Top 10 Last Minute Tricks for a Great Getaway
There is a little something to be said about planning your vacation escape carefully, choosing the right place, the right time, and then going for it. There’s more to just not shy away from after a long, dreadful week. Here are some tricks to make the latter as luxurious as possible.
10. Don’t Accept Last Minute Overpricing
Just because your last minute getaway, by definition, doesn’t mean you can’t put in a little effort to make sure you’re doing something that really energizes you. Whether you book a hotel and fly out of town, or just hop in your car and drive out to see the local attractions and then go back to sleep in your bed, think a little about what you want to do. It doesn’t have to be expensive, and sometimes being a tourist in your own city — staying at a local hotel during the off-season, checking out nearby B & Bs, checking out nearby parks or museums — is just as dependable. and freshen up.
Plus, last-minute travel doesn’t have to be expensive , and technology can help you close the deal. However, any lead time is a good lead time, even if there are a few hours left on Friday before you take a weekend break for it, or if it is 2:00 pm on Wednesday and you are thinking about next call the patient for several days to beat his legs. for sunnier shores.
9. Choose the perfect location for a sudden escape.
Obviously, the first step is to decide where you want to go. This is where money and time come into play, but money may be a little less than you think . If you stick at home , well that’s easy, but be sure to try something in your community that you’ve never done or always wanted to do.
If you want to hit the road, try Roadtrippers , a service we love that shows you everything there is to see on your way from a to b and back. Alongways is another service that does the same, but sends most of this information to your phone while you’re on the go. If you need more, check out our complete travel guide for everything from places to eat on the road to radio stations to listen to while driving.
If you are flying, then the sky and your wallet are the limit. Just make sure you can get there and get back on time, go through the airport security in good condition, and of course have a little fun while you wait for your flight .
8. Get great last minute discounts on transportation.
Now that you have your destination chosen, you need to get there, and ideally you would like to get there with enough money in your pocket to really enjoy your stay. It sounds complicated, but it isn’t. If you are planning to fly, there are many ways to save on air fares. You can stick with the major providers of services in search of air tickets, such as Hipmunk or the Google Privacy Policy Flights (and try these tips Google Flight, to save money ), to use this service as FlightTonight, to find tickets at the last minute, or SkipLagged, to take just one connecting branch to save tons of cash.
Driving is a little different. If you take a car, AutoSlash can help you save on the booking and be sure to skip the rental counter at the airport and if possible go to the nearest place. You can probably skip insurance too , we bet. Better yet, completely abandon the big car rental companies and get the wheels in a completely different way .
Finally, don’t overlook the power of buses and trains. They are more affordable and often much more convenient than flying or driving, and are highly underrated. Sites like Wanderu and BusBud ( which we mentioned earlier ) can save you on bus or train tickets.
7. Find an advantageous place to sleep, even on the same night.
Okay, now it’s mid-Friday and you have a plan, a destination, and a way to get there. Now you need a place to lay your head when you leave town. Services such as HotelTonight , which we have mentioned several times , can bring you a great favor for the hotel room at almost any time when you want to book a room, but especially in the last minute. If you enjoy staying in someone else’s place, you may be able to find a great place on Airbnb (just don’t screw it up ).
Either way, a service like All the Rooms can compare hotels and Airbnb to save you money, even if it’s a last minute trip. Best of all, they are all friendly to last minute travelers, so you don’t have to book months and months in advance to find something comfortable – even luxurious – that will fit into your budget.
Sure, if you’re planning your escape as an overnight stay, you can just sleep at home, but where’s the fun in that?
6. Find out everything you need to know before you leave
Ideally, you know what you want to do when you get to your destination, but that doesn’t mean you know the way or know how to get from place to place. You don’t have to go through the entire list as you sit on the plane, bus, or train en route to a relaxing break, but take the time to check your destination before heading out .
Spend some time on Google Maps and use Google Street View – which is great for that – to get a quick feel for the streets, landmarks, and how easy it is to get from place to place. You can even use Street View to play a video of your route, or simply to help you get from your hotel to a specific destination. Dig around and look for local places to eat, drink and relax. When you find good candidates, search Yelp or Google to see what the locals have to say about them and what to give you. The more you learn along the way – or even before you leave – the better prepared you will be to just get out and have a great time upon arrival.
After all, you won’t have a ton of time to research, and half the fun of a last-minute trip is to walk away and get straight to the fun stuff. How cool would it be to get off the plane and straight to your favorite bar and enjoy a drink knowing that just a few hours ago you worked in slavery at a table? So great.
5. Find something interesting there while traveling
Almost every community, even the smallest, has a lot to do. Look around your destination to find local museums and parks to explore, or if you’re heading to a well-known destination, see if you can squeeze into some of the most popular destinations before returning. If you’re heading to a small town or city where you don’t know where to look for activities, look at your local colleges and universities for free events, plays, games, or festivals. Even Facebook can help you find nearby events when you get there. Be sure to check out Yelp while you’re at it – their weekly Yelp newsletter is usually for people who live in the community, but you can read it too, just pick your city. Local events and festivals are often included.
Likewise, check local blogs – they almost always have posts detailing the most anticipated local events, their cost, hours and everything you need to know, as well as comments from locals telling you if they are worth your precious time.
4. Relax and unwind like a local.
So, you’ve made some placement deals, you’ve arrived safe and sound, and you’ve got a place to sleep. Now try to fit into the life of local residents, and you will find all the best places, eateries and entertainment . Oh, and don’t forget to splurge on breakfast – it will get you out of your accommodation and introduce you to the surrounding area. In general, you will be much better.
This is the fun part – you are on vacation. Maybe just a few hours ago you were at work wondering if you could ever relax again, or maybe you are enjoying a long weekend but need to get back to work on Monday. Let it all go and get rid of the stress, give a shit on a work trip . First, give yourself something relaxing to recharge a bit and take a more active chores later.
3. Make the most of your time
A last-minute vacation comes with the adrenaline rush of getting out of town, making a deal with a place to stay, and all the rush and hassle of taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the day and relaxing (or maybe exciting). ) parameter. Now it’s time to relax a little – we mean to really relax – and not overwhelm yourself.
You might be tempted to try and squeeze in whatever you can or want to do, but pick just a few things and make them top priorities on your calendar. Use an app like TripIt (or one of these travel planning apps ). Even if your last vacation is actually a week ( or better yet, 10 days ), you still don’t want to let the rush out of town. into your schedule – after all, it’s a vacation! The route is good, but doesn’t seem to work.
2. Come back home in one piece
Once it’s time to pack and head home, double check all your reservations, tickets, or whatever you need to make sure you get home in good condition. If you’ve saved tons of money on one-way plane or train tickets, now is the time to repeat the last-minute booking process and make sure you have a way to get home quickly. Vacation is good, but the last thing you want is to be stuck in your dream place with no easy way home or worse, a place to live. Unfortunately, last-minute discounted travel services are often among the most prone to errors, cancellations and other issues , so it’s worth making sure everything is in order before you pack and head home.
1. Do it over and over again (and plan this time)
Once you get home, unpack, remove your cargo and get ready to go back to work. You can get down to business right away, but you don’t have to strain yourself.
You may also feel the post-vacation blues approaching the moment you return to the office or sit down at your desk. It’s not impossible to beat them, but remember that once you get back from one vacation, this is a great time to start planning your next. If you can, don’t settle for the last minute next time, even if you enjoy the adrenaline rush. Take your time, take a few days off from your desk when you need to relieve stress, and then plan your dream trip in case you need to go out of town next time . Thus, you will appreciate the process as well as the trip itself.