Budget Trips Archives - 国产吃瓜黑料 Online /tag/budget-trips/ Live Bravely Thu, 26 Oct 2023 17:41:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/favicon-194x194-1.png Budget Trips Archives - 国产吃瓜黑料 Online /tag/budget-trips/ 32 32 The Ultimate Guide to Dispersed RV Camping /outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/the-ultimate-guide-to-dispersed-rv-camping/ Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:48:09 +0000 /?p=2635171 The Ultimate Guide to Dispersed RV Camping

How to find some of the country鈥檚 best campsites鈥攁nd stay for free

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The Ultimate Guide to Dispersed RV Camping

Scoring a great campsite doesn鈥檛 always require scrambling for an online reservation months in advance. Instead, look to the millions of acres of public land across the U.S. where you can camp outside of designated campgrounds for free. This kind of camping is widely known as dispersed camping (or boondocking for the RV crowd), and it鈥檚 accessible on many Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or United States Forest Service (USFS) lands. If you鈥檝e never stayed overnight outside of a campsite, the idea of foregoing a picnic table, firepit, bathroom, RV hookups, dumpsters, and friendly camp hosts can be intimidating. Plus you need to find where to legally camp. But the rewards are well worth it: not only do you save money, but dispersed sites often offer more privacy amid some of the country鈥檚 most stunning scenery. Curious about where to start? Here鈥檚 everything you need to know to plan an RV boondocking adventure.听

Finding a Dispersed Campsite

Boondocking opens up a whole new world of camping options, but having so many choices can be overwhelming. First, think about your goals and narrow your search. Do you want to be near water or close to a trailhead so you can tag a bucket-list peak? Maybe you want to be close to bike trails or cell service, or at a site with shady trees? And keep in mind that dispersed campsites come in all kinds of flavors, from easy-access pull-outs right off the main road to remote sites deep in the backcountry. Zero in on the area, and then get an idea of what kind of land is around by using a mapping platform, like and its public lands layer.


The BLM and USFS have thousands of dispersed camping spots across the country. If you know which area you鈥檙e going to, start by calling a ranger at the local field office and ask for their advice on great spots to camp. They can also provide current conditions and intel on how rugged the access road is. To find a specific site, search sites like , , , and . On those sites you can often see pictures of the area and read comments about the pros and cons. If you are just in need of a place to sleep for the night before continuing on, look at the satellite view in a mapping app and you鈥檒l be able to see existing pull-outs along USFS roads or BLM land.听

Road Conditions

Dispersed campsites are often accessed via dirt roads. Road conditions can vary greatly, from smooth and passable to downright rugged. Research your destination and consider whether your rig is up to the challenge of getting there, or just be sure to pick areas that are more easily accessed. Calling the local field office to ask about this is always a good idea. Higher-clearance RVs are better for rougher roads, and smaller trailers make it easier to turn around in tighter areas. If you鈥檙e towing a trailer, you can always unhook it and drive ahead in your passenger vehicle to scout the road. Pack traction tire mats in case you encounter sand or mud.

Do your research to find dirt roads your RV and tow vehicle can easily handle. (Photo: Go RVing)

Rules and Regulations

The amount of time you鈥檙e allowed to camp varies by land manager. The BLM, for example, allows camping for up to 14 days in one spot. Be sure to check the rules ahead of time, especially the current fire regulations鈥攕ummer campfire bans are common. It鈥檚 best to camp on existing sites where the ground is already impacted and has clearly been used for camping many times. When you鈥檙e camping or recreating on public land, it鈥檚 important to follow Leave No Trace ethics: respect wildlife and plants, pack out trash, follow regulations, and minimize personal impact. Pick up dog poop, use wag bags, or dig a cat hole if you鈥檙e in a place that allows it.听

Prep for Primitive Camping

No hookups? No big deal, but you do need to be prepared. Running the A/C, fridge, lights, and plugs in an RV is electricity intensive. Air conditioning, microwaves, and electric heaters will drain your battery fast. Consider how much power you need and how long your batteries will last. If you use power sparingly, you should have enough for a few days. It鈥檚 best practice to fully charge your batteries and empty gray/black tanks before heading out. Alternatively, using solar panels is a game changer. If you鈥檙e in a sunny location, you can easily power your water pump and lights and charge your devices stress-free.听

When you’re prepared for being off the grid, you can tap into nature at its best. (Photo: Go RVing)

The other consideration is tank capacity. How big are your freshwater, gray water, and black water tanks? Make sure you know how many days of use you have and bring a portable five-gallon water jug or two鈥攊t鈥檚 always a good idea to have extra drinking water. Bring a foldable table and chairs to set up a comfortable spot to hang out outdoors. A leveling kit is also great to have so you can get your RV just right if you end up at an uneven site.


Don鈥檛 just go on a trip, go on a real vacation. There鈥檚 a real vacation for every occasion and everyone. You can go when you want, where you want, and however you want. Learn more at and follow on Instagram for more inspiration to hit the road.

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How to Inflation-Proof Your Vacations for Years to Come /culture/active-families/how-to-inflation-proof-your-vacations-for-years-to-come/ Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:38:05 +0000 /?p=2635162 How to Inflation-Proof Your Vacations for Years to Come

Get an RV and enjoy savings, flexibility, and the best kind of indoor/outdoor living

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How to Inflation-Proof Your Vacations for Years to Come

Inflation has caused the prices of just about everything to go up, from eggs to lumber to our beloved vacations. Skyrocketing flight and car rental prices mean vacations are often the first thing to get cut from the budget when money gets tight. But it doesn鈥檛 have to be that way. With an RV, vacations are actually easier and more affordable than most people think, and you鈥檒l be protected from the worst of inflation. Here鈥檚 how to save on money this summer鈥攁nd on trips far into the future鈥攚ithout sacrificing fun.

Consider a Budget-Friendly RV

The nice thing about RVs is that they come in so many styles and sizes, and there are great options at every price point. The found that one type鈥攖owable trailers鈥攐ffers the most savings over time. One clear benefit: a travel trailer can turn your SUV or truck into an adventure rig without sacrificing access to your daily driver. No need to transfer car seats or other accessories back and forth. These models also offer the convenience of being able to unhitch your camper and drive to more rugged locations, scout the road ahead, or take a day trip in a more nimble and fuel-efficient vehicle.听

Save on Daily Costs

The truth is that while towable models are the most cost-effective model, RV vacations on the whole than trips that require flights and hotels. The travel site estimates that flights will hit an average of $350 this summer and hotels will average $212 per night. If you鈥檙e traveling with your family, looking for fun activities, and eating most of your meals out, you can see how quickly costs will start to add up. While annual maintenance and insurance should be factored in when considering purchasing a towable trailer, an RV vacation is quite cheap: just gas, campsite fees, and food to prepare at camp. RV campsites can be as cheap as $25 a night, and it鈥檚 free to camp at dispersed sites (often called boondocking) on the country鈥檚 millions of acres of public land.

Avoid the Hassle

In summer, airports are busy and can be especially stressful. With an RV trip, you can avoid all the usual headaches of air travel. No TSA line, no airport parking, no canceled flights or delayed bags, no expensive food, and no wasted time. You can start your vacation the second you shut your front door behind you. Plus, there鈥檚 no need to find someone to watch your dog while you鈥檙e gone, because you can just bring them along with you. Does your kid want to bring their best friend? No problem, pick them up on your way out of town. Throw in bikes, in-line skates, or paddleboards and skip paying for rentals when you arrive at your destination. Remember to double-check the weight capacity of your RV before packing to ensure a safe and fun travel experience.听

When you travel in an RV, you can pack as much gear as you want. (Photo: Go RVing)

Enjoy Travel Flexibility

Staying flexible is key, especially in uncertain economic times. With an RV, you can easily adjust your travel plans to meet your budget鈥攊t鈥檚 simple to head out to nearby locales every weekend if you want. If the budget is tight, look for a state park within an hour or two from home and save on gas. Or set up your rig for a cozy driveway slumber party and create a staycation for free. If you鈥檙e too busy to spend a lot of time on logistics and planning, don鈥檛 stress. and inspiration to help you quickly put together your next trip.

Maximize Savings

Mind your budget by using gas apps, like GasBuddy, to help find the cheapest prices at gas stations along your route. Before you leave home you can plug your route into to make sure your desired plan fits your budget. And it鈥檚 easy to save on campground fees. Search for free or cheap campsites and for more free options. If you have BLM or U.S. Forest Service land near you, call the local field office to get a ranger鈥檚 insight on the best dispersed campsite options and to help determine if you can tow your trailer there. Another option for finding unique places to stay is a membership with . For $99 per year, you can have unlimited overnight camping at any of its 795 participating wineries, 1,722 farms, 576 breweries and distilleries, and 1,329 other locations.


Don鈥檛 just go on a trip, go on a real vacation. There鈥檚 a real vacation for every occasion and everyone. You can go when you want, where you want, and however you want. Learn more at and follow on Instagram for more inspiration to hit the road.

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These 6 Budget Tents Are Low-Cost, Not Low-Performance /outdoor-gear/camping/these-6-budget-tents-are-low-cost-not-low-performance/ Thu, 19 Aug 2021 11:00:41 +0000 /?p=2527145 These 6 Budget Tents Are Low-Cost, Not Low-Performance

The cost of your backpacking tent shouldn鈥檛 keep you awake at night. These double-wall, two-person shelters are all $300 or less, and will put your mind鈥攁nd body鈥攁t ease with their dialed combinations of performance and price.

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These 6 Budget Tents Are Low-Cost, Not Low-Performance

This article was first published by .


How We Tested the Tents

Tents are some of backpacking鈥檚 biggest-ticket items, with听. I set out to find what lower-cost but still high-quality options are available on the market. To be considered for review, the tents had to fit two people and cost $300 or less. At this price point, I was able to test offerings from both major and lesser-known tent manufacturers and keep the focus on affordability. As always, our evaluation occurs in the field, not on paper鈥攆rom听听to Colorado to Florida, we judged the tents based on our experiences and how their specs played out in practice. For example, while a tent may have a high peak height on paper, a pitch with narrow sidewalls and little livable space is less than ideal. On the other hand, a tent with a small footprint can feel larger if it has well-designed storage. In all cases of evaluation, we looked for the sweet spot between performance and price point. We do our best to explain our reasoning in the detailed reviews here.听听鈥擶ill McGough, Tents Category Manager


Lightest: Big Agnes Salt Creek SL2

Overall: 4.8 / 5

(Photo: Courtesy Big Agnes)

Livability:听4.9

The Salt Creek SL2 is the most expensive tent in the test, but it鈥檚 also the lightest. Testers raved about its three doors鈥攖wo on the sides, one on the front. The front door has a sizable听awning that you can pitch using two trekking poles, which our听testers enjoyed on sun-filled days in Utah鈥檚听. The Salt Creek鈥檚 hubbed-pole design creates near-vertical sidewalls and a top-of-class peak height of 44 inches. Its one drawback: a 28-square-foot floor that鈥檚 the smallest of all the tents here. Two occupants on full-size sleeping pads can fit, but it鈥檚 a tight squeeze.

Features:听4.8

Thanks to two large vestibules (10 square feet each) the Salt Creek SL2听doesn鈥檛 lack for storage space, which helps free up room inside. It also has five interior pockets, including a 26-inch by 20-inch shelf halfway up the back wall that can hold items like water bottles, clothes, and other gadgets with limited sagging. 鈥淲ith everything stashed away in the pockets or on the big shelf, my girlfriend and I had no trouble sleeping side by side, and we had plenty of room around our heads and shoulders,鈥� one tester says.

Strength/Durability:听4.8

DAC aluminum poles support a half-mesh, half-20-denier polyester ripstop canopy. The poles, bathtub floor, and tough canopy material gave our testers confidence in the Salt Creek SL2鈥檚 longevity as a whole; however, certain design elements raised concern. 鈥淭he plastic clip-in fly connectors need to be handled carefully so as not to break them way out in the wilderness,鈥� one tester reported after a weekend in Colorado National Monument (none broke during our testing, though). The tent stayed dry during passing showers (thanks to the polyurethane coating on the fly) and handled wind gusts of 20 mph. Ding: The included aluminum stakes are chintzy.

Breathability:听4.5

The Salt Creek SL2 strikes a balance between protection and ventilation with its half-mesh canopy, which puts it in the middle of the pack in terms of听breathability. 鈥淓ven without a breeze,听we only saw minor condensation on the bottom half of the tent,鈥� one tester reported after a few humid听nights in the Florida Everglades.

$300; 3 lbs. 11 oz.


Best Features:听NEMO Aurora 2

Overall: 4.7 / 5

(Photo: Courtesy Nemo)

Livability: 4.7

Not only did the 32-square-foot Aurora 2 tie for longest interior (88 inches) and tallest peak height (44 inches) in the test, but its cross-pole pitch ensures there鈥檚 ample headspace throughout: One 6鈥�2鈥� tester was able to sit anywhere in the tent without hitting his head. Its D-shaped doors are above-average size at 52 inches by 28 inches, and they鈥檙e easy to exit and enter thanks to smooth zipper action.

Features: 4.9

The Aurora 2 offers the most interior storage space of any tent in the testing group. There are five interior pockets鈥攖wo on the ceiling for small items like a light, two on each end that can hold a Nalgene, and one triangular mesh net that spans the entire rear width of the tent, 52 inches across. 鈥淭he storage shelf along the back of the tent is gigantic,鈥� our tester says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like having a dresser drawer in there.鈥� Add in two 9-square-foot vestibules, and you鈥檒l have no trouble finding room to stash your stuff.

Strength/Durability: 4.8

This tent comes in at less than 5 pounds but is armored with 9-inch bathtub floors on all sides that rise to 16 inches at each end鈥攖he highest in the test. Metal eyelets connect the fly to the poles at the corners, which bodes well for the long term, as does pairing its 68-denier, PU-coated polyester floor with the included ground sheet of the same material. The Aurora has one four-section hubbed main pole that鈥檚 reinforced by a small cross pole, which keeps setup easy while still providing a strong pitch. The design withstood 32-mph wind gusts and its 68-denier polyester fly (with a waterproof coating) kept us dry in rain showers on Colorado鈥檚 Grand Mesa.

Breathability: 4.4

The Aurora has a three-quarters mesh design at its head and foot, but its doors are only half mesh. This adds extra protection from strong winds and dust, but it does sacrifice some airflow. 鈥淵ou can peel the fly back at night to see the stars and not worry about wind or dust blowing in the doors,鈥� our tester said after a trip through Colorado鈥檚听. 鈥淏ut we did get condensation some nights along the sides of the tent when the fly was buttoned down.鈥�

$250; 4 lbs. 9 oz.听


Strongest:听ALPS Mountaineering听Helix 2

Overall: 4.6 / 5

(Photo: Courtesy ALPS Mountaineering)

Livability:听4.4

With 31.5 square feet of interior space, the Helix 2 is roomier than average for tents in this class, and our testers were able to sleep without rubbing shoulders or brushing up against the tent walls during the night. However, it also has one of the lowest peak heights in the test at 41.5 inches, sacrificing some space for its low weight and best-in-class packability鈥攁bout the size of a two-liter soda bottle.

Features:听4.3

This tent has one pocket at each corner that鈥檚 big enough to hold a water bottle. It鈥檚 a solid start, and not lacking in practicality, but the internal storage did leave our testers unenthusiastic when comparing its features to other tents in this test.

Strength/Durability:听4.8

The Helix 2 is the only tent in the test to use nylon in its canopy and fly. Those in humid climates should consider that nylon absorbs more water than polyester and is more prone to stretching; however, our testers found the fly鈥檚 silicone/PU coating mitigated sagging even in hot,听. The three-pole design is the result of splitting one of the cross poles into two, cutting weight by eliminating the need for an additional pole. Instead of meeting in the middle, the poles angle out above the door (spreading out the ceiling) and slip directly into aluminum eyelets, reinforcing wind and weather protection. 鈥淲e had 30-mph gusts in the Everglades and there was no flapping of the fly,鈥� our tester says. The 20-denier nylon floor with a silicone/PU coating provides strength without adding a lot of weight. Durability in the details looks good as well thanks to metal eyelets and solid aluminum stakes that refused to bend.

Breathability:听4.7

The Helix 2 has 6.5-inch-high bathtub floors, but otherwise, its canopy is completely made of mesh. Two strut vents on the fly kept the air moving during 80掳F days, and condensation was never an issue.

$250; 4 lbs. 2 oz.听


Best Ventilation:听Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 2

Overall: 4.5 / 5

(Photo: Courtesy Mountain Hardwear)

Livability:听4.4

A long center pole laying across two cross poles makes the Mineral King鈥檚 walls vertical and its interior headspace nearly rectangular, complementing its 43-inch peak height. A higher-than-average 33 square feet of floor space and two听vestibules (9 square feet each) provided plenty of space for two 6鈥� tall men to sleep comfortably without touching the walls or each other. 鈥淚 had plenty of wiggle room on either side of my head and feet when I laid down,鈥� one of them says.

Features:听4.5

The Mineral King has five pockets for storage, two of which are big enough to hold large water bottles. Most notably, it sports the largest doors of the test, a best-in-class 64 inches in width by 29 inches in height. If ease of entry and exit is important to you, we tested nothing better than the Mineral King.

Strength/Durability:听4.4

A 68-denier polyester fly, a tent body that includes 68- and 75-denier poly, bathtub floors, and an included ground tarp made our testers feel equally confident camping in rainy south Florida and on rocky ground in southern Utah. The two pre-bent, hubbed DAC aluminum poles pair with a small cross pole to offer a stable pitch. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 experience any instability, even with gusts of 20 mph,鈥� one tester says. Plastic clip-in fly connectors and hook-stakes that bend easily require you to be cautious at the corners, though.

Breathability:听4.8

The Mineral King has 7-inch-high bathtub听floors but is made of mesh otherwise,听helping it score top-of-class for听ventilation. Two fly vents atop the vestibules kept air moving even when we were hunkered听down on a hot, low-80s听day.

$250; 5 lbs. 13 oz.听


Most Spacious:听Poler 2+ Person Tent

Overall: 4.4 / 5

(Photo: Courtesy Poler)

Livability: 4.9

With two cross poles (most tents have just one) over a center pole, the 2+ Person has the most vertical walls in the test, maximizing the interior space of its broad, 35-square-foot floor plan. Two relatively large doors (26 inches by 54 inches) and huge vestibules (11 square feet each) make this tent a good pick for basecampers,听, or overpackers who need a ton of space.

Features: 4.2

The 2+ Person has one eye-catching feature: two 16-inch-wide plastic porthole windows on the fly that allow you to stargaze without sacrificing weather protection. What seemed gimmicky at first grew on us during a cold, clear night in听听Moab, Utah, as the windows blocked the desert breeze while still allowing us to fall asleep with a view of the stars. However, this tent only has two interior pockets鈥攗nexpectedly low for a shelter this size.

Strength/Durability: 4.3

One eight-point, hubbed aluminum pole supports a large-for-its-class trapezoidal pitch, but its flat top leaves the 2+ Person susceptible to听听heavy rain. 鈥淧assing showers sometimes left small pools of water on the fly,鈥� one tester says. A 75-denier polyester floor showed no sign of wear after several trips on rocky, dry terrain in Colorado鈥檚 Grand Valley and Moab, though the seams located along the floor line鈥攖he 2-Man is the only tent in the test without a bathtub floor鈥攃ould become a weakness over time.

Breathability: 4.2

The majority of the 2+ Person鈥檚 canopy is mesh, but the top of the tent body is covered by polyester. This design helped create a bit of shade during the day, but it also enabled condensation. 鈥淲e had some water drops come from the ceiling,鈥� a tester reported after a 40掳F night in Red Rock State Park,听Arizona.

$250; 6 lbs.听


Best Value:听Kelty Wireless 2

Overall: 4.2 / 5

(Photo: Courtesy Kelty)

Livability:听4.4

If you鈥檙e looking for the most affordable tent that can still perform, the Wireless 2 is a steal at $120. Its 29 square feet of floor space is reasonable enough for two people, although it is necessary to take advantage of the tent鈥檚 20 square feet of vestibule space鈥攕econd-most in the test鈥攖o get all your gear out of the way. 鈥淚f you have anything inside, it starts to feel a bit cramped,鈥� one tester says. A 43-inch peak height helps offset claustrophobia.

Features:听4.0

At over 7 pounds and a packed size equivalent to two watermelons, this tent isn鈥檛 ideal for the backcountry (although it could work in a pinch, especially if split between two packs). The Wireless 2 forgoes interior pockets entirely, so you鈥檒l have to settle for hanging your own gear nets from the provided ceiling loops. The price tag is the main feature here, so don鈥檛 expect anything flashy. 鈥淭here are no bells or whistles,鈥� one tester says, 鈥渂ut if you鈥檙e willing to get creative and don鈥檛 mind using the vestibules, the affordability is alluring.鈥�

Strength/Durability:听4.4

One reason this shelter is so heavy is its resilient materials. A 68-denier polyester fly and three thick fiberglass poles provide a rock-solid pitch once you reach your destination, with pole sleeves at each corner (as opposed to grommets) that pull the tent bottom taut and solidify its stance. 鈥淭he Wireless stood tall against 25-mph gusts and its three-quarters fabric canopy provides good insulation,鈥� our tester said after a breezy night on Oahu, Hawaii鈥檚 windward side. Kelty鈥檚 included aluminum stakes scored top marks as they refused to bend, even when hammered into rocks, but be careful with the plastic fly clips.

Breathability:听4.0

A three-quarter fabric, one-quarter mesh tent body offers additional protection from the elements when you鈥檙e not using the fly, preventing dust or sand from blowing inside. It also provides further insulation in cold temperatures. However, this design also lowers the tent鈥檚 breathability, and the Wireless 2 is susceptible to condensation. 鈥淭he side walls were damp when we woke up, even though it didn鈥檛 rain,鈥� our Hawaii tester says.

$120; 7 lbs. 5 oz.

Scenes from a Mission

It was one of those classic, clear, early spring weekends in听, a time of year when the desert is just perfect鈥攚ildflowers in bloom, blue skies, warm sun. Our hike took us through slot canyons, grassy prairies, and over smooth, exposed slickrock. We climbed atop a canyon wall at sunset, watching the colors of the rock change as the sky darkened and the stars came out. With the sun gone, a sharp chill entered the air. I was sad to miss the stargazing, but with no fires allowed, I felt compelled to retreat to my tent. Upon returning to the Poler 2-man, I was met with a pleasant surprise: I had forgotten about the two portholes on the fly. Protected from the wind and chill, I laid on my back, warm and happy, staring up at the night sky until I fell asleep. 鈥�听Steve Donaldson, tester

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The Best Travel Tuesday Flight Deals /adventure-travel/news-analysis/cyber-monday-travel-tuesday-airfare-deals/ Tue, 03 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/cyber-monday-travel-tuesday-airfare-deals/ The Best Travel Tuesday Flight Deals

Here are the airlines with some of the best fares this Travel Tuesday

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The Best Travel Tuesday Flight Deals

Whether you鈥檙e seeking a warm weather escape or a quick Rockies ski trip, there鈥檚 a deal for you. Here are the airlines with some of the best fares this Cyber Monday.

JetBlue Airlines听

Sale Ends: December 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET or your local time, depending on which comes earlier.听
Travel Dates: December 10 to February 13, holidays excluded

This winter, JetBlue wants to help get you out of New York and other major cities. Scoop up the $109 flight to Phoenix, Arizona, for a weekend of canyoneering and desert exploration; or spend just $79 to get to the prime surf spots, coastal rock climbing, and jungle treks just outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico, which is seeing a major comeback following Hurricane Maria.听


Delta听

Sale Ends: December 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET
Travel Dates: Now through March 5, holidays excluded

The airline's sale page has deals on flights from almost every major airport in the country and is easy to navigate, with routes arranged according to region of departure. All the listed prices are for round-trips and guarantee a seat in the Main Cabin, which means certain perks on international flights, including welcome Bellinis and better food. The best discounts include warm escapes like New York to Costa Rica for $392 and Raleigh to the Virgin Islands for $369. Plus some major far-flung steals, like Salt Lake City to Shanghai for $500 and Seattle to Osaka for $744.


Southwest

Sale Ends: December 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT
Travel Dates: December 16 to May 20, locations out of the continental U.S. vary, holidays excluded

Jot down promo code SAVE125 for $125 off flights within the U.S. and for fares as low as $39. The best deals in the offer will appeal to fliers looking to cover regional hops for a quick escape, with routes like Honolulu to Maui for $39, Atlanta to Nashville for $49, and Oakland to Lake Tahoe for $59. If you鈥檙e based in Florida, there are also good international flight deals from听Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Orlando to Caribbean destinations like Turks and Caicos, Grand Cayman, and the Bahamas听from $79.听


Alaska

Sale Ends: December 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET
Travel Dates: January 7 to March 11

Alaska Airlines鈥� one-way flights can be as cheap as $29 until this Wednesday. The West Coast-focused flight operator听is your best bet to hit popular destinations like San Diego, San Jose and Seattle.


Cathay Pacific

Sale Ends: December 3 at 11:59 p.m. PT听
Travel Dates:听January 1 to May 15

If you鈥檝e longed to fly to Asia听and happen to live around major airports like Seattle-Tacoma, Chicago O鈥橦are, or Dulles International in Washington, D.C., this Hong Kong-based five-star flight operator has your back. Take Los Angeles as an example: economy class tickets to eight destinations across Cathay Pacifics鈥� Asia-Pacific network, including听Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong,听and Singapore, start at $539鈥�30 percent off its regular price. Expect up to 70 percent off on premium economy class tickets.

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Airfare Sales Based on Swells? Yes, Really. /adventure-travel/news-analysis/alaska-airlines-surf-wave-flight-sale/ Tue, 05 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/alaska-airlines-surf-wave-flight-sale/ Airfare Sales Based on Swells? Yes, Really.

Alaska Airlines' latest flight promotion to Hawaii offers cheaper fare for bigger waves.

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Airfare Sales Based on Swells? Yes, Really.

When the swells go up, the fares go down: that鈥檚 the message sent out yesterdayto surfers and beach-lovers seeking discounted flights to Hawaii.

From November 4 to 8, the Seattle-based carrier will partner with global wave听forecastingservice to offer 听based on听ocean swells. The discounts, which will apply towards travel made before November 20 to every direct flight from the U.S. and Canada to and from听the airports of Lihue,听Kona, Maui, or Honolulu,听can go up to as high as 30 percent off鈥攖he bigger the surf, the greater the discount. Even moderate waves of less than 10 feet will mean fares up to 10percent lower.听

Alaska Airlines' Swell Deals
(Courtesy Alaska Airlines)

鈥淭here is a lot of data that we can tap into to reach our travelers鈥� passion points,鈥� said Natalie Bowman, managing director of brand and marketing communications at Alaska Airlines. As the North Shore sees the start of its big-surf season in November, the company is using one of the most authoritative forecasting sites to attract surfers on听the West Coast to fill in Hawaii-bound cabins.

According to Bowman, potential fliers should check fares at around noon PST, and again at 5:00 PM, when Alaska Airlines adjusts the discounts according to the up-to-date reports they get from Surfline, which collects data from 14 different locations that cover most of the Hawaiian islands on a minute-by-minute basis.

Currently, the site has logged a maximum swell of 12.9听feet, which is showing a 15 percent discount鈥攑utting the cheapest round-trip tickets between major cities on the West Coast, like Los Angeles and Seattle, and Honolulu at $260. By comparison, non-stop round-trips between Seattle and Honolulu operated by other carriers currently start at $580. Throughout the promotion, the price will only drop as swells grow, but never increase.

For the past 11 years, Alaska Airlines has ranked at the top of J.D. Power鈥檚 among traditional carriers in North America. This is thanks, in part, to its generous gear-friendly luggage policy, which carries over to this promotion. Surfers can fly with their boards for $30, the standard price for a regular check-in suitcase.听

Bowman says that the wave deal is just a starting point. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 snowfall in the mountains for skiers or snowboarders, or it鈥檚 snowmelt for hikers, weather data is obviously at the core of any outdoor activity,鈥� she says. The upcoming winter season could see another promo organized around snowfall鈥攕o those who prefer their water frozen should stay tuned.听听

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5 Apps to Help You Save for Your Next 国产吃瓜黑料 /adventure-travel/advice/best-savings-apps/ Wed, 23 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/best-savings-apps/ 5 Apps to Help You Save for Your Next 国产吃瓜黑料

A set of apps that help cut down on frivolous purchases, earn cash back on necessities, and track my spending

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5 Apps to Help You Save for Your Next 国产吃瓜黑料

Saving for a trip is often made to sound easy: skip听a latte every week, and before you know it, you鈥檙e halfway to Patagonia. But anyone who鈥檚 tried to squirrel away more than a few bucks here and there knows it takes a lot more discipline to accumulate significant reserves.

That鈥檚 bad news for those of us (read: everyone) who don鈥檛 have time to toil away at Excel spreadsheets, or who get anxiety from just looking at our bank accounts. Luckily听there are tools that do the hard work for you. For the past few years, I鈥檝e used a combination of savings, investment, and budgeting apps to put aside thousands of dollars to pay off my student loans, quit my job to write freelance full time, and fund a life of adventure.

My obsession started when I stumbled upon the Qapital app in late 2016, after emptying all but a few hundred bucks from my bank account to pay off a student loan. The timing couldn鈥檛 have been worse: I鈥檇 recently booked a trip to听Cuba, where you need cash for 别惫别谤测迟丑颈苍驳鈥�I couldn鈥檛 put expenses on a credit card and pay it off with the next paycheck. Qapital, which transfers money into a separate account based on parameters you set, held me accountable toward听spending less than usual on everyday treats, so I鈥檇 have money for on-the-ground purchases. In conjunction with freelancing on the side of my full-time editorial job, closely monitoring my savings goals, and cutting back on splurges, the app helped me put aside more than $10,000 in less than a year.

From then on, I was hooked. I now have a set of apps that helps me cut down on frivolous purchases, earn cash back on necessities, and track my spending.

Qapital

Saving apps
(Courtesy Qapital)

听is the easiest听set-it-and-forget-it savings app I use. It transfers money into an external account based on rules you create yourself, which can be as simple as 鈥渞ound up to the nearest $1鈥� every time you swipe a credit card or as elaborate as putting aside $5 toward a donation to charity whenever you splurge on Starbucks. To make the stakes even higher, sync it up with the app (If This, Then That),听 which uses real-life cause and effect scenarios to deposit a set amount to your Qapital account every time a specific action occurs.听 I use IFTTT to put aside $1 every time President Trump tweets, which has funded more than one taco-infused adventure to Mexico City. It鈥檚 $3 per month for Qapital鈥檚 basic savings model (additional features, like investment and checking account services, cost up to $12), and IFTTT is free.

Trim

Saving apps
(Courtesy Trim)

If you have a cell phone, internet, or cable bill, odds are you鈥檙e overpaying for it due to fine-print exceptions like reimbursements for periodic lapses in service.听 鈥檚 bots renegotiate your bills and monitor your internet provider for outages you might not have been aware of, then request refunds on your behalf. The bots log into your accounts and contact customer-service reps posing as you to lower monthly fees and request discounts and refunds. I regularly save about $5 to $20 per month using Trim on my Comcast internet bill alone, even with the app鈥檚 25 percent commission. Trim will also identify all of your recurring monthly subscriptions, so you can see how $5 here and $15 there adds up over a month or听year. You can ask the app to cancel some of these services on your behalf, saving you time, cutting down on your excess spending, and helping you funnel that money directly into savings for travel.

Service

Saving apps
(Courtesy Service)

trolls your inbox for flight information and automatically requests refunds or mileage points when you experience a significant delay or cancellation. It will also check for compensation from the previous year鈥檚 flights upon sign up, so you can get cash back even before booking another trip. This is especially useful if you鈥檝e taken a flight from the European Union recently. EU regulations that airlines pay customers up to around $660 for delays and cancellations. On a work trip earlier this year, I got stuck in Stockholm for an extra day because of a late flight. Within a couple weeks, Delta sent me a check for $675, which I immediately dropped into my savings. Service takes 30 percent of what they save you, but it’s well worth it.

Drop

Saving apps
(Courtesy Drop)

Most of us earn cash back or miles on credit cards for everyday purchases. works similarly, giving users points for every dollar spent at certain stores (such as Trader Joe鈥檚 or Whole Foods) on top of the normal rewards that you receive from your credit-card company. It鈥檚 basically free money that can be redeemed for gift cards, like $100 at American Airlines or $25 at Whole Foods. Points add up slowly if you only accumulate them from daily spending, so browse Drop鈥檚 special offers for bonus points on purchases like online shopping, trials with Hulu or Barkbox, and promos for a wine subscription. You save more money by not spending it, of course, but if you鈥檙e going to shop anyway, it鈥檚 worth checking for deals before making a big purchase. In a little over a year, I鈥檝e accumulated about $235 in Drop points.

Trail Wallet

Saving apps
(Courtesy Voyage Travel Apps)

Small purchases during a trip add up fast鈥攅specially if you fall into the exchange-rate trap, where everything seems cheap compared with听prices back home. That鈥檚 why I use , which records every dollar you spend for a trip, from the moment you book the first flight or Airbnb to the car ride home from the airport. It allows you to log transactions in any currency and converts them to U.S. dollars, offers day-to-day real-time spending reports, and calculates your daily average as you go. Set a daily or overall budget, appoint caps for standard categories like food and lodging, or pick one of your own choosing (I spend too much on coffee). The free version allows for 25 transactions per trip, but I recommend paying the $5 fee for full access. This app helped me stay $200 under budget on a recent trip to听Japan by putting my small buys into perspective. Skipping a souvenir here and there allowed me guilt-free splurges on more expensive meals and higher-quality gifts toward the end of my trip.

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How to Fund a Vacation with Credit-Card Points /adventure-travel/advice/best-credit-cards-for-travel/ Wed, 09 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/best-credit-cards-for-travel/ How to Fund a Vacation with Credit-Card Points

Navigating the vast field of reward credit cards can be overwhelming, so we鈥檝e found the best options and broken down how you can earn enough to fund your vacations

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How to Fund a Vacation with Credit-Card Points

Rewards credit cards offer a host of benefits for frequent travelers: reimbursement for lost luggage, damage coverage for rental cars, an easy system to dispute fraudulent charges, and, most importantly, points for everyday purchases that can be redeemed for airfare, hotels, and car rentals.听 But they aren鈥檛 one-size-fits-all. Navigating the vast field of plastic can be overwhelming, and something I've spent years doing as a certified financial planner. Here, I've outlined the best options听and broken down how you can earn enough听to fund that weekend trip you鈥檝e been holding off on.听

How to Pick the Right Card

Choosing a card is all about finding one that best matches your spending habits while balancing sign-up bonuses, interest rates (APR), and annual fees. Some cards give you one point back per dollar spent; others offer extra听for eating out, travel, or streaming services. There are also sign-up bonuses that, depending on how much you spend, could almost double your yearly points earnings. Unfortunately, rewards cards have a downside: they typically come with a higher interest rate than regular credit cards. But pay it off in full each month, and you can make up for a higher APR with bigger point boosts听and redemption benefits.听

Based on this criteria, three rewards cards came out on top: the ,听,听and the . To illustrate how much you can earn with each, let鈥檚 map out some monthly expenses an average household of two might put on a credit card, based on my own spending and chats with friends: $400 on groceries, $250 on eating out, $250 in personal products (home improvement, drugstores), $125 on streaming services (Hulu, Netflix, Amazon), and $60 on rideshare services and taxis. This equates to monthly credit card expenses of $1,085 (or $13,020 a year). With this scheme, you would听earn around 13,000 points鈥攐r $130鈥攖hat year, enough for a night at a decent hotel or a couple of days with a rental car, depending on where you go. But combine this with bonus points and extra sign-up perks, and you could cover a whole vacation.听

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Get this if you travel often and eat out a few times a week. It has a high APR and annual fee, but comes with a huge signup bonus for frequent spenders. Plus, you鈥檒l earn a redemption bonus of 25 percent when you use points directly toward travel expenses.听

  • Sign-up bonus: 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 in three months
  • Point accumulation: Double points for every dollar spent on travel (flights, hotels, rental cars) and dining out, and one point on all other purchases
  • Annual Percentage Rate (APR): 16.99 to 26.99 percent
  • Annual fee: $95
  • Foreign transaction fee: $0
  • Rewards: Redeem at and get 25 percent more points when they are reclaimed for airfare, hotel stays, car rental, and cruises.

Your potential one-year earnings: 85,260 points or $852.60.听

Wells Fargo Propel Card

This is great for someone who travels a lot, but also likes听some extras at home, as it issues three points per dollar on purchases on flights, eating out, gas, and streaming services. Plus, there鈥檚 no annual fee, or interest for the first year. However, be sure to keep up with your payments: the APR skyrockets after the first 12 months.

  • Sign-up bonus: 30,000 bonus points if you spend $3,000 in three months
  • Point accumulation: Three points for every dollar spent on travel (flights, hotels, car rentals), transit (gas stations, buses), meals out, and streaming services, and one point on all other purchases
  • Annual Percentage Rate (APR): 0% for the first 12 months of purchases, 15.74 to 27.74 percent thereafter, depending on how much you keep up with your payments
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Foreign transaction fee: $0
  • Rewards: Redeem for travel with most major airline and hotel brands, gift cards for hundreds of stores such as REI and Amazon, or cash back听

Your potential one-year earnings: 77,460 points or $774.60.听

Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa

This is a great first for someone interested in having the freedom to spend their cash back however they鈥檇 like, as it offers direct deposits into your bank account and no annual fee. The sign-up bonus and rewards points aren鈥檛 as big as other cards, however.听

  • Sign-up bonus: $150 when you spend $500 in three months
  • Point accumulation: 1.5% cash rewards on every dollar spent plus 1.8% cash rewards on purchases made using a qualified mobile wallet (Apple Pay or听Google Pay)听in the first 12 months听
  • Annual Percentage Rate (APR): 0% on purchases for the first 15 months, 15.74 to 27.74 percent thereafter
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Foreign transaction fee: $0
  • Redeem rewards: Redeem in the Go Far Rewards program for cash-back as a statement credit or direct deposit into your bank account. Cash rewards never expire.听

Your potential one-year earnings:听19,680 points or $190.68.

How to Use Credit Card Points

My husband and I paid for a recent weekend trip to Big Sur entirely with points. It took us about a year to build the 51,250 points on our Chase Sapphire card that was able to cover two nights at a swanky resort that would have otherwise cost around $625, thanks in large part to its 25 percent bonus on travel purchases. We also exchanged 40,000 points for $400 cash back from our Wells Fargo card to pay for gas, food, and activities.听

Every card has a redemption website that allows points to be exchanged for cash back or directly for travel expenses like hotels, flights, and rental cars. Start looking two to three months in advance in order to get the lowest prices. Cards also offer bonus deals on certain purchases鈥攊n a similar way to that of flash sales at brick-and-mortar stores鈥攕o it鈥檚 worth checking in every month or signing up for email blasts from your card rewards program.听

Redeeming directly for travel expenses versus cash back is usually a matter of preference, unless you鈥檙e using a card like Chase Sapphire, which offers bonus points when certain bookings, like hotel stays, are made directly through them. Before deciding on a card, though, you should check for its partnered brands to ensure that your points will make the most impact鈥攊f you mainly fly with Southwest, don鈥檛 get a card that gives you lots of Delta miles. You鈥檒l also earn more points by consolidating your spending into one or two cards, rather than spreading it across multiple. I prefer to have one card that offers great cash-back rewards for my day to day, and one with extra bonuses for booking travel.听

As long as you鈥檙e smart about your spending, there鈥檚 no reason to not let your card earn money for you.听

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How to Save Money While You Travel /adventure-travel/advice/save-money-when-traveling-tips/ Wed, 21 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/save-money-when-traveling-tips/ How to Save Money While You Travel

Tips on how to cut the unnecessary travel costs

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How to Save Money While You Travel

When most people think of travel expenses, they imagine flights and hotels. But in reality, silly fees and extra charges on the ground can quickly add up to expenses in the triple digits. The good news is that most of these are avoidable with careful planning and a bit of bargaining, so听instead of wasting money on parking or ATM transactions, you can use your cash for an epic day of SCUBA diving or a night of unlimited Mai Tais.听

Budgeting听

The easiest way to wreck your travel budget? Not having one in the first place. Besides paying taxes and taking out the trash, budgeting is easily one of the most despised parts of everyday life鈥攈ence why it鈥檚 the last thing most people want to do when planning a vacation. For most people, a budget tells you what you can鈥檛 spend, but I like to look at it as a roadmap for telling you all the fun things you can do with your cash.听

Setting a travel budget is the best way to avoid overspending and set priorities on your holiday. For example, it鈥檒l stop you from running up the bill at a fancy restaurant when that money is allocated for a day snorkeling instead. Plus, overspending typically leads to credit card debt, attached to interest, which ultimately means you end up spending even more.听

Remedy:听As far ahead as you can, do some research into how much a day鈥檚 worth of basic expenses (food, drinks, lodging, transportation) will be in your destination. Multiply that number by the number of days of your vacation, and add about 20 to 30 percent to pad for unexpected expenses, like tips or that souvenir you just can鈥檛 pass up. Set the total (or as much of the total as you can, if you鈥檙e saving up) aside in a separate high-yield savings account, such as , so you won鈥檛 be tempted to blow in in the meantime. You can even pre-pay your credit card to set a firm amount and track how close you are to hitting your limit. Before you go, download an app like , so you鈥檒l be able to monitor your spending in real-time and see how it鈥檚 tracking against your daily budget goals. If you go over budget, rather than induce spending-stress, the app will suggest costs you can cut back on.

Parking

If you live in a city like Los Angeles, like I do, you only have a few ways to get to the airport: using a ride-share, an airport shuttle, or driving yourself. If your flight gets in at odd hours or you don鈥檛 want to deal with an Uber driver, you鈥檒l probably choose the last option, which can end up eating up a sizable portion of your travel budget. Parking fees range anywhere from $9 to more than $25 per day at most major airports. Multiply that by a long weekend, and you鈥檙e easily looking at $100.听

Remedy: One of my favorite sites is where you can find rates as low as $5.95 a day at a variety of airports. I always make a reservation at least a week prior to my departure date to score major deals. Also, if you belong to AAA or other membership organizations, such as your college alumni program, always check to see if they offer parking discounts鈥攕ome can go as high as 30 percent, which quickly adds up if you鈥檙e gone a week.

Baggage Fees

If there鈥檚 one thing I hate to spend money on it, it鈥檚 baggage fees. They are almost inescapable these days (unless you鈥檙e traveling overseas, when airlines typically allow听for one checked bag), and usually cost $25听or more per bag per person. If you鈥檙e traveling with a family, that comes out to huge expense before you鈥檝e even left the airport.听

Remedy: One of the easiest (and nowadays, only) ways to avoid baggage fees is to use an airline credit card when booking your plane ticket. I have the , which partners with American Airlines and other associated carriers, and gets me up to four bags free with four passengers. My husband and I routinely save $100 roundtrip just from putting our flight on plastic. Most major airlines have this deal, and sites like sum them up nicely.

Foreign ATM and Transaction Fees

These charges are like gremlins that sneak up on you after your trip and haunt you long after you鈥檝e returned. They can range from brand to brand, but most credit and debit card companies charge around three percent for every meal, drink, and trinket purchased abroad.听

Why not just use cash instead? Your bank will get you there, too. Domestically, the majority of banks will charge a withdrawal fee for ATMs from other companies. Internationally, they鈥檒l charge that (usually between $2.50 to $5), a foreign exchange fee, on top of an unfavorable exchange rate. Plus you鈥檒l probably get dinged听by the ATM you鈥檙e withdrawing from. Do that enough, and you鈥檒l wind up paying for your vacation weeks after you鈥檝e returned.听

Remedy: There are plenty of credit cards that charge nothing for foreign transactions, so make sure you have one in your wallet before setting foot on international soil. A few good ones: , , and . Always make sure you double check with your credit card company before you leave the country so you know what charges you鈥檙e in for and can choose them wisely. Even so, it鈥檚 always good to have some cash when you travel, so choose a bank like or Charles Schwab which are truly free, with zero ATM or foreign transaction fees (Schwab will even reimburse you for withdrawal charges from other ATMs). If you鈥檙e determined to use your regular bank, you can minimize costs by taking out a lot of cash at once鈥攋ust be careful to stash it in different places in case of theft or loss. Or, if you鈥檙e planning to bring money to exchange, opt to change enough to get you by at airport kiosks, which typically give a less favorable rate, and leave the rest for small, local banks.听

Rental Car听

Rental companies will charge a premium for the cars best suited for your destination. For example, driving a Jeep around Oahu could cost up to $90 per day. That鈥檚 not including insurance pushed by rental agents that can run as high as $50 a day, a price they can get away with because most people don鈥檛 know there are other insurance options available.听

Remedy: Despite companies鈥� dire warnings of terrible crashes and freak hail storms, most experts recommend against their insurance.听There are , like going through your own auto insurance and most major credit cards, or booking through an agency like , which usually offers coverage for as little as $10 a day. Also keep in mind that rental prices change frequently: On a recent trip to Maui, I saved over $150 by continuing to scan prices up to a week before the trip.听

Lodging

Comparing prices on third-party sites like Kayak, Priceline, and Expedia can sometimes be counterproductive鈥攂udget hotels that offer similar amenities in the same neighborhoods are often priced the same, despite having different standards.听

Remedy: Most people assume the price posted on a hotel鈥檚 website is non-negotiable, but if you see a lower price on a third-party site like Expedia, call the front desk and ask for a discount if you book through them. Most hotels would rather have you book directly through them versus an online site, and will give you an even better rate.

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Affordable 国产吃瓜黑料 Trips in North America /adventure-travel/destinations/affordable-trips-north-america/ Thu, 18 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/affordable-trips-north-america/ Affordable 国产吃瓜黑料 Trips in North America

Quick budget escapes to satisfy your wanderlust for a while.

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Affordable 国产吃瓜黑料 Trips in North America

You don鈥檛 have to empty your savings account to pull off a top-notch excursion. Pick the right destination, score a cheap flight, and the rest is easy. We rounded up some of our favorite low-cost places to go right now听and have thrown听in a few tips to save you some bucks while you鈥檙e there.

Rossland, British Columbia

(Dave Silver)

Play: Many visitors come to Rossland in the winter to ski Red Mountain. But the place is dreamy in the summer, too, with听, miles of hiking trails, rainbow trout and walleye fishing on the Columbia River, and even underground听.

Stay: Located walking distance from听base of the mountain is听the new听, which听opened in December听and has a shared kitchen, secure听storage for your bike, and basic rooms with bunks starting as low as $30 a night.听

Save: From U.S. destinations, it鈥檚 cheaper to fly to Spokane, Washington, than directly into B.C. In Spokane, rent a car to drive across the international border听and up to Rossland (a two-and-a-half-hour drive). Book an with Red Mountain for guided mountain biking or river rafting听and you鈥檒l get听20 percent off your lodging at the hostel or with other participating accommodations.

Fort Collins, Colorado

(Richard Haro)

Play: Sixty-five miles north of Denver, Fort Collins is a college town with a serious microbrew habit. You鈥檒l find more than 20 breweries in the area. Tour them yourself or get a guided escort by听 or听. Run or cycle听the 6.8-mile Foothills Trail across the city or take a dip in or听 the Cache la Poudre River.

Stay: The hip, centrally located听 opened in 2017, and room prices are stellar for how nice the place is鈥攜ou can score accommodation听for under $200 that听comes with a record player (old LPs are in the lobby听and can be checked out for the night). Don鈥檛 miss Emporium Kitchen, an on-site听wine bar slash coffee shop.

Save: To get around, take advantage of the city鈥檚听, which鈥檒l run you听$1 for 15 minutes. Old Town Yoga leads a听听in September. And if you qualify for a local library card, you can score听 to Fort Collins museums, coffee shops, and more.

Valle de Guadalupe, Baja

(Courtesy Campera Hotel)

Play: Dubbed the Napa of Mexico but way cheaper than Napa itself, Valle听de Guadalupe, two hours south of San Diego, has some 150 wineries and produces over 70 percent of Mexico鈥檚 wine. The area hosts a听 in October, if you鈥檇 rather visit in the fall. Ride horses through a vineyard at听, or there鈥檚 surfing on the coast, near Ensenada, less than an hour away.

Stay: At听, you鈥檒l sleep in a bubble-shaped tent with unfiltered views of the night sky, surrounded by vineyards. Rates start at $145 per night.

Save:听 arranges travel packages from the U.S.听to Baja California Norte that include transportation across the border and insider deals at top wineries.

Wilmington, North Carolina

(Courtesy Arrive Wilmington)

Play: There鈥檚 plenty to do outside in the seaside town of Wilmington. Wrightsville Beach is home to the听 surf contest, held in August, and Carolina Beach hosts shorefront听yoga and surf lessons at . Watch for听 on Kure Beach or听 to sunken Civil War ships.

Stay:听 opened in June in the historic downtown, and rooms, which start at $129, come stocked with yoga mats, foam rollers, and hand weights. The hotel鈥檚 tiny and tasty restaurant, the听, is worth a stop for cocktails and gin-soaked olives.

Save: Downtown鈥檚 free Sundown Concerts are held on Friday nights through the summer,听plus there are听Thursday-night summer fireworks and concerts (also free) on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk.

San Luis Obispo, California

(Courtesy Visit SLO Cal)

Play: Mountain-bike, paddleboard, or explore 80 miles of beaches in the laid-back coastal region of San Luis Obispo County, right on Highway 1 between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The town鈥檚听popular Thursday-night farmers鈥� market is a good spot to pick up tamales, ice cream, and fresh produce grown nearby.

Stay: The听 has standard and recently renovated motel rooms from听just $75 a night. Or stay at (from $111), and you can book wine tours through the hotel or score discounted tickets to听, a walk-through art installation of thousands of solar-powered lights in nearby Paso Robles.

Save: Watch听听or听听for free, or take a tour of the iconic听鈥攖ickets start听at $25. And likely you鈥檝e noticed that听the wine industry is booming in this region. You can partake in a tasting for a little as $5.

Sullivan Catskills, New York

(Ginny Fiero)

Play: Less than two hours from New York City, the Sullivan Catskills offer听easy access to fly-fishing and rafting on the Delaware River, biking along a growing rail-to-trail network, and hiking to one of the area鈥檚 many historic听. The听 is where the original 1969 Woodstock festival took place, and this year, the region is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a packed lineup of music and arts events.

Stay: (from $169) operates four eclectic hotel properties and several restaurants, including the Cabin at Hessinger-Lare, a classic log cabin with a popular Wednesday wing night. Book the听 package听at any of its听lodges, and you鈥檒l get tickets to visit Bethel Woods and the local Catskill Distilling Company.

Save: When you book the听 at the 14-room听 inn, you鈥檒l score a guided听outing on the Willowemoc River and rental gear. Or pitch a tent at one of several campgrounds instead to save on lodging fees; among others, the region is home to , , and听.

New Orleans

(Courtesy Domio Baronne St.)

Note: New Orleans has been dealing with flooding after听Hurricane Barry made landfall in Louisiana on July 13. If you鈥檙e making plans to visit the area, be sure to check what鈥檚 open and available ahead of time.听

Play: A lot of the sights in New Orleans鈥攚andering around the French Quarter, checking out art and live music in the Warehouse District鈥攄on鈥檛 cost a penny. The vintage streetcar down Charles Avenue is just $1.25.听 offers a number of free-of-charge group runs, yoga classes, and dance workouts.

Stay:听 (from $77) has packages billed as 鈥渁dult summer camp,鈥� which include crafting with visiting artists, cooking with award-winning chefs, and riding around the city听on a guided culinary bike tour. If you want something bigger than a hotel room鈥攂ut not pricier鈥攖he newly opened听 in the Warehouse District has sleekly designed apartments starting at $149 per night.

Save: In August, hotel rates are typically the lowest they will be all year, making it a great (albeit, hot) time to visit. To cool off, the听 in Bywater has a pool (plus a bar and restaurant) for an admission fee of just $15. Book a听, with a choice of over 100 different hotels, and you鈥檒l save on both the room and the gator spotting.

The post Affordable 国产吃瓜黑料 Trips in North America appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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Earning $50K While Biking Across the U.S. and Europe /adventure-travel/advice/biking-across-us-and-europe-50k/ Mon, 24 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000 /uncategorized/biking-across-us-and-europe-50k/ Earning $50K While Biking Across the U.S. and Europe

How to quit your job and start bikepacking around the world.

The post Earning $50K While Biking Across the U.S. and Europe appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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Earning $50K While Biking Across the U.S. and Europe

For some of us, living a life of adventure feels like an impossible dream. That鈥檚 part of what makes Shane Dillon Gidcumb鈥檚 story so special. Shane, 38, a former winery executive and author of听book series, decided one day to radically change his life, leave his corporate office, and head out on an adventure: biking across the United States听and Europe. With a salary of $50,000 that he pieces together by听teaching and writing, Shane鈥檚 been able to experience the world and live out his dreams, one adventure at a time.

OUTSIDE: What made you decide to quit your job and ride across the United States听and Europe?
Shane Dillon Gidcumb: I worked for 11 years in the wine industry in Sonoma County, California. I started as an intern and left 11 years later as the vice president of the winery. Working in the wine industry was fun, but I felt like there was something missing in my life. By the end, I didn鈥檛 feel like I was learning anymore. It wasn鈥檛 that I was unhappy. I just felt like my days had turned into a monotonous routine with money being the only goal. One day听it occurred to me that I could go on doing this for the next 40 years. If I lived life this way, those 40 years could basically be condensed into a single week鈥攔epeated again and again. I knew I had to find a way to start learning and adventuring again.

(Courtesy Shane Dillon Gidcumb)

How did you afford to do this, and what advice would you give to others who want to take that leap?
The theory of slow travel is that the slower you travel, the cheaper it becomes. Based on this idea, walking is the cheapest way to get around, and bicycling is a close second. Your biggest expense is food, which is essentially fuel. It鈥檚 amazing how your body becomes an efficient machine after a few weeks of bicycling eight hours a day.

During my bike听journeys on Disco听(yes, Disco is the name of my bike鈥攜ou鈥檇听be surprised by the things you think up while cycling eight hours a day for months),听I spent about $15 per day on food. In the beginning, I ate mainly at restaurants, and then I figured out it was cheaper and healthier to buy food from grocery stores to cook on my camp stove. For lodging, I tried to sleep in my tent as many nights as possible. I found most people would let me sleep in their backyards, and some even invited me into their homes for dinner and a shower. Other alternatives I used closer to cities were apps like听听and . Sometimes, if I was desperate, I would just pitch my tent behind a church at sunset and make sure to be on the road by sunrise. There are a lot of free options to find a place to sleep at night.

The advice I would give to others is to just do it. I know it sounds crazy. In hindsight, I would make the same decision every time. Bicycle touring is a life-changing experience鈥攅ssentially a crash course in minimalism.

What sort of gear do you have, and how much did you spend?
Before I left on my trip across the U.S., I had to buy all new gear. I made the mistake of buying cheap gear and having to upgrade later to a more durable setup. After cycling for a month, I was forced to replace my panniers, front handlebar bag, tent, and sleeping pad. These items are essential and can really improve the quality of life on the road. If at all possible, I recommend buying high-quality gear that will last. It will not only make your life easier, but it will also save you money in the long run.

Here鈥檚 my list of essential gear:

  • Bike:
  • Rear panniers:
  • Front handlebar bag:
  • Bivy听sack/tent:
  • Sleeping bag:
  • Sleeping pad:
  • Socks:
  • Chamois cream:
  • Sunblock:
  • Camera: An old Olympus digital camera converted to infrared

How do you make money now?
While cycling across the U.S., I started sending my r茅sum茅 to teaching positions abroad. To my surprise, I landed a job in the south of Spain in a fishing village on the Mediterranean Sea. That was two years ago, and I have been living in Spain ever since. I work part-time at a grade school teaching English. The job provides a modest salary, a work visa, health insurance, and an abundance of free time. The money I make teaching is sufficient enough to get me through the school year. Then, in the summer, I dip into my investment account to fund my adventures. I am also a writer, and the money I make from my books definitely helps out.

What does your monthly budget look like?
Living in Spain, I am able to maximize the dollars I earned and saved in the U.S. My monthly budget is $1,200. Of that, I plan on spending half for fixed expenses, while the other $600 goes to my daily expenses. My daily budget is $20 per day, which is more than enough to live comfortably in Spain. On top of that, I set aside an additional $5,000 each year for travel. Currently, I live in Malaga, an ancient city on the Mediterranean.

Have you gleaned any money-saving tips over the years?
My creativity is a major form of my entertainment, and it actually pays for itself. One thing you learn about yourself while living on the road is how free time feeds your creativity. I鈥檝e found that the more free time I have, the more productive I am from a creative standpoint. I don鈥檛 watch TV anymore, and my internet time is limited. Now all of my free time is devoted to my passions, which just so happen to be free. I am currently writing a personal finance book series for young adults听in addition to my photography. Physical fitness is important to me, and there are many low-cost options available, no matter where you live.

A few other tips? Each Sunday, I make two big pots of soup. I freeze individual servings and enjoy them throughout the week. A serving of soup costs less than $2. This is a great way to save money. When I go out for tapas with friends, I don鈥檛 feel bad about dining out.

I bike or walk everywhere I go in the city, which means I have nearly eliminated my transportation expenses. I was spending at least $400 a month on transportation in the states. Now I spend less than $10 a month. Essentially, I have eliminated one of my biggest expenses by living in Europe.

Finally, Google has an awesome cellphone plan called that works in more than 170 countries. This allows me to travel the world without worrying about expensive international rates. Monthly, I spend about $50 per month using this plan.

Where is your next adventure?
This summer, I鈥檝e听decided to give Disco听some time off.听I鈥檓听planning on doing two long hikes. First, I鈥檓 going to hike the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It鈥檚 about a 500-mile hike and will take about five weeks to complete. The second big hike I鈥檓 planning is a coast-to-coast trail across Ireland. It鈥檚 a little shorter and should take anywhere from three to four weeks to complete. One thing I have learned through my travels is that the journey inward is longer than journey outward. Last summer, I got in the habit of cycling during the day and working on my books at night. As there are more daylight hours than I can cycle or hike, I figured I would use my free time to write. During the day, I鈥檓 able to listen to podcasts to research for my book while pedaling. I plan on applying this same concept while hiking in Spain and Ireland.

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