How much was your last trip & where did you go?

[Meadbh]

+1

We try to spend a couple of weeks in NM every year. We stumbled across this place last week in Albuquerque. Some folks will probably recognize it...

Isn't that the car wash from Breaking Bad? I hear there is a Breaking Bad Tour in ABQ!

 

[REWahoo]

That works out to a bit more than $100 per day. We couldn't travel on that.

It should end up being under $90 per day by the time the four week trip is done. Looks like we'll spend about $800 in each of three categories: fuel, RV park fees, and food/fun.

A the moment we're looking out the window of the RV at a dusting of snow. We were hoping to escape the Texas heat but this is a little cooler than we planned/packed for.

 

[REWahoo]

Isn't that the car wash from Breaking Bad? I hear there is a Breaking Bad Tour in ABQ!

+1

Yes, there is a tour but we just stumbled on this place as we were driving to a restaurant. We also discovered while watching BB that we ate lunch a couple of years ago at the restaurant where Walter 'spiked' the Stevia. Sat at the table next to the scene of the crime!

 

[MichaelB]

It should end up being under $90 per day by the time the four week trip is done. Looks like we'll spend about $800 in each of three categories: fuel, RV park fees, and food/fun.

Not bad at all for such a long trip. The economics of an RV are real.

A the moment we're looking out the window of the RV at a dusting of snow. We were hoping to escape the Texas heat but this is a little cooler than we planned/packed for.

Sounds like your average temp is pretty good.

 

[anethum]

A friend & I biked in France for 3 weeks in May/June this year. Included in that was a few days in Paris and a couple of days on the Channel Islands. 4 nights of our lodging were free. We had very nice dinners in restaurants, but our breakfasts came from boulangeries (bakeries) and most of our lunches were picnic lunches. We spent a fair bit on trains and ferries, because we biked in Normandy, the Channel Islands, Burgundy, and a brief foray into the Alps. We stayed mainly in reasonably-priced hotels (2 star places in the French govt. rating system). We each spent about $2,000 exclusive of airfare. I used miles for my ticket and paid $93 in taxes, plus $100 each way for my 2nd piece of luggage (my folding bike). So about $2,300 total for me, and about $1,000 more for my friend who bought his plane ticket but didn't have any baggage fees.

Last January I spent 10 days in Colombia. My ticket from the east coast cost only $399 roundtrip. I spent about $550 while there. My transportation to colonial towns and national parks north of Bogota was by bus. I used airbnb for my accommodations in Bogota, and hotels elsewhere.

 

[check6]

Over the last ten years we have averaged $400/day for driving trips in Europe not including airfare.

 

[geoluc]

My wife and I spent 4 weeks in Paris this spring.
$2,500 airfare
$5,000 vrbo apartment in the 6th arrond.
$3,500 approx for groceries (we cooked meals often), dining and transportation.
We had our daughter and her husband visit and stay with us for a week. Also had a couple from the UK we met on a cruise come and stay with us for a week.
It was a great trip. We saw parts of Paris that most tourists never see. The metro is amazingly efficient, you can get anywhere in the city in about 25 minutes. We would take one of the metro lines to the outskirts of the city and spend the day walking back to our apartment exploring.
This was the kind of trip where you did not feel relieved to be going back home.

 

[MooreBonds]

Whereas a 7 day overseas trip would be closer to $6-$7K (we prefer not to stay at hostels, snatch stale croissants off of outside cafe tables, or walk 5 miles from the hotel to the site we want to see)

The biggest issue with your goal is that airfare will be a big % of the total outlay. If you have the constitution to stretch out your trip to 14-21 days, the airfare component as a % of the total drops dramatically. So instead of having three separate 7 day trips overseas with each plane ticket running $1,000-$1,500 each ($3,000-$4,500 per person), you suddenly slash that down to just $1,500 per person, "saving" as much as $3,000 per person by combining several trips into one. Also, you don't have the issue of 2 full days spent traveling/adjusting to time zone differences, and having just 5-6 days left to enjoy the trip.

Also, at least one other forum member has discovered that repositioning cruises can possibly be just as cheap (or perhaps even cheaper!) than a plane ticket. So don't forget to possibly add in that as an option, if you live near an East Coast or West Coast port that might have a ship going one-way to Asia/South America/Europe on a repositioning trip at certain times of the year. Those cruises are always very cheap on a $/day basis, because you spend most of the time at sea, but could be an interesting way to add a different adventure if you're up for it.

 

[MooreBonds]

Then seven weeks in New Zealand, where we rented campervan for most of the trip. A few hotel days at the beginning and end of the trip in Christchurch and Auckland. Toured most of the country, camping in the van all along the way. Hiking, mountain biking and a kayaking trip. Most meals were from the grocery store and consumed in the camper sitting in some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Flight was from the US west coast. Around $12,700 for the trip.

My last big blowout trip was 4 weeks in New Zealand (with my gf at the time). We rented a small car and stayed at hostels and a farmstay in different towns, spending 2 nights in each town before moving onto the next. This was in Dec 2006, and all-in with all costs, we averaged $100 per person per day with flight/hostels/food (mostly cooking our own at hostels, but a few meals out), and some great activities (dolphin watching cruise, kayaking Milford Sound, horseback riding, hiking Franz Josef glacier).

And I always say that NZ has the best scenic beauty out of anywhere in the world.

 

[EastWest Gal]

We spent about $15K for our trip to Alaska and Canadian Rockies (tour bus and railroad). Alaska cruise, stayed in top notch hotels, though our hotel in Banff was really uncomfortable--heat wave, no AC in our room, and our tiny windows opened up to the noisy lobby AC unit. The few meals we had on our own we went for cheap--food court at a mall for two dinners in Vancouver, reindeer sausage for lunch from a street vendor in Anchorage. Most of the time we were eating too much anyway. We don't drink much so that cuts the cost considerably, as alcoholic beverages are very expensive in restaurants compared to buying a bottle of wine for home.

 

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

Currently ending a 14 day trip in Ireland, just added up costs, all approx still, but 1900 in flights, 120 Dingle marathon fees, 250 dog, 400 car and train, about 100 per day for mid priced b&b's, 100 per day for food including our mandatory 3pm Guinness stop and wine every night. We'd skip lunch due too big brekkies. Thanks to Meadb for steering us to lovely Kinsale. Our last night tonight will be a bottle of wine on the Kilkee cliffs, bread and cheese. Will enter butter, soda bread and Guiness detox next week. This has been a most wonderful vacation, as they say, priceless!

 

[Meadbh]

Currently ending a 14 day trip in Ireland, just added up costs, all approx still, but 1900 in flights, 120 Dingle marathon fees, 250 dog, 400 car and train, about 100 per day for mid priced b&b's, 100 per day for food including our mandatory 3pm Guinness stop and wine every night. We'd skip lunch due too big brekkies. Thanks to Meadb for steering us to lovely Kinsale. Our last night tonight will be a bottle of wine on the Kilkee cliffs, bread and cheese. Will enter butter, soda bread and Guiness detox next week. This has been a most wonderful vacation, as they say, priceless!

You're welcome! Delighted to hear you've had good craic!

Meadbh

 

[check6]

And I always say that NZ has the best scenic beauty out of anywhere in the world.

Have you been to Austria and Switzerland?

 

[check6]

My wife and I spent 4 weeks in Paris this spring.
$2,500 airfare
$5,000 vrbo apartment in the 6th arrond.
$3,500 approx for groceries (we cooked meals often), dining and transportation.
We had our daughter and her husband visit and stay with us for a week. Also had a couple from the UK we met on a cruise come and stay with us for a week.
It was a great trip. We saw parts of Paris that most tourists never see. The metro is amazingly efficient, you can get anywhere in the city in about 25 minutes. We would take one of the metro lines to the outskirts of the city and spend the day walking back to our apartment exploring.
This was the kind of trip where you did not feel relieved to be going back home.

My wife read this now she wants to go...do you have a link to your VRBO?

 

[MooreBonds]

Have you been to Austria and Switzerland?

When I was 14, as part of a marathon tour around Europe w/ family (i.e. not an ideal experience .

I realize that Austria and Switzerland have amazing views - I guess what I like about NZ a bit more is that you have nearly all possible scenes wrapped up into one country (sometimes even one island), so you can get lush rain forests, impressive mountain views, fjords, tropical beaches, sweeping plains, never-ending pine forests...all combined with (most of the time) very few people.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Sounds like Alaska minus tropical beaches and plus bears and moose and glaciers.


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[seraphim]

Campsite: 0 to $30 bucks a night. Generally four days primitive, one day with electric to top off the batteries.

Cost depends on how far we travel. Diesel averages about $4 a gallon, and we average about 12 miles to the gallon. A month costs us about $800 to $1000 above our normal expenses. Depends on if we take any tours or such. The three month trip to Alaska cost about $12k, but much of that was in fuel. We drove about 10,000 miles. Canada was about $1.56 - $2 per liter.

This year we spent a month in Florida, a month in Michigan, a month in Maine, a month in Alabama and Georgia, plus we bummed around on some short trips. Each trip cost us about $1000 above our normal monthly expenses, as mentioned above. Except for the MI trip. Spent about $5500 on new camera equipment.

We could probably do it cheaper, but I don't like camping in parking lots, and I love to eat out.


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[RetiredAndFree]

My tracking indicates our international treks seem to come in around $3,000 a week, even when I think we're being frugal (ha!). These are real numbers from a recent two week trip to Florida (gateway city), then Peru, two people:

RT airfare between LA and Miami: $608
Four nights hotels in Florida: $525
Car rentals & gas: $275
Florida activities and meals: $500
Peru 10 day tour, including RT airfare between Miami and Lima: $4,073
Peru spending cash & tips: $580
Shuttle to/from airport: $170
Total: $6,797

By comparison, our RV trips run just $700 a week, or $100 a day. That amount covers our RV site, generally a full service RV park, groceries, gas, and activities. Since the majority of our days are spent hiking at zero cost, we are able to enjoy splurge activities as we have time and energy. Recent trips included guided rafting and kayaking trips, a llama trek, live theater and concert tickets, museums galore, and lots of food, beer and wine tasting.

 

[BellBarbara]

Great thread! I love seeing how others travel.

We did 4 weeks in California to Colorado in Feb/March. We paid airfare (to CO and back from Boston), rented a Prius, stayed 5 nites with family, rented a VRBO cottage in the Sonoma wine country for $600 week. Including airfare and dog sitter (350 per week, ugh) we spent 6K.

Last year we did 2 weeks in Italy - Florence, Venice and Rome - paid airfare (1K each), lesser expensive hotels in Venice and Florence, and apt in Rome, took trains - 8K for the 2 weeks including the dreaded $700 for house/dog sitter.

When we do road trips we drive our Prius and budget about 1500 per week (for both of us) includes everything, gas, lodging, food, dog sitter, events, etc. In late October we are doing a roadtrip to New Orleans (from Boston) over to Houston and Dallas to see friends and back. Will budget the 1500 per week.

 

[Meadbh]

My most recent jaunt was a road trip to the Southern Gulf Islands. Two people had a week's vacation for just under $1000, including four ferry trips and a whalewatching excursion. We stayed at a resort where I was able to exchange a week from my fractional ownership at another property, and as we had a full kitchen we brought our own provisions and made all our own meals. Our only restaurant meal was afternoon tea at the Butchart Gardens, which was well worth the cost.

 

[Looking4Ward]

I'll throw one in we decided to do this weekend.

Left Friday afternoon for "Wharton, Texas". Yup, Holiday Inn Express had a deal for 5,000 points a night (I recently bought an additional 15,000 points for $90), so we reserved two nights with the plan being to go down to Matagorda Bay on Saturday and do a little fishing.

We found a really nice mexican restaurant on the Colorado river in Wharton with $6 margaritas and reasonably priced, very large portions of good food. In fact, it was so good we ate there both nights.

Got down to Matagorda Bay late Saturday morning, the LCRA park has free fishing piers so we camped out on one of them and let out a couple of lines. Caught a couple sand trout, nothing big for the day but still enough to excite a nine year old.

Headed back to Wharton for dinner Saturday night, checked out this morning and came back home around 1pm.

Two nights stay: $60 ($30 per night)
Food, drink, tips: $170
Gas: $55

Total: $285

 

[BellBarbara]

Sweet!

 

[ChrisC]

Around $15.5K for 22 days in France and Spain: 5 days in Paris, 7 days on a River Cruise to the French Provence, 3 days in Barcelona, 7 days in Mallorca.

Airfare(CLT to CDG; BCN to CLT): $2475
5 Day Hotel Lodging in Paris (near the Louvre): Marriott Reward Points
Transportation in Paris (Taxi, Uber, Metro and Walking): $100
Meals (Free Breakfasts as Marriott Platinum Member, Dining):$200
Entertainment: (Museum Passes, Food Tour thru St. Germaine): $300
Shopping: ($200)

7 Day River Cruise: $10,000 (including rail and bus transfers, gratuities)
Shopping: ($400)

3 Day Hotel Lodging in Barcelona: $450 (elected not to use my Marriott Reward Points)
Transportation in Barcelona (Taxi, Uber, Metro, Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus):$140
Meals (Free Breakfasts, Dining): $100
Entertainment: (Sagrada Familia): $60
Shopping: ($50)

Airfare from Barcelona to Mallorca, RT: $438
Car Rental: $360
Fuel: $50
7 Day Villa Lodging in Mallorca: Used Marriott DC Points
Meals (Groceries and Dining): $250
Shopping: $250

Transportation from Airport to Home: $44 (Uber)

Had a great time.

 

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

Just FYI carnival cruise just dropped rates down to 120 for 5 days, 210 for 7 days per person....

 

[Derslickmeister]

My tracking indicates our international treks seem to come in around $3,000 a week, even when I think we're being frugal (ha!). These are real numbers from a recent two week trip to Florida (gateway city), then Peru, two people:

RT airfare between LA and Miami: $608
Four nights hotels in Florida: $525
Car rentals & gas: $275
Florida activities and meals: $500
Peru 10 day tour, including RT airfare between Miami and Lima: $4,073
Peru spending cash & tips: $580
Shuttle to/from airport: $170
Total: $6,797

By comparison, our RV trips run just $700 a week, or $100 a day. That amount covers our RV site, generally a full service RV park, groceries, gas, and activities. Since the majority of our days are spent hiking at zero cost, we are able to enjoy splurge activities as we have time and energy. Recent trips included guided rafting and kayaking trips, a llama trek, live theater and concert tickets, museums galore, and lots of food, beer and wine tasting.

How much for the RV? Is that cost included in the per trip cost or is it just ignored?