words Al Woods
Who doesn’t want a bit of luxury occasionally while traveling? Having the feel of luxury doesn’t have to be staying in the best hotels or eating the most expensive food. It’s all about planning and knowing how to search for deals.
Plan What You’re Going to Do Before Your Arrival
Don’t arrive at your destination without a plan. Research different areas you’d like to visit before you leave for your vacation. You can often find things that aren’t considered tourist attractions within the city that will cost a lot less. For example, say you’re traveling to Chicago instead of splurging on a hotel right on the Magnificant Mile, look for one that’s a few blocks away. You’d be surprised how much you can save just by walking a few blocks.
Travel Off-Season
Every destination has a prime time when they are the busiest, and their prices probably reflect that. For example, Everyone flocks to Chicago from April to May and then again in September. It’s easy to plan your vacation when the city isn’t one big tourist trap.
How Are You Going To Get to Your Destination
There are a lot of ways you can get to your destination. You can drive, travel by bus, ride a train, or fly first class; each one of them has advantages and disadvantages. So it’s about weighing costs and what you want to do while traveling.
Flying First Class
The best way to save money traveling first class is to save miles by using your credit card to earn miles or being part of a frequent flyer program. Frequent-flyer programs let you earn miles each time you fly their airline. Once you have so many miles, they reward you with a free flight.
Another way to earn miles is by using a credit card. Many cards reward you with up to 1.5 miles for every dollar spent. Not all credit cards allow this, so make sure if you’re going to go this route to find one that does. The con of traveling first class is if you don’t have miles or aren’t a frequent flier, it can be rather expensive.
Rent A Charter Bus
Renting a charter bus is an excellent option if you want to travel stress-free while still saving money. A charter bus offers stress-free travel, and you won’t have to worry about navigating highways or dealing with bumper-to-bumper traffic. They’re environmentally friendly, which is becoming more critical as people choose to go green. You may wonder how a large bus can be environmentally friendly. This is because charter busses are for large groups using less fuel per person, plus there won’t be as much carbon dioxide released into the air.
Travel By Train
Traveling by train can be a fun and unique experience. You’ll be able to enjoy the sites while not having to worry about traffic. The biggest downside of this type of travel is that it can be expensive and may take longer to arrive at your destination. Otherwise, you’re likely to enjoy the unique experience.
Find Luxury Accommodations While Saving Money
Traveling during the off-peak season and staying outside of town are the first two ways to save cash, but there are also a few other ways as well. If you’re staying in town for a while, you can book a few different places. Choose budget hotels during the week and splurge on the luxurious ones during the weekend.
Before using a travel site, talk directly to the hotel first. You may end up with a better deal, plus typically, if your plans change, you can cancel up to two days in advance. Many chain hotels such as Marriott and Shangri offer loyalty points and other discounts.
Vacation home rentals are also excellent choices. You get all the comfort of home without having to deal with the crowds at a hotel. Many vacation rentals offer luxurious accommodations in almost any city. A lot of times, you can get great deals when you’re staying a few weeks.
Although it’s great to travel at any time, there are still quite a few travel restrictions due to the pandemic. Before booking a trip, make sure the places you want to visit aren’t closed. This is especially true for restaurants and other large events.
Although it takes a lot of planning and maybe even cutting a few corners traveling, you can travel in style without breaking the bank. Many cities offer city packages, and there are always coupons available at the hotel or in the city guide. The best part is knowing after all your hard work. You’ll be able to relax and have a worry-free time while saving money.
