Brittany Westerberg

Junior animal science major Micah Rupp had his spring break trip to Florida planned since the beginning of the fall semester. He was going to stay with his cousin, drive to the beach every day and have a great time with several friends.

Now his friends are backing out, so he isn’t able to go to Florida. Instead, he is staying in Brookings during spring break to work.

Maybe you were planning a trip to the beach in Miami, a shopping spree in San Francisco, a visit to the bright lights of Las Vegas or even a vacation overseas, and your plans fell through. Life happens, but just because you will spend the week long break in Brookings doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.

Brookings may not be Cancun, but if you know where to look, there are plenty of things to do in this area to keep yourself entertained.

Where to go near Brookings for fun

Here are alternative places to have fun this spring break:

Las VegasIf you were hoping to drop a little dough on the Las Vegas strip, you can still practice your blackjack skills near home. You could visit Granite Falls, Minn. – only two hours away – and spend some time at the Prairie’s Edge Casino, or you could drive three hours to the Jackpot Junction in Morton, Minn. Even closer, (try 20 minutes), is the Royal River Casino in Flandreau. All of these places allow you to play the slots, blackjack and poker and gamble to your heart’s content. They each have a hotel that you can stay at, so you could spend a day or two soaking up the Vegas-style atmosphere.

EuropeA trip to Europe isn’t in every college student’s budget, but luckily, some establishments in Sioux Falls attempt to bring Europe to you. The Touch of Europe jazz club in Sioux Falls serves authentic European food while you listen to live American jazz music. Check them out on the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Web site or visit www.toejazz.com.

Got a craving for French or Italian wine? The World Market in Sioux Falls has a wide range of wines from several countries. They also carry a variety of coffee, food and home d