After a long semester and the hell that finals put us through, we all need a vacation right about now! Luckily, there’s lots of options of vacations you can take from Victoria (or the Victoria area, most of the cheap flights leave from Vancouver). Whether you want to go an hour away or head to a different continent, there’s an option for you! If you can’t get much time off work, there’s options for weekend trips, or if you are able to, you can cheaply go on a longer adventure. The summer is yours to make the most of, so treat yourself! To make it even easier for you, here are some of the best cheap-ish trips you can take – you’re welcome.
New York City
Stay up and explore the city that never sleeps! Flights are currently surprisingly cheap from Vancouver for $366; it’s a great time to go! Hostels are around $55+ per night, and there are tons of free activities to do! Wander around Times Square, or channel your inner Blair Waldorf wandering the Upper East Side. Visit the Chelsea market or walk in the sun through central park (you can rent a boat and go have a picnic on the water for cheap!). If you’re too broke to go see a broadway show, you can go watch the next Tina Fey or Amy Poehler act in an improv show put on by the Upright Citizens Brigade for $13. Most of the museums also have free admission times every week, so you can get your art fix for free!
Los Angeles
A longer road trip, or a short flight from Vancouver or Victoria for $250 and up. Hostels are relatively cheap too, from $33! Go looking for movie stars, visit the Hollywood sign and the Walk of Fame, people watch, splurge a bit and visit Disneyland or Universal Studios, hit up the beach, or visit the La La Land filming locations and cry all over again – the City of Stars is your oyster!
Leavenworth, Washington
Somehow this town doesn’t seem to be well known, but about four hours from Vancouver and six hours from Victoria, you’ll find a Bavarian-themed town in the middle of Washington State. Camping is reasonably priced and in a great location among the mountains! If you can’t afford to head over to Germany this summer, it’s your next closest thing! It’s definitely at the top of my summer bucket list. Take a picture with the lederhosen-wearing locals at the Beer Wagon, drink some German beer, eat some sauerkraut and weinerschnitzel, visit the German fountain, dress up in costumes and take some old fashioned photos, visit the nutcracker museum. Or enjoy nature on a hike, rock climb, bike ride, or kayak trip. Experience an authentic Bavarian festival at Maifest, May 12-14, or take in some music at the Leavenworth International Accordion Festival, June 16-18, or the Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, throughout July. Watch the Summer Theatre performances June through August, this year the shows are: The Sound of Music, Annie, and Bye Bye Birdie, embrace the bavarian spirit and yodel along with the songs (your friends might abandon you if you attempt this, but YOLO I guess?)
London
Though the rain may remind you of home, once you get there, it’s cheap and easy to get anywhere else in Europe by bus, train, and discount airlines! Samuel Johnson once said “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life,” test out his theory by hopping across the pond for as low as $641 in May leaving from Vancouver! There’s a bunch of cheap and non-sketchy hostels in London and throughout Europe, and so many cheap activities! Take a walk through the many parks, window shop along Oxford Street, check out a museum, or organize your own Harry Potter-themed tour of the city and enjoy the magic!
The Gulf Islands
The New York Times had the Gulf Islands on their list of places to visit for 2016, but they’ve still kept their “hidden gem” status. With all of them easy and cheap to get to from Victoria, it’s an easy weekend trip (though you may want to stay longer)! Hornby and Saltspring are two favourites! They have some of the most gorgeous places to camp in British Columbia. Bring a bike and ride to the beaches, visit one of the many farmers’ markets, relax in a cozy cafe, visit the local breweries, wineries, bakeries, and restaurants, or check out the small art galleries! Head over to one of many parks, see things like lighthouses and climb some trees, or go pick some fruit at an orchard or farm!
Montreal
You can explore the other side of Canada and practice the three words you still remember from French class this summer for $490 or so from Vancouver in June (kind of expensive, but it’s still cheaper than usual). Hostels can be only $20/night, and you can keep activity costs low by walking up Mount Royal, checking out the famous nightlife and taking advantage of the cheap drinks, visiting the Redpath Museum or Musee De Beaux Arts, wandering around the historic old port, visiting a Cabane a Sucre, or going to the Comedy Nest. On s’amuse follement!
Whistler
If you have only a day or two for a getaway, head to Whistler! Camping is cheap if you book far enough in advance, or hostels start at $30/night. Check out the Great Outdoors festival May 19-22nd, the Wanderlust music and yoga festival August 3-6, or Crankworx festival August 11-20th. Go one one of the many hikes in the area, or take a faster route on the downhill mountain bike trails, relax in the Scandinavian baths at the Scandinave Spa, rent a canoe, kayak, pedal boat, or stand up paddle board, or practice some stand up paddleboard yoga, glide through the trees on a Ziptrek TreeTrek tour, or wander the village, count how many accents you can hear, and keep an eye out for celebrities!
Orlando
For around $300 from Vancouver all throughout the summer, go soak up some sun in Florida! You can visit the Disney Springs and Disney Boardwalk if you don’t feel like buying park passes, surround yourself with flowers at the World of Orchids, window shop at the designer shops in the Mall at Millenia, feel like a kid again at the Sky Zone Trampoline Park, take a boat tour through the canals at the Winter Park, or have some Instagram-worthy adventures with a swan-shaped paddle boat at Lake Eola
Seattle
Take a train or drive down to Seattle for a cross-border adventure! Hostels start at $40/night! Embrace your inner basic-ness and take a picture of your cup when you go to the first-ever Starbucks in Pike Place (don’t forget to rub the pig statue for good luck when you pass it!). Visit the Kubota Japanese Garden for free, check out the free museum admission days, visit the Ballard Farmers market or Fremont market on Sundays, watch a GreenStage or Wooden O production of a Shakespeare play for free in the park, take in the views on the Seattle Great Wheel, and take a free boat ride on Sunday at the Center for Wooden Boats – just don’t forget your umbrella!
Honolulu
Though you can enjoy the sunshine at home all summer, trade the Douglas firs for palm trees in Honolulu, for $473 from Vancouver in June. You can make friends from all over the world in a hostel from $35/night. Enjoy nature for cheap by hiking, seeing how many beaches you can visit while you’re there, rent a boogie board or snorkel and flippers and enjoy the water, chase waterfalls along highway 3, or take a free class and learn to do the hula, make leis, play ukulele, do weaving, or watch a show at the Royal Hawaiian Center!
Tofino
A shorter road trip, head up to Tofino for a cheap trip! Camping is cheap and easy, or check into a hostel! Visit the famous Coombs “Goats on the Roof” market on your way there, watch (or try out) some surfing, walk the Long Beach, hike the rainforest trail, or head into the Eagle Aerie Gallery to looks at some gorgeous art on a rainy day!
The Okanagan
An easy drive from Vancouver or Victoria, with amazing views! Penticton is a less busy, beautiful option, and though it’s a bit of a hidden gem there’s still one hostel you can check into for $36 per night if you’re not feeling camping. Head up to wine country and grab a groupon to take the Coconut Express and do a self-guided wine tour in Penticton, or if wine isn’t your style, relax on the shores or take a swim in the Okanagan Lake (watch out for the Ogopogo!)
Portland
If Victoria isn’t hipster enough for you, make your way to Portland! But seriously, hipster or not, it’s a great city! There’s some great restaurants, thrift stores, and outdoor activities nearby! Check out our Portland guide for how to get there, where to stay, what to eat, and what things to see and do while you’re there!
Staycation
Save the hassle of travel and give yourself a staycation! Book a night in a hotel in your city or a trip to the spa if you’re really feeling like a treat! Stay in bed with a good book or Netflix show, head out and see some of the tourist attractions in your own city, go visit a museum, paint some pottery, have a beach day, really do whatever you would do on vacation! Some good touristy things to do in Victoria are feeding the seals at the Oak Bay Marina, going on a free tour of the Legislature, having tea at Murchie’s or the White Heather Tea Room for a cheaper alternative to the Empress, taking a ride on the water taxi, exploring Beacon Hill park, going to the Royal BC Museum, walking around the inner harbour, buying too many cheap second hand books at Russell Books, or making sure you’ll never be able to sleep again by going to one of the Ghost Tours!
Happy summer travels!
Photo credits: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15