It’s Not Too Late to Book an Affordable Summer Vacation

A few weeks ago, I realized I had basically forgotten to make summer vacation plans. Sure, we’re visiting family around Labor Day and going to a couple of weddings — and is any vacation really a “vacation” when you have a 2-year-old? Finagling a real trip seemed like a lot of effort, not to mention expensive. I was happy to opt out.

Then, some of my friends went to Spain. Another sent me a plane selfie en route to Ireland with her toddler and her mom. My neighbors went biking in the Dolomites. My feeds were cluttered with the usual photos of pasta and cliffside villas on the Amalfi coast. I started to feel a little sad that the biggest excursion I’d made in the past week involved going to a slightly farther playground than usual.

I know that going to Lisbon or Paris or Lake Como isn’t in the cards for me this summer, and I don’t want to go somewhere just because everyone else is doing it. But I would love a low-key, refreshing getaway that feels luxurious without costing it. Is such a thing even possible at this point? I asked some travel-industry experts what they recommend.

Find a place that people aren’t talking about.

No one wants to think about “goals” for summer travel, but it does help to clarify your vision, says Christian Gibney, who works for the travel-planning company Scenset. Do you want to come back rested and relaxed, or are you looking to drink as many margaritas with as many friends as possible? Do you want to sightsee or just flop? “If you’re trying to replicate what you see on Instagram, then chances are, you’re not going to achieve what you want,” says Gibney. “On the surface, you might check some boxes, but I would guess that you’ll wind up exhausted and dissatisfied.” (Not to mention broke.)

Instead, imagine what you want to do rather than a specific destination. Then you can focus on getting the experience you want without shelling out for top-dollar locations that may not deliver. “Instead of Italy, you can get very similar experiences in places like Bodrum in Turkey, or the southern coast of Spain, or the lesser-visited Greek islands,” says Gibney. (These are known as destination “dupes,” but that doesn’t mean they’re any less great.)

Another tip for this time of year: Think of places where people normally go in the winter, says Henley Vazquez, the CEO of Fora, a travel-advisory service. “For instance, Santa Barbara is a great option for the summer — it’s not crowded and the hotels are amazing.” Same goes for the Caribbean and Mexico. “Mexico in the summer is lovely, and flights are totally affordable,” she says. (Just make sure to buy travel insurance if you’re going someplace where hurricanes might happen.) My personal recommendation: ski towns during the summer. They have lots of cheap lodging and beautiful mountains for hiking.

Finally, if you really want to be next to water, does it need to be an ocean? “People always envision themselves on a beach somewhere, but sometimes a pool is just as good if not better,” says Lisa White, the founder of Westwind Travel. “And is an ocean really worth hundreds of extra dollars a night?”

Join a prepackaged group trip.

Let go of your snobbery about cheesy teen tours and buses full of retirees wielding selfie sticks — group travel can be genuinely fun and is cheaper and easier than making your own plans, says White. “Prepackaged groups have a lot more buying power, so they tend to get much better rates on hotels, activities, and even flights,” she explains. You can find particularly good deals if it’s last minute and the organizer is looking to reach a certain head count. Personally, I’ve been on group volunteering trips, cooking classes, and yoga retreats, and I’ve enjoyed all of them. Sure, there’s always at least one annoying person, but that’s the case everywhere. You don’t have to talk to them, especially if you bring a couple friends of your own.

White likes CIE Tours; for families, there’s Trafalgar. “Its routes are consistent, so it knows what it is selling and you know what you’re getting,” she says. “If you’re willing to follow an itinerary, that’s absolutely the way to go.” Also, no tour guide is going to force you to do the day’s activities if you feel like skipping out to do your own thing.

Book a nearby resort or hotel room just for the day.

Last year, I discovered an app called Resort Pass that gives you day rates at resorts all over the world. Turns out, you don’t have to get a room at the Ritz to reserve a cabana next to its pool for an afternoon (I paid $50 for one in Miami, and they even brought us Champagne). It’s a great way to take a staycation or — in my case — do something luxurious for a few hours before returning to the much cheaper Airbnb where you’re actually staying.

On a similar note, a friend of mine recommends Dayuse, an app that offers discounted rates on hotel rooms for the day (not overnight) if you get stuck on a long layover or just want someplace private and comfortable to unwind. She and her spouse use it for staycations when they want an afternoon away from their kids and laundry-filled apartment.

Skip restaurant reservations.

My cousin — a frequent traveler — uses EatWith, an app that connects you to local people who will host you for dinner or cooking classes. (She both hosts when she’s at home and goes to other people’s houses when she’s vacationing.) “It’s always cheaper and more memorable than a restaurant, and the food is usually just as good,” she says. Plus, you don’t need to book weeks in advance like you do for popular dinner spots.

Try a travel agent.

“There’s this belief that it costs more to book through a professional,” says Vazquez. “People say, ‘I’m not going to get a travel adviser to do this; it’s cheaper to do it myself.’ But actually, our job is to know the best places and the best rates, and it would cost you the same to book it.” Most travel agents take commissions from hotels, so there’s no cost to you. (Of course, some agents do charge fees, so make sure that you’re clear on their payment structure before you work with them.)

Even if your trip seems like small potatoes that an agent wouldn’t bother with, it doesn’t hurt to name your parameters (budget, dates, general vibe) and see what they come back with. “People think, Oh, I just want to do a weekend away, why would I use a travel agent, or why would a travel agent help me? But most travel advisers love working on the little trips too,” says Vazquez. Plus, booking through an agent can get you special perks, like free breakfast and a spa credit. “You get added value and it doesn’t cost you anything, plus you get access to professional expertise,” she adds. “You have a lot to gain and nothing to lose.”

Take advantage of spur-of-the-moment deals.

Taking just a night or two away, even close to home, can be just as refreshing as a full-blown international trip — if not even more so, says White, because you don’t have to deal with tons of packing and transportation. It also allows you to be more spontaneous — maybe you pick the date and rough idea of the location in advance, but only cement your plans a day or two before. “When you do, call a hotel directly,” she says. Sometimes they can offer last-minute rates that you won’t see advertised online, especially if they’ve had late cancellations, which hotels always do. (You can also browse last-minute options on HotelTonight; hotels will typically match whatever offer you find there.)

I’m still not sure if I’ll get it together to book something for this summer. But thinking about the possibilities — and knowing that I have some — makes me feel more relaxed already.

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