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Consider Travelling in the Shoulder Season
In much of the world, summer is the peak travel season. With the warm weather and schools being out of session, there’s no doubt that it’s one of the most convenient times for a vacation. Unfortunately, for those looking to travel on a budget, it’s also the season with the highest prices.
Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for the winter season to score a great travel deal. When you travel in the shoulder season, which happens to be fall and spring in most of North America and Europe, you can enjoy smaller crowds, lower prices, and perfectly pleasant weather.
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Avoid the Holiday Weekends
A long holiday weekend might seem like the perfect time to travel, but you can be certain that you aren’t the only person thinking that. Most of the popular attractions tend to get overcrowded during long weekends like Memorial Day and Labor Day. As such, hotels and airlines know that they won’t have a shortage of customers, and the prices will rise too. Even gas prices tend to skyrocket over busy travel weekends.
It’s therefore wise to choose a slow weekend to travel, as you will find better deals on travel plans and lodging.
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Make your Plans Flexible
Do you have your heart set on a particular destination? Look for flight deals and let the low prices guide your getaway. Sites like Skyscanner let you set your travel dates and look for the lowest ticket prices to any destination in the world. If you’re a bit adventurous, there’s no better way to explore the planet on a budget.
If your dates are a bit more flexible, use Google Flights to check the cheapest months to travel. You can then set up flight alerts so that you’ll know when ticket prices drop. There are also many resources online that explain how you can set flight alerts with the various airfare websites.
Booking lodging and flights are often the most expensive part of a trip, however, how you spend your money at the actual destination makes a whole lot of difference. Thankfully, you don’t need to sacrifice having fun to save a few dollars. You can find great deals on night breaks in the UK.
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Find Discounts on Days Out
Are there landmarks, museums, and other tourist attractions on your must-visit list? Look up deals on Groupon to check for discounts on popular attractions. However, be sure to read the fine print. Some of the deals on Groupon might have limitations or restrictions that the full-price admission tickets don’t.
If you prefer to live like a local while on a trip, skip the busy tourist sites and look for free events at your destination. From street fairs and gallery walks to free concerts, there are lots of opportunities if you know where to look. Be sure to ask a friendly local or check out independent local newspapers and online calendars for the best things to do.
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Use Local Transit
There’s nothing more frustrating than driving in unfamiliar locations. You not only have to find your way from Point A to Point B but also find and pay for parking. Plus, in a busy city, parking could take twice as long as driving.
So, consider sparing yourself the stress and just use public transit instead. It could take some research to find out more about how the local transit system works, but you’ll end up spending way less money moving around, not to mention preserving your patience compared to driving.
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Eat Outside the Busy Areas
It’s tough to resist dining in the main tourist areas, with the menus posted at the front door, ample seating along the main drag, and wait staff always ready to greet you. However, this kind of convenience comes at a price. Restaurants built to cater to tourists usually have marginally higher prices without the quality to back them up. Just go a few blocks out of the busy tourist neighborhoods to find authentic, delicious dining at much lower prices.
