In my last posting, I discussed how we can discover our own backyards by being tourists in our immediate city or region and using our home as a base for the traveling. This post takes this to another level: discovering nearby urban centers.
If you live in a large city, you can visit a neighborhing larger city - for example, if you live in New York City, you can easily travel to Philadelphia. For those who live in suburbia, you can use the nearby metropolitan area as your base and if you are in a rural area, you can travel to the nearest metropolitan area.
This is more expensive than being a tourist in your own town or region because in some cases, it will mean an overnight stay somewhere but it does bring a flair of escape that brings excitement! Because this is a bit more involving in planning, it is important to refer back to the Queen of Cheap Travel's 10 tips of cheap travel.
Again, and I will stress it over and over again, if you plan to travel, it is because you can afford it. Credit cards can be used for reservations, etc., but must be paid in full upon returning. Otherwise, that would defeat the purpose. That is Rule #1.
Second, and that is Rule #2, the Internet is your best friend. You can use this great tool to compare prices, locations for accommodations. One of the tip that I have to find affordable accommodations in metropolitan areas is to stay outside the downtown area. Typically, downtowns are the place to be: they are close to attractions, shopping, restaurants, and the likes. Because of their popular location, they can also be expensive. That is Rule #4: No Hiltons allowed!
Staying off the beaten path is a great way to discover the soul of a city. That is because you are more likely to find the accommodation in a neighborhood which means that you will be interacting with locals.
In a future posting, I will take you step by step on how I plan a getaway to an urban center close to my house.
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You Majesty:
You know have a link on my blog in today's post.
Check it out.
And the nice thing about nearby urban centers is you only have to stay one night, in most cases.
We have made 1-2 night getaways to all sorts of cities, large and small, that are within a 2-3 hour drive. The small ones can be fun, too!
Yes! And it gives people who might not have the means to travel to an exotic destination the opportunity to get away for a couple of days - without breaking the bank!
Another helpful tip, and more on that in a future posting, is to use your friends and families as a destination. That also helps cutting down on costs (Rule #1).
Visiting nearby urban centers is loads of fun. From Chicago [where I live], places like Racine, Milwaukee, Madison, St. Louis and Detroit are all within striking distance by car.
Interestingly, the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil came about because its New York author discovered that what he typically spent for dinner in upscale Manhattan restaurants would cover the cost of Super Saver airfares to Savannah and other places along the eastern seaboard.
Yes! By looking at where our money goes, we can definitely expand our horizons - it all goes back to priorities!
I am reading a book: America's Cheapest Family. They prioritize what is important for them and budget accordingly.
More importantly, it's what we get out of it that is important... A trip will create memories that will last a lifetime!
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