In the slushy tundra of State College, it's not unusual for people to warm themselves with thoughts of spring break in balmy Florida or sultry Cancun.

But the folks from Concord Spring Break are busy promoting a new idea -- spring break in New York.

Touring around the Northeast in a spring break "party bus," Brian Lazarus spends each day at a different campus -- including University Park yesterday -- trying to entice students with the "hottest spring break north of New York City."

"There's no hidden costs, three meals a day plus a midnight snack, three nightclubs with bands playing every night and no cover, volleyball, ice skating, skiing, tanning booths 24 hours a day," raved Lazarus to Penn Stater Jennifer Vasinda (junior-biology).

But though the idea was appealing and the price was decent (about $425 for the week), Vasinda wasn't completely satisfied.

"The only thing you're missing is the warm weather," she said.

But Lazarus pointed out that people can't always count on good weather in Florida during spring break.

"If it rains all week, what can you do?" he asked.

This all-weather break takes place at the Concord Resort Hotel in Kiamesha Lake, N.Y., "An expensive, upscale resort, but this is a slow time . . . so they said, 'Let's open the asylum to the inmates,' " Lazarus said. "They're good about letting people do what they're going to do anyway because there's . . . no reason to get back in your car at all."

Several nationally known bands will play during each of the three weeklong March breaks. From March 4 until March 10 -- the University's break -- Run DMC, Fishbone, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Shootyz Groove will entertain the guests. Other acts include the Violent Femmes, They Might Be Giants, the Lemonheads and "Saturday Night Live's" David Spade.

Still, the idea of spending a week in New York instead of a warmer climate doesn't appeal to everyone at Penn State.

"Students are looking for warm places," said Peggy Brooks, a travel consultant with Carlson Travel Agency/Nittany Travel, 2603 E. College Ave. "As long as they don't want heat, it sounds good."

Damon Reed (freshman-elementary education), who is going to Atlanta, wants heat.

"The whole thing about spring break is you're trying to enjoy yourself with the warm weather," Reed said. "You want to go somewhere where it's warm."