Cheap Ideas for a Late Summer Vacation

While the summer months may seem like they’re flying by for the kids enjoying their annual vacation, the airline and travel industries are seeing things from quite a different perspective. With the amount of domestic airfare purchases down for the third straight year many of the top travel companies are becoming desperate to cash in on the last few weeks of summer and their rates are dropping to all-time lows. Some destinations are so ridiculously inexpensive right now that it would be hard to many consumers to pass on the opportunity, and that is why Coupon Shack is focusing on the hottest discount vacations this week.

Disney World

While many would believe that Mickey Mouse and Pluto would be above any type of recession, Walt Disney World is struggling with attendance numbers as small as 50% of what they saw last year during the month of July. This doesn’t only affect the park itself though, because thousands of local businesses were formed within the community to leech off of Disney’s success. Not only is the airlines, hotels, and local area restaurants desperate for business but the area outlet malls are practically giving their products away in order to get shoppers to make purchases. Southwest Airlines is currently offering seven nights in the Magic Kingdom with hotel and airfare included for $99 per person/per night; which is right around the normal cost of an admission ticket to one of the three parks. To entice the offer even further, if there is three or more in your party they will feed you for the week absolutely free.

Last Minute Travel

Because the travel industry has stalled across the nation, Hotwire reports seeing more opportunities for last minute getaways than ever before. There are so many to choose from, in fact, that discounts of 60% or more is now considered an average savings for vacations all over the United States. If you are booking flight and hotel through Hotwire, also make sure to add a rental vehicle through them as well because they have agreements in place that eliminate all of the common fees that usually accompany the rental contracts.

The Southern Coast

While the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina may finally be past most of New Orleans and the surrounding states, the Gulf oil spill has destroyed tourism in areas where merchants and business owners were already a shoestring away from bankruptcy. Travelocity has recently has so many requests from these desperate vacation destinations that only a fraction of the deals actually make it onto their website. Hotels within the Southern states are making offers that if any oil washes ashore and spoils your beach getaway, they will refund 100% of your money plus give you a free stay in the future to make up it. For those who love coastal communities but not necessarily the ocean itself, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to hundreds of great locations almost completely free.

Cruise Lines

Tourism always has a ripple effect; when any one type of industry begins to struggle (automotive, retail, real estate, etc) they always see less travel during peak seasons. The cruise lines have always been one of the best values in the world for inexpensive getaways, and their all-inclusive itineraries are impossible to beat when it comes to savings. This summer Orbitz has witnessed some of the lowest prices on Caribbean cruises ever and many experts are predicting that by next year these ridiculously low prices will be gone forever. By using the link above, Coupon Shack members can receive an additional 34% off any cruise booked during the month of July, which makes the total price almost too embarrassing to mention.

Rely on Other Consumers

Some of the best lodging available in the United States is privately owned, and there is nothing more appealing than staying somewhere that has all of the comforts of home right at your fingertips. HomeAway specializes in matching up consumers that have properties available for rent on a weekly or seasonal basis, and unlike the larger companies most of these people can not afford to have a vacancy for even a single week during peak travel seasons. Prices right now on HomeAway are ridiculously low because these homeowners have no other choice but to try and recoup as much money as possible from the recession, so it is always a good place to check once you have a final destination in mind.

Staying at Home

a) National Parks

While this may not sound like too much fun at first, you’d be amazed by how many awesome things there are within a few hours of your home that you’ve never even known about in the past. The National Park Service has witnessed a huge surge in visitors this year due to the inexpensive nature of getting outdoors and having fun, and most of their locations are either completely free to enter or a few dollars for the entire family.

b) Amusement Parks

Your local amusement parks aren’t faring anywhere near as well though, so be sure to check your local newspapers, online, and in retail stores for discount promotions that will make them affordable to visit. Many national attractions are currently offering “buy one, get one free” on admission prices, while others are pushing a set discount for everyone attending. Another popular way to save money at amusement parks is to attend later in the afternoon or during rainy days, because the admission prices are slashed even further on top of your discount coupons.

c) Other Area Attractions

The same philosophy can be applied to local pool halls, restaurants, arcades, movie theaters, concert halls, and other area attractions; they are all desperate for your hard earned dollar this summer and they are willing to offer generous discounts to those that show their patronage. Before attending any such establishment, make sure you Google their name online to see what types of specials they have running for that particular week.

Posted by Keith on October 20, 2010     Tags: Travel Savings


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