[trip style = budget]
Some people are really good at planning in advance, and others, not so much. I fall somewhere in the middle, though my friends would probably say I'm a planner. This post is for the late-blooming, or aspiring travel planners who want to go away this summer, but haven't gotten around to planning anything!
One of this month's 3-part features is Summer Vacation Ideas. Today we're looking at Trip Style = Budget ideas, next week we'll explore Trip Style = Luxury Summer Escapes, and the following week Trip Style = Weekending to extend your business or personal/family-related trip. Enjoy!
Budget Summer Vacation Ideas trip style = camping By now, serious campers have already reserved the A+ spots at campgrounds for a weekend or two in the 8-10 weeks we have the pleasure of calling summer {in many parts of North America and Europe}. The good news is, the first-come-first-serve or B+ spots are still available for online reservation! If you absolutely cannot handle putting up a tent, why not try a yurt? Some beautiful places to camp near Vancouver are Tofino {Bella Pacifica} and Washington {Deception Pass}. Cost: from $250 for a weekend, including camping fee, food and gas.
trip style = wine touring How could you not want to immerse yourself in cascading rows of fresh grapes and sip wine in an air conditioned tasting room? Venturing to the vines in summer is toasty but tastes so good. There are a multitude of wineries one could do as a day trip around Vancouver or Seattle, or a weekend trip to BC's Okanagan Valley, Washington's Walla Walla Valley, Oregon's Willamette Valley or California's Napa. Cost: from $50 for a day trip to $1000 for a 3-night tour including hotel, food, gas and tastings.
trip style = road trip Ahhh the summer road trip. So many memories---some I'd like to remember and others I'd like to forget {like the year we traveled sans air conditioning.} Nowadays cars have built-in DVDs, satellite radio, dual-zone a/c, cup holders and other doodads to ensure a peaceful journey. So take advantage of summer 2011, and hit the road Jack to uncover off-beat destinations {like the Old Country Market with goats on the roof---no joke---on Vancouver Island} you might miss when flying in and out of major cities. Cost: from $350 for a weekend including hotel, food and gas.
trip style = {desert} sun The desert is overwhelmingly hot in the summer, but if you like heat, frequent dips in the pool and misters, the prices are low! The winter escape artists have left, leaving hotel and vacation rental availability that would be harder to get or cost-prohibitive in the high season. Case in point, the Colony in Palm Springs is on Jetsetter {travel flash sale website} this week for $115/night. Cost: from $1100 for flight, 3-night hotel, food rental car and gas.
*Where applicable, all cost estimations based on two people and $100/night hotels, modest car rentals and mid-range restaurants.
PS - Aside from our regularly scheduled content, don't miss next month's feature: Off The Beaten Path Escapes!
[images by @heatherlovesit and @tripstyler]