Frugal-yet-fun vacation ideas: need ideas from vagabonds

[OKLibrarian]

We've got a lot of fulltime travelers here, so I thought you might know of some good places. DH is finishing up the new version of the software that his company sells, which they are launching in mid-may. as those of you in software development know, this time in a project comes with much wailing, gnashing of teeth, and overtime. As soon as the project launches, I am kidnapping him for a one-week, low-stress vacation. After considering some pricier ideas, our frugal gene kicked in and we decided on a road trip. The idea is to rent a car (or just take mine, not sure on that--my car runs fine but also has 125K miles on it), drive about a thousand miles or so from home (northeastern OK), set up camp in a nice b&b or rental and explore the local area and/or strike out from there for day trips to interesting spots on the map. We don't want to do anything too scheduled, but we also want to go somewhere where we can find lots of stuff to do (or sleep in till noon without guilt, for that matter). We're contemplating the southwest (specifically arizona and new mexico), but I'm open to other ideas.

Suggestions?

 

[CoolChange]

I'm definitely not a vagabond yet; but, when I get this kind of urge, I generally head to Mexico. I discovered quite a while back that I can generally vacation more cheaply there than I can in most of the USA (especially since I am usually looking for a warm beach location for my vacation).

Lately, I have been heading to Puerto Vallarta for most vacations. It is fairly cheap to get there and stay there; and, it has mountains rising up out of the ocean. The only real downside for me is the water clarity. (I like to snorkel and dive; but, this is definitely not the best area for that kind of activity.) Puerto Vallarta is a large enough city to have plenty of shopping and clubs if that is your thing; but, you can also find plenty of nearly deserted beaches on both sides of the city as well as trails along the beach and up into the hills on the south side of the the city.

If you have any Spanish, I'm sure that would enhance your experience. Sadly, I've never taken the time to learn much more than please, thank you, and excuse me. But, that has never been much of a problem for me in Mexico (looking for wood to knock on now).

My accommodations have ranged from youth hostels to all inclusive beach resorts. And, my expenses generally range between $25-$80 per day including transportation (flying from the Midwest). My secret is that I don't really care where I spend the week as long as it's warm and beach front; so, I just watch the last minute deals flying out of my home airport from places like www.worryfreevacations.com (which happens to be my current personal favorite; but, there are many others; and, I am not affiliated in any way). Sometimes I just use their cheap air fair and stay at a hostel or local hotel. Other times, I use their package deals which are hard to beat for a cheap, low-stress, one week vacation.

Happy trails to you.

 

[brewer12345]

A couple of years ago, we rented this place: http://www.vrbo.com/37663

Incredible place, designed and built by an artist/architect, and a steal at that price. It is south of Taos. We found the area to be charming and interesting, and very low key. Having a house of your own to retire to (compete with views, kitchen, fireplace, etc.) was great.

 

[Nords]

We don't want to do anything too scheduled, but we also want to go somewhere where we can find lots of stuff to do (or sleep in till noon without guilt, for that matter). We're contemplating the southwest (specifically arizona and new mexico), but I'm open to other ideas.

Spouse and I were in San Antonio last month to see the world's largest mulch fire to carry her luggage to a conference meet REWahoo. Riverwalk is a nice unscheduled place to explore, the Alamo was fascinating (more for the people around it than for the objects) and we had a good time eating Tex-Mex...

 

[crazy connie]

Since you are talking summer that means you can get 4 & 5 star resorts in Phoenix metro at bargain prices! If you want I can check some of the summer rates for you. It seems like 100 to 125 a night gets you a top notch experience and the summer rates on the golf courses are excellent as well. PM me once you have dates if intrested! Also, there are some great day trips out of Phoenix.

 

[REWahoo]

Since you are talking summer...in Phoenix... It seems like 100 to 125 a night ...

Connie, are you talking temperature or price?

 

[crazy connie]

Connie, are you talking temperature or price?

BOTH!!! Hottest temp on record was 122 and that is HOT. Resort rates 250 to 500 a night from 10/1 to 3/31 easy and cut way down when it is 100 plus degrees.

 

[TromboneAl]

Be sure to think carefully about what it is that you like about trips. For me, I know that it's about the food (eating at interesting new restaurants or having fun picnics) and doing something (like surfing) rather than general sightseeing.

I used to think that staying in a nice hotel, and reading or relaxing is an important part of a trip, and it's nice, but you can do that better at home. Once we stayed at a quaint lodge in the mountains, but the lights were too dim for reading (40 watts), there was constant noise from the phone at the front desk, and in the cozy common room with the big fireplace, there was always a TV on!! From then on, we never view the hotel as an important attraction.

 

[loosechickens]

There are certainly lots of places for you to go......actually Mexico sounds nice.....

BUT.....you are talking a WEEK.....and you're talking about DRIVING to somewhere 1,000 miles away? You'll spend the best part of your week driving, fighting traffic, and eating indifferent meals on the road.

If you have only a week, either drive somewhere very close by, or only waste two of your precious days, one there and one back, and fly.

My heart hurts at the very idea of driving two thousand miles in a week, not even counting any "relaxing" time in between the drives.

Of course, we are vagabonds, and in our world, about a hundred miles is the ideal amount to travel in a day. That leaves us time to start out at the crack of nine, stop at various and sundry interesting things, (yard sales, volunteer fire company pancake breakfasts, etc.), stop for lunch, pull off and take a nap, and still get to our destination early enough to take a nice walk before dinner.

Please.....slow these vacation plans down or your "vacation" will feel much like the high powered, stressful time you're taking a vacation to get away from.....

JMHO.....LooseChickens

 

[OKLibrarian]

Wow! lots of good suggestions. In order...

I'm definitely not a vagabond yet; but, when I get this kind of urge, I generally head to Mexico.

Love to, and DH actually speaks tolerable spanish, but he doesn't have a passport. (yeah I know, that's on the to-do list). Next year, quite possibly.

A couple of years ago, we rented this place: http://www.vrbo.com/37663

ooh! Pretty! I was tentatively thinking of a vacation rental, but didn't realize you could get something that big for those rates...could be fun to live in a mansion for a week <G>

Spouse and I were in San Antonio last month

hmm...I've heard good things about san antonio, but never made it that far south on a trip (we seem to always wind up at galveston).

Since you are talking summer that means you can get 4 & 5 star resorts in Phoenix metro at bargain prices!

not sure we want to schlep quite that far...And neither of us are golfers (though I'm actually taking lessons right now--the word for it is abysmal but I hope to improve)

Be sure to think carefully about what it is that you like about trips.

I'm with you, we want a decent place to stay but we may not spend all that much time there. The things we tend to like best are eating and exploring new environs.

BUT.....you are talking a WEEK.....and you're talking about DRIVING to somewhere 1,000 miles away? You'll spend the best part of your week driving, fighting traffic, and eating indifferent meals on the road.


Please.....slow these vacation plans down or your "vacation" will feel much like the high powered, stressful time you're taking a vacation to get away from.....

Point taken. however...

A: a thousand miles is the MAXIMUM we were interested in. the current front-runner is Santa Fe, which is 600 miles and change. we're also pondering Memphis, which is about 400.

B: I kinda said a week for convenience's sake, it's actually 9 days when you add in the weekends on either side.

However, your post and the rest have us talking again about what we actually want out of this week--I'm okay if a little pooped from a big project I just wrapped up, but DH is so darned tired and stressed I just want him to have some time away to recover. I'm almost wondering if we even need to leave town to accomplish that. lots to ponder.

 

[haha]

It's getting on toward summer, but some of the nice resorts in Scottsdale like the Camelback Inn sound like just what you need.

Ha

 

[REWahoo]

hmm...I've heard good things about san antonio, but never made it that far south on a trip (we seem to always wind up at galveston).

That reminds me...as a librarian do you get silly questions from people, like "Which is further south, Galveston or San Antonio?"

 

[pedorrero]

Just read through the thread really quick, but here's my take: the OP is part of a typical (Egad!) still working (and too damned hard, from the tone of it) couple who has only a week off. Tough bill. I second the suggestion that you fly, not drive, and enjoy your sparse days off. "Vagabond", to me, implies a lot more freedom, the only the truly retired (or real bums) can enjoy. Even a FIRE person myself, who can take or leave his relationship (prefer to leave it frequnetly nowadays ) can't travel all the time...but I'm working on it. Been to Mexico 4 times in 2 years. This year: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica. I love the solo-travel, backpacker (e.g. cheap) type of trip. Mexico is great for that. D.R. is claimed to be a bit pricier, but Mexico you can do quite cheaply. But if you are the married-couple, a/c room and so forth, well, it'll cost you a bit more. Heck, enjoy it, but don't you dare call yourself a vagabond! You are insulting those of us sleeping ten to a room sharing it with Euro-trash and U.S. college students.

 

[chinaco]

We recently went to Zion Utah, Bryce canyon, Grand canyon, sedona AZ. It is a nice trip. THe expense really depends on the food and accomodations you choose. If you camp and buy food at a store... the cost will be low. If you stay in motels and eat in restuarants, they will be a higer (obviously).

If oyu intend to stay in motels... make reservations. You will be getting there before peak season... but it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Goonie]

We recently went to Zion Utah, Bryce canyon, Grand canyon, sedona AZ. It is a nice trip. THe expense really depends on the food and accomodations you choose. If you camp and buy food at a store... the cost will be low. If you stay in motels and eat in restuarants, they will be a higer (obviously).

If oyu intend to stay in motels... make reservations. You will be getting there before peak season... but it is better to be safe than sorry.

We did the same last September, plus the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, and Arches (and Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park on our way home to IL). It was absolutely one of the best trips we've done! Took 723 pix along the way! LOVE the Nat'l Parks!!!

And like Nords said, San Antonio is a nice, relaxing place to drop anchor for some R&R, also. We went there a little over a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed meandering around. Stayed at the Menger Hotel and wandered across the street to the Alamo several times. Also wandered the Riverwalk a lot too, it's a great place to "people watch", relax, and enjoy a cool elixir (and eat!). LOTS of great food. Lots of thing to do. Trolley tours of the city, and of the Missions....carriage rides (especially nice in the late evening).

Happy Trails!!!
goonie

 

[OKLibrarian]

That reminds me...as a librarian do you get silly questions from people, like "Which is further south, Galveston or San Antonio?"

*sigh*--I only glanced at the map when making that post, saw houston was a bit north of SA and forgot that Galveston is a bit further down the coast. Blame the geography teachers when I was a kid, they were a bit vague on things south of the Red River. San antonio is further away than galveston, but I admit they're about a wash.

Just read through the thread really quick, but here's my take: the OP is part of a typical (Egad!) still working (and too damned hard, from the tone of it) couple who has only a week off. Tough bill. I second the suggestion that you fly, not drive, and enjoy your sparse days off. "Vagabond", to me, implies a lot more freedom, the only the truly retired (or real bums) can enjoy. Even a FIRE person myself, who can take or leave his relationship (prefer to leave it frequnetly nowadays ) can't travel all the time...but I'm working on it. Been to Mexico 4 times in 2 years. This year: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica. I love the solo-travel, backpacker (e.g. cheap) type of trip. Mexico is great for that. D.R. is claimed to be a bit pricier, but Mexico you can do quite cheaply. But if you are the married-couple, a/c room and so forth, well, it'll cost you a bit more. Heck, enjoy it, but don't you dare call yourself a vagabond! You are insulting those of us sleeping ten to a room sharing it with Euro-trash and U.S. college students.

I am sorry--I guess it's just fond memories of when I was sleeping 10 to a room with euro-trash--I keep telling myself this career thing is just a temporary fundraising stop and I'll be back out there with my backpack while I'm still young enough to tote it!

Back to the point, the current frontrunners are San Antonio (if we go there, we'll probably fly) and Santa fe. However, we may just pull out of the apartment complex, hang a right/left turn onto route 66, and just drive at whatever pace feels right till it's time to turn around and head for home. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[brewer12345]

Santa fe.

FWIW, we found Taos to be a lot more pleasant and relaxed than Santa Fe (which has a bad sprawl problem).

 

[dex]

FWIW, we found Taos to be a lot more pleasant and relaxed than Santa Fe (which has a bad sprawl problem).

Very true - Taos is what Santa Fe was 25 years ago

 

[LeatherneckPA]

DW and I take one week a year together and go somewhere, and we usually do it for under $1000, all inclusive.

We strap the tent and sleeping bags to the back of the motorcycle. We stay in state park campgrounds. We cook most of our own dinners on the grills provided in all state parks. Steak dinners, baked potatoes, fresh corn on the cob for about $5 per serving. Breakfast and lunch are usually grocery store fixings bought the day before. We eat LOTS of local produce. And we tour all kinds of great sites, pretty much for free or cheap.

Just pick an area (Pike's Peak, Yellowstone, Bryce, Canyon Nat'l Parks spring to mind) and get the AAA tour book for that area. More to do than you can possibly cover in 9 days.

 

[kcowan]

If you get to San Antonio, consider swinging through Carlsbad Caverns and Sante Fe. Both are worth the extra drive. And take 2 weeks so you can really enjoy the destinations. One week is best for the all-inclusive air trip to a single destination.

 

[loosechickens]

Well, if you do decide to drive and take off on Rt. 66, and happen to whiz through Albuquerque, make sure to do it at lunchtime, and give yourself a treat.......stop at the Route 66 Malt Shop, 1720 S.W. Central, near Old Town.......

Absolutely one of these vagabonds favorite lunch spots.....happened to think about it because we are in Albuquerque this week, and had lunch there yesterday. It had been almost a year since we'd been able to come through here and I was really ready for my fix.

It's just a little hole in the wall place with a few tables, run by a husband and wife. They make their own homemade root beer, bake their own homemade hamburger buns, and get all their meat from a custom butcher who contracts for it when the calves are born, and they are raised on grass without antibiotics, and no feedlots.

Their blue cheese and green chile hamburger is to die for, followed by a root beer float, and your tummy will sing with contentment.

We eat very little meat, and no factory farm type meat at all, and I look forward all year to being in Albuquerque and being able to eat there. They are great folks! People come from all over the world to that little place, on friends' recommendations.

Have a great time, whatever you do.... LooseChickens

 

[deserat]

OK - San Antonio - you can drive to a small town outside of it called Fredericksburg which is nice - they have ltos of antique stores and is a nice country town. Also, San Antonio is not far from Austin which has 6th street - some great live music and excellent restaurants - of course the River Walk, the Alamo are to be seen in San Antonio - I drove down to north South Padre Island and enjoyed the beach scene for awhile - wasn't too long of a drive. There's a hike west of San Antonio (some mound or rock) that's really neat, too - looks like a mini Ayers Rock.

Santa Fe - haven't been in awhile - pricey as well as Taos - but beautiful nonetheless. Taos has mountains so hiking and/or skiing may be available now. The mexican food in New Mexico is awesom - it isn't Tex-Mex - in fact, my favorite places for Mexican food are NM and AZ.

Enjoy - the area in New Mexico is very pretty and some of the 'hill country' in TX is pretty, too.

Deserat

 

[REWahoo]

There's a hike west of San Antonio (some mound or rock) that's really neat, too - looks like a mini Ayers Rock.

It's Enchanted Rock located a few miles northeast of Fredericksburg.

You will note the rock looks a lot like a petrified mulch pile (ask Nords to verify the accuracy of my statement), but this one isn't in any danger of catching fire. If you do visit, be very careful - it's covered in scorpions and rattlesnakes.

 

[Jeb-NY]

DW and I do a couple of road trips a year. Part of doing a road trip is enjoying the drive. We can go for a week or two and only spend a day or so at the end point. The end point is picked just because we needed to define a place to turn around.

We plot a trip that avoids 4 lane roads as much as possible (usually only to go around large towns that are not part of our plans). Once we have picked the destination we both start lists of things we want to see and do between start point and destination (internet finds lots of things you would never think of doing). Then you lay out all the places on a map and plan a route to go through the most points (remember you have to come back and you can take a completely different route back).

We make no reservations, we stop at things that look interesting (no reservations has got us into trouble a few times so now we try to guess where we will be when we are ready to stop for the day and call ahead mid afternoon). We take a few good audio books along to listen to while traveling. We do trips with the camper as well as in the car using motels. Some times we use motels even when the campers along. Part of the fun of a road trip is not to get to structured. You can always start back early if you are having to much fun to get as far as you planned. Our earlier road trips had some long driving days at the end, we do better now.

Jeb