills itself as “The West's Biggest Spring Break Party”. Don’t worry, it’s piranha-free!

#3: “American Pie 2” (2001)

Spring break is a time for making new friends and reuniting with old ones. Though they’ve mostly gone away to different colleges, this group of friends soon fall back into the old ways of partying hard, sexual exploits and wacky hijinks. “American Pie 2” is technically set during summer vacation and not spring break, but the wild and crazy misadventures that the gang share at this beach house still feel very much on-brand. Following the release of the film in 2001, we can only assume that many a group of friends were inspired to spend spring break at a beach house rental of their very own. Here’s hoping that none of them confused super glue for personal lubricant!

#2: “22 Jump Street” (2014)

This sequel to “21 jump Street” catches up with Schmidt and Jenko two years after the events of the first film; the two are now working the streets performing drug busts. After dropping the ball on a big case however, they’re once again made to go undercover. They’re too old to pass as high schoolers anymore, but they fit right in at college, where a new deadly drug ,“WHY-PHY", is making the rounds. Spring break coincides with the climax of the film, and boy is it ever epic in every sense of the word. But even before the spring break party begins, this film holds up a hilariously accurate (if exaggerated) mirror to college life and its many hard-partying cliches and tropes.

#1: “Spring Breakers” (2012)

Nobody’s ever made a spring break movie quite like this one before. Then again, pretty much every film made by director Harmony Korine is truly one of a kind. With an amazing cast that includes James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine, the movie follows a group of college age women who go on a last minute spring break trip after two of them rob a restaurant. They party hard in St. Petersburg, Florida, eventually befriending a local rapper and criminal named Alien. It’s a dark film that revels in the seedier side of spring break, but it makes for a fascinating ride and a reminder that every party should have its limits.