Planning a Quick Getaway

With summer winding down and school starting soon in most areas, if it hasn’t already started, travel may not be at the top of your list. If you didn’t fit in the trip that you wanted, it’s not too late! Consider a 72-hour vacation away from the craziness. With so many getaway destinations available everywhere, you don’t need to break the bank to make it happen. Worried about pulling together a quick getaway on short notice? Let us help you! 

Putting together a vacation last-minute doesn’t need to mean leftover accommodations and B-list destinations. Here are some tips on how to make memories of a lifetime when you only have a few hours to set it up!

Consider travel time. The further you go, the more time you’ll spend on the travel portion of your trip. Think about one of those places you always say “I need to go there sometime!” and make it happen! Even if it’s only a couple of hours away by road, you can still relax and check off another site — or several — on your bucket list.

Another timing consideration is seasonal destinations. If you visit somewhere off-peak season, rates will be cheaper. Some destinations and venues sell rooms, tickets and flights at a discount to inspire people to still visit. You can take advantage of these cheaper rates by focusing on one of those areas. For example, beaches are gorgeous during the heat of August but they are just as pretty as temps fall. If swimming isn’t the reason for your visit, you can score on beautiful scenery without all the crowds.

A family-oriented destination, like Disney, will always be busy, but families don’t want kids missing school so early in the year, so you may find it an optimal time. Romantic destinations may have off-season specials because attendance is down during certain months of the year. In short, think outside of the box. 

When you decide on a destination, do your research. What things are at the top of your ‘must see’ list? What things are interesting but negotiable? Put together a reasonable schedule so you allow yourself time to visit the things you absolutely want to see without the stress of rushing. Ask questions online or even on the phone to see if you need reservations, how long a tour takes and confirm the hours. Like a famous National Lampoon movie taught us, it is no fun to make a long drive only to find out the park is closed for renovations.

Online hotel reservation sites are immensely helpful, but sometimes calling the hotel directly can save you even more money. They may have a last-minute cancellation or a room they really need to fill; calling will get you on their radar as they want to fill up all the rooms. 

Travel agents can really be beneficial. Don’t discount them, even in a time crunch. They may know of a package available that isn’t easily found otherwise. It’s in their best interest to help you, so be honest with your limitations of time and budget.

Be flexible when booking your rental car. At Fox, we always have affordable vehicles available but it can be harder at certain times of year to get certain makes/models. If you are willing to take maybe a smaller vehicle than normal, or to settle for an economy instead of a luxury, you can save even more money.

Spas and onsite resorts want to fill their rooms and may offer incentives. This is another area where you want to be creative. Sometimes the best vacation is simply relaxing at a beautiful place, enjoying a massage, a spa and other amenities, so even if it’s cold outside, you’re toasty and happy.

Stay tuned on our Fox Travel Tips blog — we’re going to be debuting a new series soon, focused on helping you put together the best 72-hour getaway possible. We’ll have accompanying Pinterest boards to link to the activities we mention, so you can get a visual idea of the options for each destination. Travel safe and contact us if we can help you get your vacation booked today!