If you haven’t done much traveling this year, now is the time to start! With many savings and budgeting options, travel has become more affordable for those looking to receive a little R&R.
To get the adventures rolling, here are some cool and affordable places to explore after the ball drops!
The Florida Keys
Connected by its string of tropical islands, Key West is popular with partiers as well as those who love beautiful beaches and sunsets, art galleries and water sports.
Parrot Key Hotel & Resort offers a great value in a recently revamped destination resort that feels like an old-fashioned beach community, complete with picket fences and porches, but if resorts and hotels in Key West are a bit too pricey for your tastes, consider staying on one of the Keys farther north like Marathon or Islamorada, which tend to be cheaper.
Las Vegas, Nevada
A popular destination year-round, sin city is an ideal spot for warming up in the winter while still enjoying sizzling entertainment at an affordable cost well after the New Year.
While room rates for some of the very best rooms are around $200 a night, if you’re willing to go a little off-Strip, you can find lodging for less than $50 per night.
In addition to all of the shows and gambling opportunities, visitors enjoy everything from a peaceful gondola ride at the Venetian to heart-pounding thrill rides at the Stratosphere.
Bahamas
I love tropical islands which brings me to the Bahamas. Just a hop, skip and a jump from Florida, you can get a hotel stay for as little as $100 a night.
Considering the flights run as little as $300 roundtrip from the east coast and about $500 from the west, it’s easy to put together a fairly affordable trip to the islands and their wonderfully warm surrounding waters where you can indulge in fun activities like swimming, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing and a myriad of other water sports.
Tulum, Mexico
Mexico has long been known as an affordable paradise for escaping the chill of winter, and in Tulum, you’ll find as much, or as little, to do as you like.
While some of the area’s most famous resorts run around $500 a night, there are plenty of more affordable options too, including Freedom Paradise, a more intimate, boutique hotel located on a secluded stretch of white sandy beach. Rooms open up to the sand and the sea and start as low as $79 per person per night in an all-inclusive plan that includes all meals, unlimited domestic beverages, theme shows, activities, tips and more.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix has quite a few free things to do in town, especially if you enjoy hiking and getting in touch with nature. There are plenty of large, pricey resorts with great pools to cool off here, but you can opt for more budget-friendly options for accommodations if you’re looking for an affordable trip. The Desert Botanical Garden and Camelback Mountain are popular local attractions.
Puerto Rico
From a beach that glows in the dark, the pink sands of Isla Verde, outstanding diving and snorkeling to delicious cuisine, salsa dancing the night away and waking up with incredible Puerto Rican coffee, there are many reasons to travel here.
I have yet the chance to travel to Puerto Rico, but it is definitely on my list of places to visit after the New Year. Upon your visit, you’ll also find lots of small independent hotels that are very budget friendly, like the Villa Montana Beach Resort, which is a full-service hideaway on the sea, located just a few miles from the airport with rates that start as low as $130 midweek.
You can’t find a better deal than that!
San Antonio, Texas
This is a favorite place to travel for foodies on a budget because there is so much delicious cuisine here that is very affordable. One drawback to a San Antonio vacation is that the airfare is often a bit pricier than other destinations on this list. The Riverwalk is always popular here, as well as the missions and the Alamo.
I love that San Antonio made the list! I grew up there and just recently moved to Atlanta