A travel gift is almost always useful and appreciated. Here's a buyer's guide for finding the travel gift that best matches your budget, along with links to help you buy the products online and wrap up your shopping list quickly.
One of the most common ways people waste money when traveling is by getting lost. Spending two hours trying to find something you should have found in 20 minutes is both frustrating and money-wasting. Maps.com is among the online vendors with a solid selection covering cities, regions, states, provinces and other specialties. It's a useful yet inexpensive gift, and often less than $20 USD. Hint: Look for a laminated map that will resist moisture and rips.
Guidebook authors would be the first to tell you that they cannot keep current on all the latest food, lodging, and entertainment bargains. But they can tell you about well-established budget haunts, and the methods for getting a good deal in a particular area. Choose wisely, and you'll only need one for each trip. But don't get too dependent on the author's recommendations--venture away from the comfortable and discover your own "finds." As with maps, do your shopping for guidebooks online to find the best deals without burning a lot of gasoline.
The 2009 Entertainment Book is available in about 150 markets across North America and Puerto Rico. If you're going to be spending a few days in a destination, it might pay to order a book for that area. Each contains money-saving coupons (50% off, two-for-one pricing, etc.) on dining, shopping and some travel products. The costs vary but are generally under $30 USD per book. If your gift recipient is spending a week in one city, the savings can add up quickly.
Kijubi.com is a company based in Laguna Beach, Calif. that specializes in arranging outdoor activities. Through Kijubi (formerly CalActive.com), you can arrange a helicopter ride over Bel Air or day charter a yacht. But most budget travelers aren't interested in such luxuries. They'd simply like to find vendors who will arrange a kayaking trip or teach surfing and rock climbing. Check out some outdoor adventures that won't break the budget--most are under $50--and enjoy a memorable day during your budget visit to Southern California.
Navigating an unfamiliar place can be confusing and time-consuming. But GPS-based navigation systems have been priced beyond the range of many budget travelers. That's changing. You can buy a Tomtom Navigation Unit for close to $100 (taxes and shipping not included). If you're willing to take a chance on a refurbished unit, the costs sometimes are still lower.
When you visit a city like New York, you want to control spending. You also don't want to waste your valuable time in ticket lines or miss a major attraction. The New York Pass allows visits to 45 top attractions starting at $69 USD for one day (adult price) and $89 for a two-day pass. There are also passes available for
Philadelphia starting at $47,
Paris starting at €89.00 ($113 USD) for two days and
London starting at £39 ($66) a day. Check the terms in each city, because they vary a bit. But the basic concept is the same in each place: pay once, save on overall admission fees and skip the ticket lines.
Whenever possible, you should avoid big, bulky luggage that must be checked. Carry-on luggage all but eliminates the risk of losing your bags enroute, and shortens your time in busy airports. It also offers mobility, an essential ingredient in hunting down the best lodging and transportation deals. In the current airline market, heavy or oversized bags will add to your airfare. Check out
recommendations for some carry-on luggage that lead to online buying opportunities. As a general rule, you should be able to find a top-quality carry-on bag for under $150 USD.
Cruise lines such as Carnival offer short cruises (3-5 days) at prices starting as low as $250 USD. These are not luxury voyages, and obviously they end rather quickly. But someone who is stressed out at work might find a quick getaway (at a bargain price) very refreshing. It's the kind of gift many people wouldn't think of buying for themselves, but would find very attractive and enjoyable.
The rail pass has the potential to be one of budget travel's greatest purchases. First you must determine an itinerary. Then you can shop for what a series of point-to-point tickets would cost. Many times, it's cheaper to find a rail pass that covers the region you'll be exploring. Imagine the joy you can bring someone by handing them a gift that will take care of most of their ground transportation costs. Since rail passes usually must be purchased before leaving home, your gift now will take the edge off of worries about getting around an unfamiliar place for the first time. With a rail pass, there's also less standing in line and fewer worries about language barriers.
Do you dream of impulsively throwing some clothes in a bag and taking a long weekend to explore some distant city or region? Most of us suppress that impulse out of fear the costs of last-minute travel are too high. But that's not always true. Some companies make it their business to fill those last few seats on the next flight out or snap up a few remaining rooms or car rentals. Site59 allows you to shop by destination for packages that you shape in a step-by-step process. Some trips for two come in well below $1000. It's worth a look.
