Comments on: Some Thoughts on Inexpensive Vacations

By: Becca

Becca — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:56:28 +0000

Definitely stay with friends and family! I just spent a month abroad for under $2k (plane ticket not included) because I was able to stay at friends’ places (and eat their food for breakfast….). I judiciously stayed a few nights in hotels when I needed a bit of alone time, but for the most part really enjoyed the conversations that can only happen late at night.

By: Ms Alex

Ms Alex — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:45:57 +0000

Really like your consideration of the pace of the holiday or trip, I travel a lot with work and on my own personal time and I am always amazed by people who expect me to be a tourist 24/7, sure you can be conscious and look for the cool stuff but there has to be a rhythm to the journey… full throttle non-stop would be *no* fun whatsoever.

By: littlepitcher

littlepitcher — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:45:10 +0000

Ad lib some time, if you can. Don’t be afraid to get lost–I’ll never forget being lost in Harlem at sunset on a Saturday, looking for the George Washington Bridge–and years later, finding it again in a Sonny Rollins CD. No souvenirs, but rural garage-sale items which are loved mementos of several vacations. Museums are free, and you can discover on your own what makes an Old Master great. You may remember a picnic meal spent with campground neighbors long after the expensive meal is forgotten.

By: Claudia

Claudia — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:55:39 +0000

Several years ago, my sister’s neighbor and his wife went to China and Australia. I was excited for them and said “Wow, Ralph, China and Australia, what a neat trip!” He proceeded to tell me every meal they ate! I don’t think he even noticed the Sydney Opera House or the Great Wall of China, they were just a backdrop that got in the way of his meals!

By: Bargain Junkie

Bargain Junkie — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:51:57 +0000

We often stay with family and friends while traveling, and have found ways to not feel like we’re imposing. We might do the grocery shopping, walk the dog, invite our hosts out for a nice dinner – or even help with some small household projects.

When we’re on our own, I always prefer bed and breakfasts to hotels. Cozier, cheaper, and much more contact with the locals. I just read about a site, http://www.airbnb.com that offers room and apartment rentals all over the world.

By: Crystal

Crystal — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:20:38 +0000

Visiting my family is a nice visit, but not a vacation. Mr. BFS and I have done road trips and cruises and even visit Las Vegas. All of those trips were fun because we were together, relaxed, seeing new stuff, and enjoying each other’s company.

We seem to enjoy medium-packed trips…not too little to get bored but not too much to get stressed. We really enjoy cruises since there are a variety of activities available the whole time and the port excursions are excellent (whether you book through the cruise line or not). A cruise last year helped me discover an inherent love for snorkeling. Living close to Galveston means that I never knew how cool it is to see under water. :-)

By: Victor Nicolás

Victor Nicolás — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:48:54 +0000

Unplanned things are reallly memorable. Last easter vacation y took my wife and 2 year old son to Disney World. We live in Dominican Republic. On our way back to Davie, FL, where we were staying, I took a wrong turn and ended up driving through the town of Celebration. It proved to be a wonderful sight, and very memorable, since my wife had never visited the US before. She loved the traditional design of that little town so much it is almost her ‘Peak’ moment of the trip.

By: chacha1

chacha1 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:45:07 +0000

Kai’s point was excellent: look back at what you’ve enjoyed before, and plan your next vacation that way.

Planning for what suits your individual style and values should go without saying. Of course, if you don’t KNOW what your individual vacation style is because you haven’t been able to really plan a getaway according to only your own wishes, some mini-trips to sort things out would seem to be called for.

It would suck to book the bargain cruise only to discover that you hate being pent up in a floating hotel for 3, 5, or 7 days, released like a kid on recess to visit a tourist-trap port once a day.

It would also suck to plan a week of walking tours in a new city only to discover that you actually kind of wish, the whole time, that you were lolling on a beach instead. :-)

Regardless of taste, most of Trent’s tips apply no matter what kind of vacation you plan.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:55:41 +0000

I have to agree with some of the previous posters, in that I don’t like staying in other peoples’ homes that much. A couple days isn’t too bad, but I do have a hard time relaxing because I have that sense of imposing, even though it was their offer to let us stay in their home. I think it’s important to make sure you’re on the same page with people you’re visiting or vacationing with. My in-laws love nothing more than to visit my husband and I, and sit around and talk. Personally, I can’t stand that much sitting. I’d rather be out doing things, especially if I have taken time off from my job to be with them. Everyone has their own ideas of what makes a good time, and if expectations are laid out ahead of time of a schedule, what to do, how much time to spend together, things will go more smoothly. I love having visitors but I do NOT love having them with me 24/7. Quality time, not quantity for me!

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:45:15 +0000

I liked this blog. I have some wonderful stories from vacations and they all have to do with unplanned events and people I have met. Some of the best vacations I have had were ones where we just kind of “winged it”.

By: Fredrick

Fredrick — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:34:30 +0000

Everyone has a different opinion of what is considered a vacation. I myself consider everyday a vacation and try to enjoy every minute of my day.

By: Reasonable

Reasonable — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:30:14 +0000

Loved your take on meals. A lot of our family get-togethers end up being about the food. Instead of planning our next activity together, we end up just planning where we are going to eat, and bloat, next. One special meal would be lovely.

By: twblues

twblues — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:27:46 +0000

I totally agree with Kai(#4). Everybody has different values and different vacation styles. My (solo) vacations are not about people. I go to see scenery and experience places and things, and people may or may not make an impression on me.

Being someone’s houseguest is not a vacation to me. I don’t like to impose, and it wouldn’t feel much different than staying at my own house. I’d rather be frugal elsewhere in my life and “splurge” on a hotel room.

To each his/her own.

By: Vicky

Vicky — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:10:45 +0000

I kinda of disagree, my vacations are always about getting AWAY. I want to go away to a remote island AWAY From people and camp for the weekend with no one to bother me :p

It’s just me and my husband, relaxing and enjoying our time together, just US. Of course, I only get a mini-vacation once a year, so it’s very important to unwind with the person closest to me.

By: kim

kim — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:09:38 +0000

When I grew up we lived far away from family. Every vacation we took was to go visit my grandparents. I felt slighted. Now I don’t even consider visiting family a vacation. I am careful to balance those family trips with actual vacations that focus on togetherness and enjoyment for just the five of us. I think pacing is all a matter of preference. My husband goes a little nuts if we are not go go go all the time. We’ve tried the slow pace, but the kids get antsy and end up bickering. We pack our schedule and it works great for us. We also like to plan mini-vacations that wrap around single day activities. If we go to the closest amusement park (1 hr away) we camp close by in a state park for about $12 a night for the night before and that night. It makes it more of an experience. We also try to take an adults only trip every other year (3-4 days). It really benefits the whole family by taking us out of the constant mommy/daddy roles and focusing on our commitment as partners.

By: John

John — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:09:38 +0000

I love to take time online before taking a trip to come up with a huge list of things I/we could do while on the vacation, such as museums, sites, monuments, etc. I always make sure to mark when certain places have discount or free days. Knowing full well that I would need several weeks or more to hit everything, I plug this list into my phone and just see where the wind takes me. That way, I can check it on the go, and also not have to worry about carrying around printed copies of anything (or city/transit maps). I love technology sometimes.

As far as unexpected memories? Chicago, Hancock Tower Observatory, 4th of July, 11PM. We had planned to visit the tower at night and just happened to end up there on the Fourth. We had absolutely no idea that we would be able to see fireworks as far as you could imagine. That might be the best however-many-dollars I’ve ever spent.

By: BP

BP — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:57:16 +0000

Great ideas! I would also recommend visiting the local mom-and-pop markets – it’s so much fun to see the different foods available in different parts of the country and the world. It’s great to pick up a loaf of intriguing bread, a bottle of something you’ve never heard of before, or whatever catches your eye, and just enjoy. Especially during good weather, there’s nothing like nibbling on local treats while people watching.

By: cp

cp — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:12:17 +0000

In most circles, it is customary for the house guests to take the hosting family out for a meal, as an immediate thank-you, and to provide a break from making double-sized meals. Usually toward the end of the visit, when the hosts grow tired.

By: Gretchen

Gretchen — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:09:52 +0000

But Apu, they “On our vacation, we simply ate many meals at my cousin’s home, aiding her in preparation and some ingredient buying. “!!!

We do not have spread out families here (no need to sleep over) but amd not a huge fan of spending 100% of my time with the people we are going on vacation with. It’s nice to be able to split into smaller groups.

By: DiscoApu

DiscoApu — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:52:33 +0000

So I assume that you saw nothing wrong with asking your cousins to house and feed you for most of the vacation?