Get a Deal on a Thanksgiving Vacation
The long weekend is a great time to get away with family -- or alone. Here are four money-saving tips to plan your escape. Plus, see our slide show for ten bargain Thanksgiving destinations.
By Erin Burt, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger.com
October 2007
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You've got a four-day weekend coming. Do you really want to spend it on a relative's lumpy sofa bed? Why not take advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday to have a real vacation?
Whether you want to bring the family along -- or go it alone -- the long weekend creates a great opportunity to get away. After all, Thanksgiving got started by a bunch of intercontinental travelers.
Being the busiest travel weekend of the year, Thanksgiving can be a pricey time to make your escape -- but not if you know where to look. Check out our slide show for Ten Thanksgiving Vacation Deals that'll satisfy your wanderlust without breaking the bank. Or, follow these four money-saving tips to come up with your own plan for a Thanksgiving vacation:
1. Stay close to home. If you're taking the whole family, you can save a lot of money (and your sanity) if you bypass the airports and drive to your destination. (According to AAA, the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving is the most crowded time on the road, so time your trip with that in mind.) Check out the Quick Escapes series from Globe Pequot Press for weekend getaway ideas within easy driving distance of major metro areas, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Florida, New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
2. Look abroad. Outside of the U.S., Thanksgiving is just another day -- just another off-season day in many locales. Europe, Asia and Canada in particular are on sale this time of year as the tourists have cleared out and the weather has cooled off. You can easily find an air/hotel vacation package for the long weekend for the same price -- or less -- than you could buy airfare alone in the spring and summer. Now is also prime time to find deals in the Caribbean before the winter high season kicks in.
3. Shop around early. It's no secret that prices on airfare and vacation packages can double in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. So start shopping now. Not sure how to unearth the best deals? Use our list of the 25 Best Travel Web Sites to aid in your search. The longer you wait to book your travel, the more you'll have to pay -- or the more flexible you'll have to be to keep things affordable as seats and rooms fill.
4. Travel on off-peak days. The busiest -- and often the priciest -- days to fly in November are the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after. So time your travel with that in mind. If you can schedule your flight a day or two before or after the peak days, or on Thanksgiving Day itself, you could save some serious cash. Not to mention you'll probably have a better airport experience if you're flying.