Good Weekend Trips
- Go online and research flights and car rental rates. Research at three types of websites. The first type includes websites which check multiple airlines for the best prices. These sites include Mobissimo and Kayak.com. The second type includes traditional booking sites like Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity.com. The third option is to visit the airline's website to find deals. You often can sign up to receive e-mail updates about travel fares in your area.
- Decide where you want to go. If you live in a cold climate, explore going to Florida or San Diego to escape to a warmer climate. If you love history, investigate cities like Charleston, South Carolina, or Colonial Williamsburg. Perhaps you'd like to relax with a glass of wine in Napa, California. Or maybe you'd like to catch a Broadway show in New York City. Talk to your travel companions and decide which destination will help you relax the most.
- Research hotel rates in the area, using the same sites you investigated for your airfare. You can also go to the city's website. In many cities, sections of their sites will list local bed and breakfasts which might suit your tastes more than a hotel room. If you have friends or family in or near the area, give them a call and ask their advice. You also can visit Trip Advisor.com for online reviews of hundreds of destinations.
- Take pictures while you're on your trip. By framing and saving these pictures, you may remember your trip for many years after you return home. The act of taking pictures allows you to slow down for a few moments to take in the new surroundings and enjoy the peace and excitement of being somewhere else.
- Do what you want to do on your weekend away. If you go to New York City and you want to spend a full day seeing Ellis Island instead of going shopping, do it. If you go to Florida and want to lie on the beach instead of going to Disney World, do it. It's your weekend away. Spend it exactly the way you want to. Since time is precious, call the shots yourself.
