Spring Break Mania Hits South Beach
MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) - If spring break on South Beach ever feels too mellow, just bring in Courtney Neville.
"We're just having so much fun in Miami!!! Woooo!" she screamed at CBS4's Natalia Zea.
She's one of thousands of college students taking in the sun, sights, and spirits.
"We're having so much fun and I'm not even wasted!!" she said, despite appearing inebriated.
This year, a student travel website ranks Miami the third most popular Spring Break destination behind the Dominican Republic and Mexico.
"It's just the place to go according to everybody-spring break 2012 it's the place to go," said college freshman Raven Collins.
While the spring breakers party hard and rock their bikinis and swim trunks, many people who live on the beach, like Justin McCray are steering clear of Deco Drive.
"It just gets a little too chaotic and out of control and i feel like there are too many tourists. I just want to stay away," he told Zea.
Miami Beach Assistant City Manager Hilda Fernandez says the City has stepped up code enforcement making sure the beaches stay litter free, and police officers are out in force.
"We do have a lot of violations for bottles on the beach, for open containers."
A quick stroll down Ocean Drive could tell you that.
"They are beefing it up they're more strict, I hear we can't even take liquor out there. It's South Beach, Miami what do you mean!?" exclaimed Djavon Alston.
"This is not Key West, this is not Bourbon Street," said Fernandez.
So far, the party has been peaceful, and the number of arrests are about average for a normal weekend.
The craziness will not end come Sunday, next week many Florida universities and public schools are also on Spring Break so you can expect South Beach will be more hectic than ever.
