Travel For Cheap

Who said traveling had to be expensive? My friends and I have always been excited by the idea of experiencing new cultures in the states as well as outside of them. If we can get there without breaking the bank we're down! In fact we just came back from Toronto for Caribana. Before this trip, I thought going out of the country meant spending thousands of dollars. Well, not necessarily. Between travel and rooming expenses it only cost me $228 for a 5 day, 4 night stay in Yorkville,Toronto!


For anyone in the North Eastern Region of the US, this is a trip that can be fairly inexpensive. Every time I told some one that that was where I was going, they asked why. I thought Caribana was a well know event. Surprisingly not. Anywho, it was an Amazing time. Nice to finally see an event where thousands of my fellow men and women of African descent (African American, Caribbean, as well as some European) could congregate without the ending result being violence or fatality. Overall it was an awesome experience. Good people, good food, good music, and good vibes, all for a great price!

If your considering participating in Carribana 2015 or would just like a fun and inexpensive Trip to Canada (or anywhere else for that matter) here are some tips that you can follow to score a great deal like we did.

Transportation

We took Megabus instead of flying. I discovered Megabus shortly after its 2006 establishment. At that time it was the cheapest and easiest way to get back and forth between Phila and NYC. Since then the service area has spread significantly. Not only can you get to Toronto, but if traveling from NYC you can go to Boston, Atlanta, or even Chicago. Generally Bolt Bus and Greyhound prices are just as reasonable; however they may not service as many locations. It just becomes more of a matter of personal preference. But back to our trip, yes, it was an 11 almost 12 hour ride, but that was a sacrifice we were willing to take for a $200 savings. We only paid $56 round trip from Philadelphia! Keep in mind we purchased our tickets a few months in advance. We saw the price triple within the matter of a month. So make sure to buy you bus ticket early!

The transportation system is pretty efficient in Tornoto. We all agreed that the city had a feel similar to DC. The trains and buses ran fairly frequent; to the point that there was no need for a rental car. And of course there is always the option of taking a cab. Generally we were in areas where they flocked, so it was not too difficult to track them down. I would advise that travelers in any foreign city/state/country try to become as familiar as possible with the area in which they are traveling, because cab drivers are known to try to take the long way, to hike up your fare.

Hotel

As for hotel stay, we stayed at the beautiful Park Hyatt in Yorkville, Toronto. We managed to get a great deal. For roughly $130 a night/per room we enjoyed luxury accommodations, consistent with Hyatt Quality and expectations in the US. When we travel we often take advantage of a site called Corporateperks.com (available only this corporate employers). If you do not have a way to gain access to that particular site, some other options are Travelzoo.com and Jettsetters.com. I highly recommend Travelzoo. They offer unbelievable deals, with few hidden fees. Jettsetters is great if you are looking for a fancy experience for a discount, however many of the deals will still seem a little steep because the hotels on the site are generally 5 star.

Food

I always wanted to try Rachel Ray’s $40 a day. I impressed myself when I was able to do so all but 1 out of 5 days of our stay. Yelp and the Urban Spoon apps are my best friends when traveling. Here you’ll find honest customer opinions and price indicators for some of the most popular hot spots wherever you are. While in Canada my favorite restaurant was Spice Route, a plated all you can eat Asian inspired experience, offering a romantic and intimate ambiance.

My 3 final tips for traveling for cheap are:

1) Think outside of the box- There is fun to be had everywhere. Toronto may have seemed random to many, but it was a great time for everyone who went.

2)Be willing to compromise-Be it plane, train, car or bus, there is more than on way to get around. If it will save you money, and won’t cause you to go crazy, consider cheaper ways of traveling. It might make for great memories.

3) Plan ahead! - If you buy plane/bus tickets and reserve hotel rooms early you can save literally hundreds of dollars. Also if you get an idea of what you plan to do in advance you can also keep an eye out for special deals through sites like Groupon.com and LivingSocial.com.

Well until our next cheap trip! In the meantime, I hope you’re planning yours!