By Derek Brown
Summer’s here and you want to get away on a cheap ticket. Flying into alternate airports is a fantastic way for families to save hundreds of dollars on summer airfare. (more…)
Articles for May, 2011
Alternate airports: Gateways to cheap summer fares
Tuesday, May 31st, 2011Discover a natural Hawaii vacation
Thursday, May 26th, 2011
Sunset from the Big Island. Credit: Alaskan Dude.
By Susan Johnston
Few places in the world offer as much variety and unspoiled natural beauty as Hawaii’s Big Island. Here you can snorkel or surf on the beach, take a helicopter tour above active volcanoes, and actually see snow atop Mauna Kea, which houses the world’s largest observatory, all without leaving the island. Here are three Hawaii hotels for your next vacation. (more…)
Life is suite: 2 cheap Playa del Carmen condo hotels
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
Consider a cheap, roomy alternative that's still close to the beach: condo hotels in Playa del Carmen.
By Renee Juszczak
Dreams of heading south-of-the-border to sunny Mexico and tropical seaside resorts don’t have to end in a cramped hotel room or all-inclusive resort. I’m a frequent visitor to Playa del Carmen and really enjoy the options offered by condo-hotel resorts, like Aldea Thai and Pueblito Escondido. A living room, kitchen and multiple bedrooms make it perfect for family or group vacations. Yet, I book the suite just like a normal hotel room. It’s so simple. In addition to all the room, I get to enjoy traditional resort amenities, including restaurants and pools with swim-up bars. (more…)
Gate crashers: 3 cheap California hotels across Disneyland
Thursday, May 19th, 2011
The post-Disneyland fun continues from the rooftop pool at Carousel Inn -- literally across the maingate.
By Valerie Moloney
Whether in a crowded restaurant waiting area or standing in line at the Teacups, we’ve all been witness to a child about to have a meltdown. Cue shrills of frustration in all octaves, and ones you never knew existed. Cue kicking and screaming, and my personal favorite: the throwing of objects, from sippy cups to Dad’s new sunglasses.
The child needs a nap – pronto.
In Disneyland and its sister California Adventure, parents can find relief in knowing that three cheap California hotels are within walking distance of the theme parks. And when we say close, we mean across-the-maingate close on South Harbor Boulevard. Because if you’re going to plan your vacation in the Happiest Place on Earth, you better be prepared for when your little mousketeer isn’t so happy. (more…)
Free travel vouchers: Share your seat for a treat
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011By Derek Brown
Volunteer your seat on an oversold flight for an airline voucher. Credit: Pylon757.
We all know that planes are packed, and the airlines need a little help when they overbook a flight. The solution: Make this summer vacation pay for your next airline ticket with a volunteer bump. The process — which works by volunteering to give up your seat in exchange for a later flight and travel voucher — can be especially fruitful during the busy summer travel season.
Fly above the headlines with airfare under $200
Friday, May 13th, 2011
By Derek Brown
Airplane ticket costs shouldn’t stymie your summer vacation plans. Even with increasing gas prices, you can still score plenty of cheap tickets for less than $200.
These sizzling summer fares stretch from sea to shining sea and each city in between: (more…)
Memorial Day weekend: The wedding conundrum
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
Two wedding invites for May 28? The verdict: Indiana, because it can be done on one tank.
By Valerie Moloney
In the battle for Memorial Day weekend 2011, it was the classic fly-versus-drive scenario: my third cousin’s wedding in Columbus, Ga., or a good friend’s wedding in Hobart, Ind.
I love my cousin, but economics won.
A prized weekend for barbecues, family reunions and all-around vegging, rarely does it coincide with trips down the aisle. I’ve met brides who wanted to be married around the holidays, even on New Year’s Eve, but no one in my circle ever booked the official start to summer.
Between lodging, car rental and flight, the Chicago-to-Columbus itinerary — what would have amounted to a day and a half’s worth of travel — would have cost around $900. And that’s just for me. The hotel would not allow my cousin to block a set of rooms at a discounted rate due to the timing of the event.
I’m happy to pay $50 for a tank of gas and $100 for an Indiana hotel – especially since my husband and two daughters were invited to the Indiana wedding, which will be feted on an apple orchard. (I realize that this makes me look stingy, but tell me that other folks are in the same boat.)
How have gas prices affected your Memorial Day plans?
Related resources
Valerie Moloney is a writer for Orbitz who was born in the Philippines, lived in Morocco and married a native Irishman. She now covers hotels around the world and contributes to the Orbitz and CheapTickets blogs.
Carefree in the Caribbean: Budget Bahamas and Puerto Rico
Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
Enjoy alfresco dining and sweeping views of San Juan Bay at Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel.
By Vince Font
You don’t have to be an experienced world traveler to know that you can get cheap Caribbean vacations for rates that are so startlingly low, they don’t even seem to make mathematical sense. Still, many people see these costs and immediately think “What’s the catch?” As you’ll come to learn, there are no catches. Just deals so incredible they boggle the mind. Here are just two of the coolest cheap hotels and vacation packages you’ll find in the Caribbean. (more…)
National Park vacations: Preserving family fun on a budget
Thursday, May 5th, 2011
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
By Derek Brown
Breathtaking and awe-inspiring family memories don’t have to break the bank. America’s National Park System has a great deal: $80 for an annual pass that’s accepted at all 393 parks and is good for one person or a family of four. It was a deal that I couldn’t pass up when exploring some of the parks in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. Combine that with cheap Utah hotels and it was a steal of a trip. (more…)
A cheap Cancun hotel for less than $100 a night
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
Cancun under a C-note: Gran Melia Cancun treats guests to all-inclusive luxury for under $100 a night.
By Vince Font
A hundred bucks doesn’t go nearly as far as it used to in today’s world, but believe it or not it’s still possible to score cheap Cancun hotels without even hitting the centennial mark for a night’s stay. One such place is the Gran Melia Cancun Beach and Spa Resort, which on first view might give you cause to think you were quoted the wrong price. This place certainly doesn’t look like a cheap hotel – and it’s anything but. (more…)