Take a break from your internship (or your family) this summer with some mini vacations! If you don’t have a car wherever you are this summer, don’t fret. There are plenty of options for travel without having to spend a fortune or hire your own personal chauffeur. So, visit your friends, get out of your hometown for a bit, take a weekend off to a nearby hotspot. But whatever you do, don’t spend a lot of money….because you don’t have to.
I’m sure you guys all know about this gem. MegaBus is one of the easiest, and cheapest, ways to get from one city to another. They have routes that go virtually anywhere, including the ever popular NYC to the more obscure like Frederick, Pennsylvania. Though ticket price varies, you can travel from your hometown/internship to another state for as little as $50 round trip—and the majority of prices don’t get too much higher than that. With gas prices this summer slowly inching towards $5/gallon (yikes!), this option will save you a lot of money on gas that can be better spent on food or clothes or a hotel if you need one.
If you’re planning your vacation ahead of time and traveling too far for a bus to be practical, plane tickets might be your best bet. Student Universe is dedicated to giving students the cheapest plane tickets possible, so you don’t only have to look through Orbitz or Priceline. Besides plane tickets, offers for hotel deals and activities are also available—you really get the most bang for your buck. Why pay more when you don’t have to?
So we have planes and automobiles…have you considered the train? Many people get from Chicago or other far away places back to ‘Cuse with this lovely invention, and if you haven’t tried it before, now might be the time! It’s not only great travel for Sherlock Holmes, but it can be less confusing than bus transfers and more cost efficient than flying. There are a variety of different options too, like Amtrak.
But if you’re feeling adventurous, have a car and don’t want to spend a fortune on gas…carpool! Since you’re likely not going on a vacation by yourself, pack your car with your friends. You can split the cost of gas—the more people the better!–and you’ll have a lot more fun on your travels knowing you’re not all alone running through an airport or frantically searching for your next bus. Another bonus, you have more control over departure times, and never have to worry about canceled flights, layovers or missed buses.
Where you stay is also an important consideration when you’re traveling if you’re not visiting a friend and able to stay with them. Hotels are pricey, but don’t rule them out completely. There are lots of chains that aren’t completely disgusting and hotels who offer deals for the number of nights you’re there or if you have a larger group. Check out Expedia.com, Priceline, Orbitz and Student Universe to get a variety of options and determine which price is right. You can also check out sites like BNB Finder for deals on stays anywhere in the country—this site also looks into some smaller hotels too. Hostels are also a cheap way to spend a night on your stay…but make sure to thoroughly do your research first so you don’t end up in a horror movie. And don’t stay in a cabin in the woods (have you seen that movie yet…creepy!)…though camping is always fun and reduces hotel costs completely! But bring the bug spray, know where the bathrooms are (of they exist) and never, ever split up. You never know what ax toting murderer could creep up (or don’t listen to me because I’m very paranoid and have seen too many scary movies).
It also helps to plan ahead since summer prices are generally higher than other times of the year. But, first, we gotta get through finals…joy. Good luck on those and planning your trips, and happy almost summer!