The Secret to getting a Travel Bargain: Part 3

Congratulations on all of the fabulous deals you have acquired so far for your vacation! By now you have saved a significant amount of money and will be able to use that hard earned cash for bigger and better attractions, nicer restaurants, or if you are like me, you can tuck it away for a future vacation in the not so distant future!

When it comes to attractions, I start by researching Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitor Bureau’s websites. Just Google the city name and Chamber or CVB and you should be able to find it fairly quickly. If you have time before you leave, request any written information that they can send you. While you are e-mailing or calling them, ask them to tuck in any coupons or brochures they have on hand for the area. They don’t mind doing this if they know you are definitely visiting the area.

Many will plan out your itinerary for you if you ask as well! This is an amazing free service and will save you time trying to map out routes and admission times. They know their city better than anyone should and can offer advice as well. Keep in mind with Chambers of Commerce that they are unlikely to recommend anyone who is NOT a member of their organization.

The way I find the best restaurants in town is to ask the locals. Just because a restaurant is splashed all over every website and piece of literature you come across, does not mean they are the best, it just means they have money to advertise. Anytime you are on the phone with someone local whether it’s the hotel, or an attraction, ask them to recommend a restaurant. They live there! They know where to eat and where to avoid at all costs. Some of the best restaurants I have eaten at have never done any advertising because they DON’T NEED TO. They stay in business by reputation alone.

Keep doing the same with attractions, night clubs, beaches, parks, etc. Ask the locals! If you call to make a dinner reservation, ask the lady on the phone, “by the way, what would you consider the most happening night club in town” and you can bet she will have an opinion. Once you are armed with all of this information, plot it out on your online map, research a little and you will be surprised with all of the information available, typically posted by someone who has been there and loved it!

Search with the name of your attraction or restaurant and then add the word “discount” or “coupon” to your search. This can be a gold mine of discounts that are free for the printing! Go to the websites (if available) and you can find discounts, coupons, freebies, or find out that Thursday is Prime Rib night.

Call the restaurant or attraction directly. Ask them if there are any coupons out there that you should be aware of. Many times amusement parks will issue discount coupons with considerable savings to local fast food chains or grocery stores. They are meant to draw in locals, but hey, if they are out there go and get them!

Save yourself time by making reservations for meals when possible. You can always cancel them later, but why wait in line for 2 hours if they will let you reserve an ocean view table ahead of time! If you are celebrating a special occasion while you are there (birthday, honeymoon, anniversary, retirement, promotion), tell anyone who will listen when you are on the phone. We have received upgrades on our flights and hotels and have received free appetizers and desserts at countless restaurants. Everyone likes to help make somebody feel special or celebrated. Don’t make things up, but I bet if you think really hard you can think of something to celebrate, even if it’s your 5th honeymoon!

By doing a little research from home, you will save money when you arrive! I hope you will all put these practices to use for your next vacation, but if after you finish reading this the idea of booking your own vacation makes you feel exhausted, there is a solution. Call a Travel Agent.

We receive updates, e-mails, videos, booklets, brochures, and faxes every day! All of the steps I just described over these three articles are what you are paying your travel agent to do. We have “preferred suppliers” who we know will take care of our clients every time. We educate ourselves on the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions so that you DON’T HAVE TO! We even do site inspections to make sure they are still holding up to the standards we expect for our clients.

So for those who think the travel industry is all glitz, glamour, and fabulous free vacations, I hope you can now see what all is involved with planning a simple vacation. We definitely work hard for our money but we do it because we know that you can’t put a price on a memorable vacation. Happy travels!