Planning a budget-friendly vacation? These tips will help you get there.Planning their annual family vacation is something DawnDenise and Douglas Capers III of White Lake, Michigan Lake, Michigan may refer to a few places in the U.S. state of Michigan:
Orlando - a city in central Florida; site of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida The city of Orlando is a major city in central Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida. According to the 2000 census, the city population was 185,951. A 2006 U.S. , for the holidays. For more family fun at Disney, log on to www.blackenterprise.com/disneyblog. Although they did not purchase a travel package, their travel agent managed to save them $700 by booking their airline reservations in advance and traveling on Christmas day. The Capers also saved tremendously on their hotel accommodations by using their business reward points at a top hotel. They ended up paying a mere $159 for a six-night stay in a suite. The Capers spent close to $3,500, which included airfare air·fare n. Fare for travel by aircraft. Noun 1. airfare - the fare charged for traveling by airplane fare, transportation - the sum charged for riding in a public conveyance , three-daypasses to all the Disney parks, a minivan rental, food, lodging, and souvenirs. "We saved where we could. There was nothing to complain about. Overall, it was a great trip, even though we went there during a peak time," DawnDenise says. Planning a vacation can be expensive, especially when you are talking about a whole family. But with a little time, creativity, and persistence, you can extend your travel buying power Buying Power The money an investor has available to buy securities. In a margin account, the buying power is the total cash held in the brokerage account plus maximum margin available. Also referred to as "Excess Equity. . The key is to start early in order to get the best deals. Before you begin, decide what you want to get out of your vacation. Are you searching for a trip abroad, a cruise, a relaxing all-inclusive family resort vacation in the Caribbean, or a fun-filled excursion excursion /ex·cur·sion/ (eks-kur´zhun) a range of movement regularly repeated in performance of a function, e.g., excursion of the jaws in mastication. at a specialty destination? Whatever you desire, staying within your budget is possible with proper planning and minimal Web-surfing skills. Here are some tips to help you book a budget-friendly vacation: * Extend your travel buying power by purchasing vacation packages at sites such as www.priceline.com. You can save money by booking your airline tickets along with a hotel room or rental car. If flying, airline tickets are cheaper February through May and September through December (except the week before Thanksgiving and two weeks before Christmas). * Instead of trying to pack the family up and fly across the country, consider taking the scenic route--and yes, that means a road trip (www.roadtripamerica.com). Road trips can be fun because you have control of when you can stop and enjoy your surroundings. However, be prepared for your kids to ask you over and over, "Are we there yet?" Pack food, books, music, and games for the road. * Be flexible about when you travel. Plan your vacation for the off-peak season. Peak and off-peak seasons vary depending on where you are going and the time of year. If you want to avoid the crowds and save a few extra bucks, ask the hotel about the best time to travel. * When making hotel reservations (try www.travelweb.com or www.hotel discount.com), be sure to ask for the lowest rate available for corporate, senior, AAA AAA: see American Automobile Association. (Triple A) A common single-cell battery used in a myriad of electronic devices of all variety. Like its double A (AA) cousin, it provides 1.5 volts of DC power. When used in series, the voltage is multiplied. , AARP AARP, a nonprofit, nonpartisan national organization dedicated to "enriching the experience of aging"; membership is open to people age 50 or older. Founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus as American Association of Retired Persons, AARP now has over 30 million , and military members. Hotels are typically more expensive the closer you get to a major attraction. Also, consider staying at a hotel that offers a complimentary breakfast. Talk to the concierge where you are staying. Ask them where to find the deals. * Take advantage of a trip to a national or state park (www.nps.gov or www.reserveamerica.com). Rates are cheaper and there is a lot to do, including visiting beaches and lakes or going swimming, hiking, biking, and horseback riding horseback riding: see equestrianism. . Many of the state parks offer cabins, and camping is even cheaper. * Travel with a protection plan from your travel agent or credit card provider. For a small fee, purchase insurance in case of trip delays, unpredictable weather, medical emergencies, and baggage delay or loss. TOP 10 SPOTS TO VACATION ON A BUDGET Atlanta, GA Dallas-Fort Worth, TX Raleigh-Durham, NC Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL Kansas City Kansas City, two adjacent cities of the same name, one (1990 pop. 149,767), seat of Wyandotte co., NE Kansas (inc. 1859), the other (1990 pop. 435,146), Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties, NW Mo. (inc. 1850). , MO Denver, CO Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , CA Chicago, IL Cleveland, OH Washington, DC SOURCE: HOTWIRE.COM NOTE: THE HOTWIRE TRAVEL VALUE INDEX RANKING IS BASED ON EACH DESTINATION'S SCORE IN THREE CATEGORIES (ON A 100-POINT SCALE): LOW RATES ON AIR, RENTAL CAR AND HOTEL: DISCOUNTS ON AIR, RENTAL CAR AND HOTEL: AND AFFORDABLE ENTERTAINMENT AND OVERALL APPEAL. |
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