It’s Getting Harder And Harder To Find Budget Travel Locations
A friend of mine is looking to get away for a few days and asked me for some recommendations the other evening.
He was interested in a casual place where he could hang out, have a few drinks with some lively people and not spend a lot of money. In other words, he was looking for a fun and cheap destination.
This used to be a speciality of mine. I long too pride in being able to find these places and have always been quick to share them with others. And by cheap, I mean hotel rooms of less than $100 (okay, way less than $100 but my friend’s primary targets were in the USA, and that’s about as cheap as you can find in this country), food for less than $10 and $5 beers.
But suddenly, I drew a blank. I could hardly think of anywhere that fit that description.
From a drinking standpoint, New Orleans came instantly to mind. I was there a few months ago and had 3-4-1 beers on Bourbon Street as late at 10 o’clock. But hotel rooms in the Big Easy are expensive – $150-225 a night in most cases. And while the food is fantastic, it’s nearly impossible to eat the good stuff for less than 15 bucks.
He mentioned Key West and while I highly encourage a trip to the Conch Republic, it’s the same thing regarding hotels. I just did a quick search for rooms and the Key West Marriott came up first with the word “Deal” posted on its picture. The price for the end of January? $280. That’s a deal!? The least expensive was a place called NYAH for $142.
You see what I’m up against here?
Forget any place here in California. If we have any cheap destinations, they are cheap for a reason.
Vegas you say? I’ve stayed there for as low as $19 a night. But not anymore. The “resort” fees are twice that now; plus, my friend would drive there from L.A., and most hotels are also charging for parking. The best budget spot in Vegas is downtown but despite efforts to make it more “Strip-like,” it’s not The Strip. You’ll be bored after dark and the Happy Hours expire on Fremont Street.
The only places I could think of that are truly cheap are a long way from here. Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia. Those kind of places. In Thailand a couple years ago, I was staying for about $35 a night on Phi Phi island and getting beers for 2 bucks.
Some friends just returned from Vietnam and anxiously reported to me they were getting beers for 25 cents. 25 cents!
Those destinations are not practical for my friend, or for anyone hoping to get away for just a few days from America.
I’ll keep thinking but I can tell you one thing: it’s getting more and more difficult to find a cheap destination to travel to for those of us in North America.
Cheers!
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