The sunny beaches of South Padre Island are the perfect destination for Spring Breakers from as far as Indiana.
They said they're far enough from home, but without having to cross into Mexico.
"We looked as far south as we could without going into Mexico," Marah GiaQuinta, an Indiana student said. “A lot of the (girls’ parents) weren't comfortable with them going (to Mexico) with the stuff going on right now. It just worked out that we can use our phones and we don’t need passports to get this far south."
Spring Breakers from North Carolina and Texas said they also feel perfectly safe spending their days on Coca Cola Beach, and had no concerns being just miles from the Mexican border.
"Nah, I’ve felt safe all the time - a lot of security, really safe place,” Jay Royster, student at Gardner Webb University, said.
“I’m a little nervous but I’ll get over it," added student Hilary Kay.
Cameron County Pct. 1 Constable Horacio Zamora said county officials are making sure things are safe on the U.S. side of the border.
There are approximately 45,000 students expected on the Island in March, but Zamora said the Spring Break crowds of today are nothing like those of the 90s or 80s.
Zamora said it may have something to do with the insecurity in Mexico.
"It was a combination of things,” Zamora said. “I think (it was) the economy and Mexico. We had a lot of the Spring Breakers coming into the area which would visit Mexico a lot, which was another added attraction at the time."
Most vacationers plan to spend their entire week on the Island and Zamora said he and his officers will keep things safe yet fun.
"We're looking to maintain order, that we don’t have people (drinking and driving) - especially on the north end where you have vehicles…and try to avoid any fights, try to avoid anybody getting hurt," Zamora said.
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