Promises, promises. I know I said I'd be back in a week, I really do need to get better at that. Time goes by so fast when your juggling. I promised you a view of my travel secrets. So far my family has traveled to Montreal for $500 and the Fingerlakes of NY for $450. Each trip took careful planning, websurfing and patience. First I'll tell you about Montreal.
A couple of summers ago, my family decided we want to see Montreal. First, I sent a shout out to friends and family on Facebook to find out if anyone knew of an opportunity to house sit. A friend of mine hooked me up with a friend of hers who was going away at exactly the time I wanted. Social media is a fabulous way to get free digs. Then, I checked flights. Even the cheap airlines wanted to fly the three of us for no less than $600. I considered the bus, but you know...you get to an age where long distance trips on Greyhound remind you of a M Night Shyamalan film, without the existential underlying theme. Next stop Amtrak; I scored with three tickets, round trip, for $205. How you ask? I am a member of Amtrak's reward program. The tickets were originally a little over $300 for three. ( I know that is obscene!) I joined their rewards program when I was in grad school and traveled almost monthly to Charlottesville, VA. I used 3000 points (1 point for every mile) for my ticket. My son was under 11, so his ticket was discounted and we had AAA (you don't have to have a car to be a member, for an additional 10% off. It was like having a big coupon!
We all love train travel. It's a great way to see the country. I of course brought our lunch and dinner for the trip. We treated ourselves to breakfast when we arrived in Canada's homage to Paris! The home we scored was lovely and in the center of an up and coming artsy neighborhood. An added bonus was the park directly across the street, where free performances of Shakespeare were given each night we were there. Being able to cook meals also helped us stay in budget. For tourist stuff I sought out coupons, and used my membership to the Hall of Science in NYC to get into the Hall of Science Montreal for FREE! Check the lobbies of hotel chains (Econolodge, Marriot Courtyard, Super 8) for coupon booklets. If you don't see one, ask the information desk or concierge.
Now, how did I do the same thing in the Fingerlakes. The first lesson is to never rent a house. We stayed at a campground, Shiloh on Hatch, shilohonhatch.com. For $200 we spent a week in a cabin with a kitchenette that slept 5 people. The bathroom was next door but you get used to that. It was a bit rustic, but clean. You saw the picture of the lake, it was worth rustic. There are also houses, with porches and 1-2 bathrooms. They sleep 5-14 people and range from $300-$500 during the summer. Shiloh is a private facility, but there are cabins in federal and state owned parks that can be rented. We stayed at Gilbert Lake, in Upstate New York, about 8 years ago. We spent $300 for a week in a log cabin. It was beautiful. Keep in mind, most places will require you to bring your own linens and a few your own kitchen supplies. Check it out at www.reserveamerica.com.
