Travel
Great Alternative Budget Vacation Ideas
While many of us dream of traveling the world it’s not always feasible, even for those with the best of intentions. But while you might not have a lot of time or money, luckily there’s more than one way to see the world. Travel is…

While many of us dream of traveling the world it’s not always feasible, even for those with the best of intentions. But while you might not have a lot of time or money, luckily there’s more than one way to see the world. Travel is simply the art of going somewhere new and different and exploring everything the place has to offer. It doesn’t matter if you have two days, two weeks, or two months. There are many ways to get on the road and see the world, so here are some budget ways to travel and explore even if you are cash-strapped or time-poor:
Be a local tourist – How often do you visit the tourist sites in your own city? Hardly ever, right? We always put it off until tomorrow, because when we live in a city, there is always a tomorrow. If you’re short on time and money, there’s no better way to spend some free time than to wander your own city. No matter what its size, it has a number of wonders just waiting to be explored. When you become a local tourist, check out of your house and into a hotel, hostel, or guesthouse. It’s important to get out of your familiar environment, because if you stay home, you’ll find something to do around the house and create excuses for why you can’t sightsee. Moving to a different location can help give you that feeling of adventure, excitement, and unfamiliarity. Moreover, be sure to go to your local tourism office and get a city tourism pass. These cards allow you to see a wide range of local attractions for free or reduced prices and can be your way to see your local sites on a budget. They aren’t just for outsiders!
Travel regionally – Travel brings to mind faraway and exotic destinations. Because of that, few people look in their own backyard for adventure, but it offers just as many places to travel. Exploring your own region is an underrated and often overlooked aspect of travel. So you don’t have to fly across an ocean to explore the world. Head to the bookstore, buy a regional guidebook, and see what there is to see in your area. Your backyard holds as many possible travel destinations as does a country half a world away.
Go to National Parks – There’s almost always a park nearby and spending a few days with nature is not only good for your wallet but also good for your soul. Camping, after all, costs very little money. Camping fees in national parks are as little as $15 USD per night in the United States, $15-40 CAD in Canada, $30-60 AUD in Australia, and $17-22 NZD in New Zealand. And in many places in Japan and Europe (especially Scandinavia), you can camp on public lands for free. Additionally, you go camping stocked with all your own supplies and accommodation so you don’t have to worry about spending lots of extra money. Your food bill can be whatever you spend on groceries and nothing more. You don’t need to love camping to spend time in the national parks, either. Luckily, many parks provide cabins.
Book a last minute cruise – Cruise lines always offer incredible last-minute deals. No ship’s captain wants to leave with half the cabins empty. If you wait until the last minute, you can find some really amazing deals as cruise lines scramble to find passengers. Plus, cruise operators always throw in some on-board amenities, free upgrades, and cash vouchers to sweeten the deal. After you book, keep an eye out on prices, because if they drop, you can often call your travel agent or the cruise company itself to get a partial refund or vouchers to use for dining and alcohol on the boat.
Think outside the box – Travel counter to the prevailing trend. If people are going in the summer, you go in the spring or winter. Skip the popular destinations and head off the beaten path a bit. It might not be the most ideal time to go or your favorite destination, but thinking of unusual places to go and visiting in the off-season are going to save you a lot of money.
Book a last-minute tour – Just like cruises, tours are best booked last-minute. Tour companies need to fill the seats because once that trip departs, they still have the same costs. Why are tours so cheap last-minute? Well, think about how people plan vacations. You get the time off work, you book your vacation, you buy your flight, and you go. Since people pre-book, prices are higher in advance because these companies understand booking patterns and then price accordingly. As departure time nears, companies know people aren’t likely to turn up and book on departure day, so they sweeten the price to increase bookings. So take the time off work, wait until the week before, see what’s cheap, and then go.
Become a house sitter – Accommodation can eat into the cost of a trip big-time. A way around that is to stay somewhere for free. A unique way to overcome this is to house-sit for someone while they are on vacation. You get free accommodation, a kitchen to cook in, and the chance to explore a destination in depth. It’s a pretty unique way to travel and one that a lot of world travelers take advantage of. You can even do this in your own region too, to cut down on transportation costs.
Grab a cheap flight – Nowadays, you don’t have to guess where the cheapest flight from your home would be. You can look up a whole list of flights using a site like Momondo or Google Flights. With those sites you can type in “(the closest airport to you)” for your departure city and “everywhere” for your destination. Then a list of the cheapest flights appears in front of your very eyes, so you can choose where to go within your budget.
Destinations
Most Beautiful Spring Vacation Destinations in the US
Are you looking to plan a spring break destination but wanted to stay away from the Frat boy party? Not everyone wants to wake up hungover with permanent marker drawn all over their faces and for those proud people, we have some beautiful places they can visit. For those of us trying to enjoy the wonders of our country without being blackout drunk, search no more. Here are six awesome choices for travelers looking for beauty instead of the party. Check out the most beautiful destinations in America this spring.

Are you looking to plan a spring break destination but wanted to stay away from the Frat boy party? Not everyone wants to wake up hungover with permanent marker drawn all over their faces and for those proud people, we have some beautiful places they can visit. For those of us trying to enjoy the wonders of our country without being blackout drunk, search no more. Here are six awesome choices for travelers looking for beauty instead of the party. Check out the most beautiful destinations in America this spring.
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston South Carolina is a great place to start any list of cute springtime cities. The cobblestone streets bring a real uniqueness to the city. You’ll feel like you stepped back in time with the vintage restored homes and moss covered trees. It feels like walking through a storybook here, you’ll fall in love for sure.
Ennis, Texas
This small Texas town is home to the most outstanding collection of wildflowers West of the Mississippi. The prairie here in spring erupts with purple and blue wildflowers and is truly remarkable. The small town is very open to tourism and actually keeps track of where the best flowers are, so check before you go.
The Grand Canyon
Springtime in the Canyon is the perfect time. The weather is great, not too cold and not too hot, just right for hiking and exploring. Officially the offseason or shoulder season, the Grand anyone is quiet this time of year. The lines are manageable and the parking lots are half empty. Take a donkey tour to the bottom or make a weekend of it and camp out near the flowing Colorado River. The hidden waterfall of the Grand Canyon is flowing super heavy now and the beautiful pool underneath is waiting to be swum in.
Holland, Michigan
The tulip fields of Holland Michigan are spectacular and so wonderfully majestic. If the views here don’t bring a tear to your eye then you aren’t truly appreciating the beauty. Each May, millions of tulips come into full bloom here and the annual Tulip Time Festival is raging. The town’s Dutch heritage isn’t lost as its architecture shines, with windmills and all.
Savannah, Georgia
Enjoy the Deep South before the heat and humidity of summer take over. Savannah is glorious during the springtime and tourists should play attention. The cute little city has plenty of Spanish moss and bright azaleas to make it so picturesque. The riverfront area is alive with tall ships and modern yachts cruising by.
Washington, DC
Every spring our Nation’s capital is covered in beautiful pink flowers as the Cherry Blossom trees bloom. Originally given to America as a gift from Japan, the Cherry Blossoms are planted all around the National Mall, which has all our monuments. The National Cherry Blossom festival happens the first weekend of bloom for these trees and is a spectacle to be seen. The city is alive with tourists and fun events for the entire family. Highlights include the cherry blossom parade and kite festival.
Savannah – http://travelfeed.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/americaspringdestinations10.jpg
Holland – https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/89/17/1f/89171ff060a0ad46bb0de489a3be193c.jpg
Ennis – http://44.234.232.50/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/lb_bottom_blue2.jpg
Featured image – http://www.placestoseeinyourlifetime.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Untitled-5.jpg
Destinations
Best Architecture in the US by City
America is a country full of history and its cities show some serious architectural range. These 10 cities have awesome and unique architectural styles throughout them and have some pretty special buildings that should be visited. I compiled a list of cities in the US that have very unique architectural styles and interesting buildings.

America is a country full of history and its cities show some serious architecture range. These 10 cities have awesome and unique architectural styles throughout them and have some pretty special buildings that should be visited. I compiled a list of cities in the US that have very unique architectural styles and interesting buildings.
Norfolk, VA
Norfolk Virginia is a port city that has been around since the 1600s. Neighborhoods with fancy and ornate plantation style estates are surrounded by dense city centers. Very interesting row houses are typical here showing their rich history and beauty. Come for the near by Virginia Beach boardwalk and stay for the very inspiring Scope Arena. Hosting bands like the Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones, the arena is stylish and futuristic looking. Side note, the arena is built on a marsh and is slowly sinking at an average of 5 centimeters a year.
Las Vegas, NV
What is this “city” doing on this list? Well, Vegas is special because it has every style thrown together in a hodge-podge on the famous strip. Casinos are awesome and grandiose if they are anything. The newer buildings are so epic that even purists enjoy them.
Pittsburgh, PA
For a region that is so ruggedly beautiful the Steel city’s architecture actually matches the surrounding area pretty well. The downtown high-rises are spectacular and the Victorian homes on the North Side are eloquent. With tons of scenic vistas, the city has an excellent cityscape and skyline that’s pretty impressive.
Philadelphia, PA
The other side of the state of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia is known for eclectic styles and American history. From the Liberty Bell to Constitution Hall, Philly is full of Colonial American style. Check out Loews Hotel for an awesome architectural hotel.
New Orleans, LA
If it were up to just me, I’d put New Orleans at the top of the list. The Cajon city has so much rich history with French, Spanish, Creole, Caribbean and European influences. The French quarter may be the most popular among tourist but it’s the stereotypical shotgun homes Victorian mansions that really shine.
Charleston, SC
Populated by church steeples and classic row houses, Charleston is not your stereotypical architectural city. The downtown area is walk able and a dream for fans of cobblestone streets and a distinctly European feel.
Providence, RI
All you have to do is head to College Hill and hang around Brown University. The school has a rich history and beautiful buildings. With a mix of revolutionary war era homes to cape cod bungalows, Providence has plenty to look at.
Chicago, IL
After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Chicago had to switch from wood to metal. Gone were the stereotypical wooden row houses and replaced by huge steel behemoths. Chicago has an impressive skyline with so many tall skyscrapers. The bridges that cross the Chicago River are the real stars. You have so many drawbridges in the downtown areas that bridge fans can spend weeks here.
Savannah, GA
Come to Savannah for the perfectly maintained and preserved downtown neighborhoods. Houses look exactly like they did 200 years ago and are restored with amazing accuracy.
Buffalo, NY
The number one city on our list is Buffalo New York. The birthplace of American Architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright, Buffalo is a dream. Filled with beautiful old school architecture mixed with incredible forward thinking modern designs.
Chicago – https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4362907/caf-boat.0.jpg
New Orleans – https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/b4/43/7b/b4437b696ca2148c5846d68f779b7199.jpg
Pittsburgh – http://images.pittsburghskyline.com/images/2014/08.08/pittsburgh_summer_2014_pittsburghskyline.com_10.jpg
Buffalo – https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Buffalo_Panorama_2015.jpg/1000px-Buffalo_Panorama_2015.jpg
Destinations
New Banksy Hotel Opens in West Bank
International street artist and controversial figure Banksy has struck again, and this time it’s in the West Bank. The Artist Banksy secretly opened up a nine-room Palestinian guesthouse/hotel in Bethlehem last weekend. The hotel has a catchy name too, The Walled Off Hotel.
The street art filled hotel is set to open on March 11, and is open to journalists now. Rooms are available for $30 a night, so it’s quite affordable. The hotel is situated right next to the West Bank separation barrier built by Israel to fend off Palestinian attacks. The views from the hotel are of the wall and that’s it.

International street artist and controversial figure Banksy has struck again, and this time it’s in the West Bank. The Artist Banksy secretly opened up a nine-room Palestinian guesthouse/hotel in Bethlehem last weekend. The hotel has a catchy name too, The Walled Off Hotel.
The street art filled hotel is set to open on March 11, and is open to journalists now. Rooms are available for $30 a night, so it’s quite affordable. The hotel is situated right next to the West Bank separation barrier built by Israel to fend off Palestinian attacks. The views from the hotel are of the wall and that’s it.
Each room features the stereotypical satirical artwork from acclaimed artist Banksy.
Reporters got a sneak peak this week and took pictures of the artwork. The stand out was from room ‘Three” called the Banksy Room, had a giant mural of a Palestinian and an Israeli having a pillow fight.
This isn’t Banksy’s first trip to the area, last year satirical artwork sprung up all over the Gaza Strip. Banksy claimed responsibility for these graffiti attacks. Politically charged art has fueled Banksy’s success and has turned street art into an expensive art form.
The small boutique style hotel has a presidential suite and a museum displaying many of the artist’s more politically charged work. The museum looks like an old gentleman’s club from colonial times. It has a life-sized statue of Arthur James Balfour in it who created the Balfour declaration, which led to the creation of an Israeli state.
The secret project took 14 months to complete and was supervised by the mysterious artist himself. This hotel is the artist’s biggest collection of work in years and has no end date as of yet.
Banksy has been putting up politically charged street art here and in the nearby Gaza Strip. Known for satirical stencil art, Banksy has long been a thorn in the status quo. From humble beginnings in London, Banksy has become a worldwide phenomenon.
So, who’s coming to Bethlehem with me to stay at the Walled Off Hotel and see this amazing street art in person? I’ll pay for the hotel, just saying, I think I can afford the $30 a night price tag.
Already accepting reservations, the hotel will surely book up fast; let’s just hope the conflict doesn’t take this hotel as a victim.
The artist has recently dropped pieces in the area on a two-story building that was destroyed in a battle between the Israeli forces and Palestinian people. Children are living through this never-ending conflict and at least now they have some attention brought to them that isn’t negative. I can’t even imagine growing up in these types of situations and I feel for any child who has to deal with that. Unfortunately these kids have no choice as to where they are raised but Banksy sees that and is making it’s a cause we can all get behind.
Check out this awesome art experiment and support artists like Banksy who see an issue and is doing something about it.
Keep fighting the good fight y’all.
Feature Image – http://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170303110338-01-banksy-hotel-bethlehem-super-169.jpg
Hotel Front – https://twistedsifter.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/banksy-hotel-west-bank-palestine.jpg?w=800&h=508
TV – https://cdn4.img.sputniknews.com/images/105127/44/1051274420.jpg
Hotel Name – http://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170303140459-banksy-hotel-bethlehem-4-super-169.jpg
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