(ARA) – Whether it’s the sudden need to get away or the last
chance to escape before the kids head back to school, many families
find themselves in a position to book a last-minute vacation. With
the fluctuating economy wreaking havoc on the airline and hotel
industries, there is now a greater chance of finding availability
and bargains for savvy researchers.
So, as you begin planning your last-minute escape, consider
these simple tips that can help save money and ensure a relaxing,
memorable retreat:
*Book at the right time. To boost business, hotels, airlines and
cruise lines will often offer discounts two weeks in advance of
booking. Remember to always shop on a Tuesday or Wednesday to find
the best last-minute vacation deals as it is common for hotel,
flight and car rental rates to increase by the time Thursday rolls
around. Note that airfares and hotel rates will soon decrease as
kids go back to school and demand falls as a result. School seems
to start earlier and earlier every year, which means the peak
travel season does, as well.
* Book at the right place. The best place to look for bargain
vacations and last-minute deals is online travel websites, such as
Travel.com, Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, Priceline.com and
Travelocity.com, among others. You can often save big on
last-minute vacations when purchasing a bundled package (hotel,
car, flight). It is important to determine how important the
destination is for your vacation. There are a variety of websites
that offer last-minute deals by destination, and the more flexible
you are, the more savings you can realize.
* Don’t forget to entertain the kids along the way. While the
ways to entertain kids will vary by age, it is important to come up
with a few fun, simple ideas to make the journey a little more
enjoyable. One idea that appeals to most is to rent a movie or two.
Redbox, the fully automated DVD rental kiosk, features the latest
new releases for a low nightly rate and is available at grocery
stores and other popular retail locations across the country. It’s
the perfect road trip companion, no matter your destination, as
redbox lets you rent and return movies at any one of more than
22,000 locations nationwide. Also, be sure to bring along games or
other activities that you can play in the car, on a plane or at the
hotel to keep the whole family entertained.
* Include the kids in your vacation plans. Whether it’s a short
trip down the road or a two-week vacation to another country, it is
important to make your kids part of the vacation planning process.
Ask them to do some research about potential entertainment options
at your destination. Give them the opportunity to provide
recommendations as to what you are going to see or do while you’re
there. Not only will this save you time, but including the kids in
this process will also provide more fun for everyone.
One last reminder that may help when planning your last-minute
vacation is to keep an open mind and be flexible. As long as you
follow these cardinal rules of traveling last-minute, there’s
always an opportunity to book and enjoy a great trip at a good
price.
To find a redbox location near you, download the free iPhone app
from redbox or reserve a movie online, visit www.redbox.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
