Summer Travel: The $1,500 vacation challenge
Help me out, here. I get to go on vacation. I’m very excited. Last night my fiancée John gave me the challenge of trying to find us a 5-day getaway for the end of July. “That includes flights, hotel and food – not just the plane fares,” he dared. Over the next few weeks I’ll try to put together vacations that fit under this criteria, and I’m welcoming your ideas, too. I love a challenge.
Where’d you go for your last 5 day trip? Let me know what short-hop budget trips have been the most memorable for you.
Here are some of our first thoughts about a quick trip before we stamped it with the $1,500 price tag.
Chicago-Milwaukee baseball trip: These are two of my favorite towns. We would have a lot of fun on a trip like this. Caveat: I worry that we’d be running around too much and John wouldn’t get to relax after a long summer of hard work. We would definitely return needing a vacation from the vacation.
Hawaii: John mentioned this briefly last night. Beaches relax him, but we both know that the price tag could soar above $1,500. Still, we could use our miles or a two-for-one coupon with Delta to cut flight costs.
Alaska: Neither of us have been and would love to go. But four nights doesn’t seem like enough time. And there’s no way I could cut a flightseeing tour off the itinerary just because of the budget. I’d rather eat sandwiches every meal.
Vancouver: Gorgeous city we’d like to explore more. Would it be relaxing enough?
It’s going to be fun planning a real trip, seeing if we can stay within the guidelines.
10 Comments on “Summer Travel: The $1,500 vacation challenge”
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June 13th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Can you give us a little more information about your interests?
I know Vancouver and would recommend it highly to anyone interested in food and city hiking. The city has a beautiful setting, several amazing parks, and some of the best restaurants and food markets in the world. There are fascinating Chinese-Canadian and Chinese-Indian neighborhoods to explore. If you have a car, there are nearby opportunities for outdoor adventure as well.
If you do go, heed a word of warning: Vancouver has a serious problem with homelessness and drug addiction. There are several pockets of what can only be described as urban blight right next to tourist neighborhoods downtown. Talk to your hotel concierge when planning a walk so that you avoid these neighborhoods. Don’t let this warning frighten you from visiting what is otherwise a lovely, exciting city.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Thanks, Kaleberg.
Sure. lets see, our interests. For starters, I’m just happy being somewhere else and John will be happy not working but we will still need internet access.
John: Happiest by the ocean or any good view off a balcony. Likes draft beer, and exploring surroundings at comfortable pace. Enjoys good local food. Not a shopper, likes sports but doesn’t have to play them every day. Can NOT do a two star hotel.
Jen: Likes to wander rather than be guided. Enjoys discovering good local food, hanging out in cafes, would rather stay in once place than hop hotels, in short period. Prefers outside spaces to inside spaces. Wants at least one wow factor. Wants to be close to the action but not right in it.
Does that help?
Jen Leo,
Los Angeles Times Travel Deal Detective
June 13th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Take a look at a Maine windjammer cruise. For less than $1,000 per person you’ll have accommodation and all meals. Info at http://www.sailmainecoast.com/
June 13th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
SInce you are limiting yourself to basically $300/day, you might think about vacationing in California to avoid the cost of airfare. Three choices under $1500, all three of which my husband and I have done and enjoyed immensely:
First, a scenic drive up the coast in a rented convertible - always a classic, reasonably priced vacation. (Hearst Castle, seal colonies, motels/hotels with ocean views, and beaches!)
Second, drive down to San Diego for 5 nights (or stay a few nights in one of the other coastal cities, say Laguna Beach, and a few nights in San Diego). This is a little pricier due to the fancier hotels and restaurants.
Third, a drive up to the wineries in Shenandoah Valley, in Amador County - Gold Rush country. The experience is leisurely and reminds me of what wine tasting in Napa used to be like 20- 30 years ago. (The owners personally pour the wines a lot of times and they are very happy to talk about their excellent product!) Besides the wine tasting, other activities include tours of actual gold mines and window-shopping at tons of antique stores in the little towns dotting the landscape. (Landscape - people who’ve been to both places say the landscape reminds them a lot of the rolling hills of Tuscany.) There are lots of picturesque B&Bs that serve gourmet breakfasts with reasonably priced, charming rooms.
If it sounds as though I really like the third choice, it’s because I’ve loved all of my visits there, and I have already planned my next trip there in early July!
Good luck with your vacation!
June 14th, 2007 at 7:08 am
We snagged a all inclusive hotel (El Cid Castilla, 3 star) and non-stop flight on Delta with airport transfers to Mazatalan for under $2000 for 2 adults and one toddler. Booked through American Express travel. I used around 140000 points and wound up only speniing $600. This if for 6 days/5 nights, and I’ll bet if you go through their website you can score an even better deal.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:17 am
One of my favorite places is Humboldt county. Take a cheap shuttle flight from LA to oakland, then rent a car and drive about five hours further north (being sure to take the 40-mile avenue of the Giants scenic part of the 101 when the chance comes - convertible is ideal here, but can break the bank) . Make the B&B in Trinidad ( http://www.trinidadbaybnb.com/ ) your home base for the trip. Go for drives and then walks anywhere to the north (for great national parks) or to the south for microbrews and small town or small college-town funk in Eureka or Arcata. Lost coast brewery is one of my favorites, as is the Arcata farmer’s market on the town square. Other good places to eat: the Larrupin, the place on moonstone beach (forgot name), the joint on the Trinidad pier (forgot name) , samoa cook house, los bagles …
You could really only get the room, rental car, and flights for the $1500/5 days constraint. It’d be fun though.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Jen: Lots of great suggestions here. Should we create a poll and let readers vote on where you should go … so you don’t have to make the tough decision yourself?
I heartily second the Larrupin Cafe and Trinidad in general as the epitome of what’s cool about far northern California.
~ Andrew, Sr. Editor/Producer, travel.latimes.com
June 14th, 2007 at 10:05 am
These are great suggestions. Let me also add some itineraries broken down by price and then we can do a poll. John thinks we need to book this trip sooner rather than later, but I still need to price some packages together.
Keep the ideas coming everybody and I’ll price out some packages. Maybe you could take one of these trips, too!
Jen Leo,
Los Angeles Times Travel Deal Detective
June 14th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Have you looked at all-inclusive resorts, particularly in Mexico? You can find deals that include airfare, meals, taxes and tips in the price. Just for fun, I looked at Puerto Vallarta and I found a package that totalled $1350 for 5 nights.
March 17th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Carla: where would i look to find the mexico package?