Upside to Choosing a Smaller City for Your Travel
Thursday, March 19th, 2009
Traveling can be expensive no matter where you are going. These tough economic times are not making things any easier. But there is one step you can take that will decrease your budget but still give you the vacation of your dreams - sometimes even more than you could have imagined.
Visit the second city. Instead of going to the top tourist city in the region, choose a smaller city near by. You can usually find the same culture and even some of the same events without the high costs of visiting the main cities.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans - skip the Big Easy next time and visit Mobile, Alabama instead. You get a much more family friendly celebration and the prices are much more reasonable. Mobile is actually the birthplace of Mardi Gras in the United States.
Spring Break in Daytona may be all the rage, but Panama City Beach is closer to most locations and cost less to visit. You get great sand, a great time and the warmth of the Gulf Coast waters. It may be smaller, but Spring Break can be just as wild as the larger version in Daytona.
Gambling in Las Vegas, Nevada - if you are going for the gambling then you might consider something more relaxed and laid back. The casinos in Mississippi were mostly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina but came back with new rules and regulations. You can enjoy the gambling life style of Las Vegas, Nevada at a fraction of the price and with southern hospitality to boot.
There is no reason to miss out on your dream vacation, but you may have to adjust your dreams to fit you budget. Choosing a second city - one that is smaller and not quite the tourist hot spot of the main city in the region (or for the activity) - is one of the best ways to stretch your budget. You may also discover some unexpected surprises along the way.
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