As a college student, sometimes you might encounter a weekend where you don’t want to go out or don’t have lots of schoolwork to do and decide to get away. Weekend getaway trips are always a good idea, but it’s essential to have the plan to make the best of your time and money.
When deciding on a getaway trip, the first thing to think about is a destination that’s not too far and not too expensive to get to. Whether it’s taking the train, an Uber, or driving, you want to spend the least possible before getting there. Finding the perfect time to leave is key: you can experience traffic if driving, and train prices fluctuate highly from morning to night. Plus, you don’t want to waste a day of your trip traveling.
Finding a place to stay is the second most important thing to consider. If you’re visiting a friend and staying with them, you don’t have to worry about it, but if not, you have a few options to look into. My go-to, always, is Airbnb. If you can’t find one available, book a hotel. However, for both, you MUST read reviews! They will tell you information that is not advertised and reassure or deny details that you’re looking out for.
Now, Airbnb has a variety of places and types of places to stay in, a variety of prices, and you can communicate with hosts for trip tips, accommodations, or just general questions. By using this platform, I have learned two things, one is that even though that check-in times are after 3:00, sometimes 4:00, you can arrange with the host to leave your luggage in the room if you arrive in the morning, and that way, you can spend the day enjoying your destination. Second, is that when choosing a place to stay, leaving out the option for a private room is not as bad as described. For those who don’t know what a private room entails, it’s having a room, within a house, where you share amenities, but not a bathroom. Yes, it sounds scary at first, but after experiencing this two times, it’s not as bad as it sounds as long as you have your own bathroom. First, most of the time the host isn’t even in the house, they just rent out the extra space to the extra-large house they have. Second, when you’re on a getaway weekend you’re not spending time inside, you’re exploring, so wherever you stay is just to shower and sleep. Finally, if there were to be other people staying in the house simultaneously, the odds of running into them are minimal since they would also be enjoying the destination, staying in their rooms, and having their own bathroom. This may not be everyone’s first choice, but for the prices that they offer, the short time, and the purpose that they serve, I’ve come to realize it’s worth it.
If you’re not an Airbnb fan, don’t find anything within your price range, or don’t want to settle for a private room, a hotel is your honest last option. Now, unlike Airbnb, looking for a hotel last minute is much more expensive than Airbnbs last minute, however, you will have the entirety of the space to yourself. When looking for hotels, it’s best to search through external websites from the hotel directly such as Expedia, Hotels.com, and Trivago since they have better deals. Personally, I haven’t stayed at hotels for my weekend getaways, but I know that hostels are cheaper. These are inexpensive hotels that have rooms for a group of people, but from what I’ve seen, have shared bathrooms. This is best for those who need a place to stay just for a night and leave in the morning.
Once you have a way to get there and where to stay, knowing what the place has to offer and what’s there to do nearby is KEY! There’s nothing worse than getting to a place expecting it to be fun and full of things to do and to be left disappointed. After pinning down where you’re going to stay, this is easier since you can see how far things are from you. Many places have their state or town’s website that highlights things to do, but you can also find more information on Yelp and Trip Advisor. However, these websites are going to provide you with “touristy” things to do which, in my opinion, aren’t as fun as the hidden gems that places have to offer. This is why, although it sounds silly, I like to use TikTok to find things to do in the places I stay. Many times, creators will post where to travel and what to do videos as content that is helpful for everyone. Just search for the name of the place you’re going to visit, and I assure you, you’ll find something.
Last but not least is transportation. If you drove to your destination, you can skip this part, you’re all set for your trip! However, if you used the train or Uber, here’s my advice: find a place with public transportation! Let’s be honest, although efficient, Uber gets expensive as it adds up. Yes, a ride can be $14, but doing that a few times a day, for a few days, can add up to over $100 that you could use to buy some clothes, food, or gifts for your loved ones. Places like Washington, New York, and Chicago have rapid transit systems such as the metro or subway that are way less expensive than Uber or taxis. They have options for purchasing a card whether it’s a few days’ passes, a one-day pass, or a per-trip charge that won’t cost you as much.
Traveling is something that most of us want and wish for, especially when we’re young, but don’t often find the ways or resources to accomplish it. Throughout my past three years in college, I have, little by little, gained experience in ways in which I can make my traveling ideas a reality, these being most of them. Traveling is often seen as a high-end privilege, but with the right mindset and resources, there are alternatives to make anyone’s travel dreams come true.