Hillsborough County spring break 2026 runs from Monday, March 16, 2026, through Friday, March 20, 2026. Students receive an additional non-student day on Monday, March 23, 2026, creating a 9-consecutive-day break when combined with the preceding weekend.
The School District of Hillsborough County serves approximately 215,000 students across Tampa, Brandon, Plant City, Temple Terrace, Riverview, and Westchase. The district’s 2025-2026 academic calendar begins on Monday, August 11, 2025, and concludes on Friday, May 22, 2026.
Table of Contents
Official Hillsborough County Spring Break 2026 Schedule
The complete break structure includes:
| Date | Day | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, March 16, 2026 | First day of spring break | No school |
| Tuesday, March 17, 2026 | Spring break | No school |
| Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | Spring break | No school |
| Thursday, March 19, 2026 | Spring break | No school |
| Friday, March 20, 2026 | Last day of spring break | No school |
| Saturday, March 21, 2026 | Weekend | No school |
| Sunday, March 22, 2026 | Weekend | No school |
| Monday, March 23, 2026 | Professional development day | No school for students |
| Tuesday, March 24, 2026 | Return to school | Classes resume |
Students receive 9 consecutive days off from school activities between Friday evening, March 13, 2026, and Tuesday morning, March 24, 2026.
Accessing the Official HCPS Calendar
The official 2025-2026 academic calendar is available at hillsboroughschools.org/calendar25-26. Parents can download a printable PDF version directly from the district website.
The calendar includes all district holidays, early release days, professional development days, and grading period boundaries. The district recommends verifying all dates through official HCPS sources rather than third-party calendar aggregators.
Hillsborough County Spring Break vs. Other Florida Districts
Tampa Bay Area School Districts
Three major Tampa Bay districts share identical spring break dates for 2026:
| School District | Spring Break Dates |
|---|---|
| Hillsborough County Public Schools | March 16-20, 2026 |
| Pinellas County Schools | March 16-20, 2026 |
| Pasco County Schools | March 16-20, 2026 |
This alignment allows families with children in multiple Tampa Bay districts to plan coordinated activities and travel.
Miami-Dade County Date Difference
Miami-Dade County Public Schools observes spring break from Monday, March 23, 2026, through Friday, March 27, 2026. This creates a one-week offset between South Florida and Tampa Bay area districts.
Families with relatives in both regions face scheduling conflicts when coordinating visits or multi-family vacations. Miami-Dade’s spring break begins on the same day Hillsborough County students return to school.
Charter Schools and Alternative Calendars
Approximately 15% of Hillsborough County students attend charter schools operating under independent calendars. Charter schools, including Creekside Charter Academy, BridgePrep Academy of Tampa, and IDEA Public Schools, may observe different spring break dates than traditional HCPS schools.
Parents enrolled in charter programs should verify spring break dates directly with their school administration. Charter school calendars do not automatically align with the district-wide HCPS calendar.
Additional March 2026 School Holidays
Hillsborough County Spring Break Context
HCPS students receive two additional single-day holidays in early 2026:
| Holiday | Date | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Florida State Fair Day | Friday, February 13, 2026 | No school |
| Strawberry Festival Day | Monday, March 2, 2026 | Non-student day |
The Florida State Fair Day on Friday, February 13, 2026, provides students with an extended Presidents Day weekend (Monday, February 16, 2026, is a federal holiday).
The Strawberry Festival Day on Monday, March 2, 2026, occurs two weeks before the official spring break period. This non-student day does not extend into spring break planning.
Spring Break Planning Considerations
The Extended 9-Day Break Opportunity
Families planning travel can utilize the full 9-day window from Friday evening, March 13, 2026, through Tuesday morning, March 24, 2026. The professional development day on Monday, March 23, 2026, eliminates the need for Monday childcare or rushed Sunday returns from out-of-town trips.
Easter and Religious Holiday Timing
Good Friday falls on Friday, April 3, 2026, which is 14 days after spring break ends. Easter Sunday occurs on April 5, 2026. Hillsborough County spring break does not align with Easter observances in 2026.
Families observing Easter traditions must plan separately for potential April travel or religious activities. The two-week gap between spring break and Easter weekend creates distinct planning windows.
College Spring Break Alignment
The University of Florida and the University of South Florida both observe spring break from Monday, March 16, 2026, through Friday, March 20, 2026. This alignment benefits families with both K-12 students and college-aged children attending Florida universities.
College spring breaks nationwide typically occur during mid-to-late March. Hillsborough County’s mid-March timing positions the break earlier than many out-of-state universities.
Local Attractions During Spring Break
Tampa Bay Theme Parks and Museums
Major attractions experience peak attendance during the March 16-20, 2026 window:
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay typically launches its Food & Wine Festival during spring break. The park operates extended hours throughout the week with specialized entertainment programming.
- Adventure Island often marks its seasonal reopening in mid-March, coinciding with regional school breaks.
- ZooTampa at Lowry Park hosts animal encounters and behind-the-scenes tours during spring break week. Attendance increases significantly compared to non-holiday periods.
- The Florida Aquarium provides marine biology programs and harbor boat tours (weather permitting) during the break period.
- Glazer Children’s Museum in downtown Tampa offers week-long spring break camps for elementary students with specialized hands-on activities.
Beach Crowd Patterns
Hillsborough County’s mid-March spring break precedes the majority of college spring breaks occurring in late March and early April. This timing provides Tampa Bay families with less crowded beach conditions compared to typical March-April peak periods.
Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, and other Pinellas County coastal areas experience moderate crowd levels during the March 16-20 window, but avoid the maximum capacity conditions common during late March college spring breaks.
Spring Break Camps and Programs 2026
Registration for most Tampa Bay spring break camps opens in January 2026. Programs frequently reach capacity 4-6 weeks before the March break period.
Museum-Based Camps
- Glazer Children’s Museum offers full-week camps from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The 2026 “Exploration Earth” program focuses on conservation and citizen science activities. Cost is $350 per week with 10% member discounts available.
- Museum of Science & Innovation (MOSI) provides age-specific STEAM camps for grades K-8. Programs run from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM with extended care available from 7:00 AM. Weekly cost is $299 for non-members and $260 for members.
Wildlife and Environmental Programs
- ZooTampa at Lowry Park hosts “ZooVentures” camps featuring animal encounters and veterinary care education. Programs cost $240-$280 per week and typically sell out within weeks of registration opening.
- The Florida Aquarium operates “AquaCamps” exploring ecosystems from deep-sea environments to Florida wetlands. Weekly cost is $365 with programs running from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Tampa Bay Watch provides field research experiences through “March into the Mangroves” programming. Activities include boating trips, bird watching, and marine specimen laboratory work at locations including the Discovery Center and Tierra Verde headquarters.
Camp Comparison Overview
| Program | Age Range | Location | Extended Care | Weekly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glazer Children’s Museum | Grades K-5 | Downtown Tampa | Until 5:00 PM | $350 |
| MOSI STEAM Camps | Grades K-8 | North Tampa | 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM | $299 |
| ZooTampa ZooVentures | Ages 5-12 | Lowry Park | Available | $240-$280 |
| Florida Aquarium AquaCamps | Ages 5-12 | Channelside | Not available | $365 |
| Tampa Bay Watch | Ages 6-15 | St. Petersburg/Tierra Verde | Not available | Contact for pricing |
Parents seeking last-minute camp availability should contact programs directly 14 days before spring break, as cancellation deadlines often free up reserved spots.
Academic Calendar Context
Third Quarter End Date
The third grading period for the 2025-2026 academic year ends on Friday, March 13, 2026. Spring break begins on the first instructional day of the fourth quarter.
Students receive report cards for the third quarter during the week of March 30-April 3, 2026, approximately two weeks after returning from spring break.
Fourth Quarter and State Testing
The fourth quarter runs from Monday, March 16, 2026, through Friday, May 22, 2026. Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) and End-of-Course (EOC) exams typically occur in April and May.
Spring break provides students with a study preparation opportunity before standardized testing begins in mid-to-late April 2026.
Hurricane Makeup Day Provisions
The HCPS 2025-2026 calendar designates tentative hurricane makeup days on:
- Wednesday, November 11, 2025 (Veterans Day)
- Monday-Wednesday, November 24-26, 2025 (Thanksgiving week)
- Monday, January 5, 2026
If hurricanes or other emergencies require school closures during the 2025-2026 academic year, the district may activate these designated makeup days. The district does not typically use spring break dates for hurricane makeup purposes.
Parents should monitor official HCPS communications after hurricane season concludes in late November 2025, before finalizing non-refundable spring break travel arrangements.
Parent Resources and Calendar Access
HCPS Parent Portal
The Focus SIS parent portal provides access to student grades, attendance records, and calendar information. Parents can sync the official district calendar to personal devices through the portal.
Printable Calendar Downloads
PDF versions of the 2025-2026 academic calendar are available at hillsboroughschools.org/calendar25-26. The downloadable calendar includes:
- All school holidays and breaks
- Early release days
- Professional development days
- Grading period boundaries
- Standardized testing windows
Calendar Verification Methods
Third-party calendar websites occasionally publish incorrect dates or outdated information. The district recommends:
- Accessing calendars directly from hillsboroughschools.org
- Verifying dates through the official HCPS mobile app
- Confirming dates with individual school administration offices
- Cross-referencing PDF downloads with the online calendar displays
Complete 2025-2026 Academic Year Overview
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| First day of school | Monday, August 11, 2025 |
| Labor Day | Monday, September 1, 2025 |
| Veterans Day | Tuesday, November 11, 2025 |
| Thanksgiving Break | Thursday-Friday, November 27-28, 2025 |
| Winter Break begins | Monday, December 22, 2025 |
| Winter Break ends | Friday, January 2, 2026 |
| Students return from winter break | Monday, January 5, 2026 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 19, 2026 |
| Florida State Fair Day | Friday, February 13, 2026 |
| Presidents Day | Monday, February 16, 2026 |
| Strawberry Festival Day | Monday, March 2, 2026 |
| Spring Break | Monday-Friday, March 16-20, 2026 |
| Professional Development Day | Monday, March 23, 2026 |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 25, 2026 |
| Last day of school | Friday, May 22, 2026 |
The 2025-2026 school year includes 180 instructional days for students and 196 work days for teachers.
Regional Travel and Traffic Considerations
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport experiences significantly increased passenger volume during the March 16-20, 2026 period due to combined spring breaks across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties.
The airport recommends arriving 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights during peak spring break travel days (Friday, March 13, 2026, and Monday, March 16, 2026).
Interstate 4 Corridor Traffic
Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando experiences elevated traffic volumes during spring break periods. Families traveling to Orlando-area theme parks should anticipate longer travel times, particularly on Monday, March 16, 2026, and Friday, March 20, 2026.
Florida Theme Park Crowd Levels
Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort experience moderate crowd levels during the March 16-20 window. Central Florida spring breaks for Orange County and Seminole County occur during the same week, contributing to elevated theme park attendance.
Childcare and Work Planning
Professional Development Day Impact
The non-student day on Monday, March 23, 2026, requires working parents to arrange childcare for an additional day beyond the official spring break period. Many employers allow parents to schedule vacation time for the full 9-day window from March 14-24, 2026.
Before and After School Program Closures
District-operated before-school and after-school programs do not operate during spring break or on the March 23 professional development day. Parents relying on these programs must arrange alternative childcare for the entire 7-day period from March 16-23, 2026.
Hillsborough County Spring Break Frequently Asked Questions
When does Hillsborough County spring break start in 2026?
Spring break begins on Monday, March 16, 2026. This is the first of five consecutive school days designated as spring break.
How long is Hillsborough County spring break?
The official spring break period lasts 5 school days from Monday, March 16, 2026, through Friday, March 20, 2026. Students receive an additional non-student day on Monday, March 23, 2026, creating 9 consecutive days without school.
Do all Hillsborough County schools have the same spring break?
Traditional HCPS schools observe the same spring break dates. Charter schools operating in Hillsborough County may follow independent calendars with different spring break dates. Parents should verify dates directly with charter school administrators.
Is Hillsborough spring break the same as Pinellas County?
Yes, Hillsborough County and Pinellas County share identical spring break dates from Monday, March 16, 2026, through Friday, March 20, 2026. Pasco County also observes the same spring break period.
Does Hillsborough County spring break align with Easter 2026?
No, spring break occurs two weeks before Easter. Easter Sunday falls on April 5, 2026, while spring break ends on Friday, March 20, 2026. Good Friday is April 3, 2026.
Can Hillsborough County change spring break dates?
The HCPS school board approves the academic calendar approximately 12-18 months in advance. Calendar modifications are rare and typically occur only in response to emergency situations such as hurricanes requiring extended school closures.
Where can I download the official HCPS calendar?
The official calendar is available at hillsboroughschools.org/calendar25-26. Parents can download PDF versions or sync the calendar to personal devices through the HCPS Parent Portal.
