[ace333]

I took my first out of the country trip this year, went to iceland. And now its planted a severe travel necessity in me. Anyone know of any great cheap destinations? I'm open to any climate

[lizardlady]

I see you live in the US. How about a car trip to see parts of the country? There's something for everyone here - big cities, small towns, beautiful national and state parks, wide open spaces, beaches, mountains...

[eskielover]

Have you seen all the sights around Ky? Wow, I moved here 12 years ago & I love country. So many interesting places to see around here. I still want to get to Mammoth Caves....but the historical sites don't cost to see, food & gas.

Of course my favorite winter vacation was ALWAYS expensive.....skiing in Jackson Hole Wyo & x-country skiing & snow shoeing around the area with snow mobiling into Yellowstone. There is nothing in this world like Yellowstone in the winter. Closed to cars. Only snow coach, snow mobiles & x-country skiing allowed. Maybe just a trip into Yellowstone would be good. They have a little airport in Jackson & probably have Yellowstone as a winter tour. It might be slightly expensive but not like going to Iceland (ok....would love to go there myself)

[Mountaindewed]

I was thinking of going to Toronto next year. I’m not too far from Kentucky. It’s not that far of a drive I’m not sure how expensive it is. But there’s a lot to do there.

[LiteraryLark]

A trip to my home state was too expensive for me. It's really difficult for me to travel.

But I wanted to suggest if you haven't already is to explore your state to its fullest if you haven't already.

Also, one of my teachers in high school recommended a highway that begins California (I think there's different ways to start) and ends in New York. It takes five days travel without stopping and there's lots of places to stop and see.

It also depends on why you want to travel. Are you in for the sights, the art, the food, the people? For example, in almost every state in the US there is a food that is unique to that state or a food that is made "the best"/"only found here"

I'm sorry I'm not much help, I don't travel too much.

[bpcyclist]

Not sure if you are looking to go overseas again or stay here in the states. If you are looking at overseas again and want more affordableish, I would go to the Czech Republic, personally. It is quite beautiful and Prague is one of the coolest cities in Europe. If you want more of a beach scene, go to Greece. It is stunning and still pretty affordable. Parts of Spain can still be fairly cheap as well, and it is just a lovely place. Super, super hot in the summer, though. After London, Barcelona is my personal fave European city.

Australia is the place I send most people who have never traveled overseas before, but it has gotten quite expensive--especially, the flights. Qantas is just robbing people.

If someone who is American who had not traveled much asked me where they should go if they could only take one trip anywhere on earth, I would say NYC, without a doubt. But it is psychotically spendy.

@ace333 what's your travel budget like?

Will you travel alone or with a small group?

Do you like to do creative activities? There are a ton of travel packages online available to people who want to see the world yet do something creative at the same time. So, a writing retreat in Paris at Hemingway's old haunts. To, kayak & Canoe on the Colorado river to cycling tours in Bali. That's something to think about.

[Anonymous42019]

How about hiring a log cabin by a lake? Most lodges would have lower rates for this time of the year. It would be warm and cosy in a log cabin and you could do as you like.

I'd love to stay in one by a lake. I should imagine only a week would go quite slowly.

Or look for cheap stay in Florida. At least its weather is a lot warmer and perhaps you could hire someone to take you out in a boat?.

[eskielover]

Originally Posted by Access Denied

How about hiring a log cabin by a lake? Most lodges would have lower rates for this time of the year. It would be warm and cosy in a log cabin and you could do as you like.

I'd love to stay in one by a lake. I should imagine only a week would go quite slowly.

Or look for cheap stay in Florida. At least its weather is a lot warmer and perhaps you could hire someone to take you out in a boat?.

A week would be way too short of a time for me in that log cabin environment.....my farorite kind of place to explore & hike around. Snow....that is why I love snow shoes....makes walking on snow so much easier. What a quiet, restful getaway

[Anonymous42019]

Originally Posted by eskielover

A week would be way too short of a time for me in that log cabin environment.....my farorite kind of place to explore & hike around. Snow....that is why I love snow shoes....makes walking on snow so much easier. What a quiet, restful getaway

Well, I agree, but only said "one week" because though I'd need at least two myself or idially a month, I was considering the OP and their budget.

Winter happens to be my favourite time of the year. If I were to go anywhere it woould either be Norway, Sweden or Iceland.

Happy New Year!

If looking for US destinations (since I see you live in the US), I recommend NOT heading the eastern part of the country, not that all eastern states are very expensive, but most are. Ditto when it comes to California. Oregon and Washington are not cheap, but cheaper, on the whole, than CA. I think more in the middle (away from big cities an mega tourist attractions) are among the nicest destinations.Wyoming, Montana, some parts of Idaho are really lovely, as just a few suggestions.I imagine down south has some nice places with reasonable accommodation, but some cities may be exceptions.

As for inexpensive international travel, it really depends on what parts of a country you go to, in many cases. Also, how luxurious do you need the accommodation to be? Flight prices are also factors. In many European countries, there are airbnb (Vacation Rentals, Homes, Experiences & Places - Airbnb) options that are wonderful and inexpensive.A number of people I know have booked accommodation through that site. My husband and I and my nephew have booked accommodations through them, as well. Cheaper food can always be had if you stay away from tourist restaurants, but of course there can be the language issue. If you're willing to eat simpler or street food that can keep expenses down, too. Bpcyclist's suggestion about Czech Republic is a classic example here. It's not all cheap there, but can be. Ditto with Portugal, especially southern Portugal except some (not all) coastal destinations. Poland is beautiful! Greece has some great inexpensive options. Even certain parts of France (especially outside of Paris and the center of popular riviera cities) can be a good deal. What is always expensive, in most all of these places, is petrol (gasoline).

If you're looking for Asian destinations, you may want to research Thailand and Vietnam. The last time I was in Thailand was over 20 years ago. I've never been to Vietnam, but I've heard it is wonderful. Other Asian countries may be pricey. In China, you can't just travel freely by yourself, etc. I'd avoid Hong Kong right now.

South American countries? I've only been to Ecuador and Peru. Both were wonderful and not that expensive. You have to be careful about the accommodations, though. We stayed in a couple bed bug-ridden places. Most people would find Peru particularly cool. Peru Rail is great! Costa Rica is beautiful, but not as economical as the previous mentioned.

I have never been to Africa or the Middle East. I'm hesitant to go right now.

[bpcyclist]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

If looking for US destinations (since I see you live in the US), I recommend NOT heading the eastern part of the country, not that all eastern states are very expensive, but most are. Ditto when it comes to California. Oregon and Washington are not cheap, but cheaper, on the whole, than CA. I think more in the middle (away from big cities an mega tourist attractions) are among the nicest destinations.Wyoming, Montana, some parts of Idaho are really lovely, as just a few suggestions.I imagine down south has some nice places with reasonable accommodation, but some cities may be exceptions.

As for inexpensive international travel, it really depends on what parts of a country you go to, in many cases. Also, how luxurious do you need the accommodation to be? Flight prices are also factors. In many European countries, there are airbnb (Vacation Rentals, Homes, Experiences & Places - Airbnb) options that are wonderful and inexpensive.A number of people I know have booked accommodation through that site. My husband and I and my nephew have booked accommodations through them, as well. Cheaper food can always be had if you stay away from tourist restaurants, but of course there can be the language issue. If you're willing to eat simpler or street food that can keep expenses down, too. Bpcyclist's suggestion about Czech Republic is a classic example here. It's not all cheap there, but can be. Ditto with Portugal, especially southern Portugal except some (not all) coastal destinations. Poland is beautiful! Greece has some great inexpensive options. Even certain parts of France (especially outside of Paris and the center of popular riviera cities) can be a good deal. What is always expensive, in most all of these places, is petrol (gasoline).

If you're looking for Asian destinations, you may want to research Thailand and Vietnam. The last time I was in Thailand was over 20 years ago. I've never been to Vietnam, but I've heard it is wonderful. Other Asian countries may be pricey. In China, you can't just travel freely by yourself, etc. I'd avoid Hong Kong right now.

South American countries? I've only been to Ecuador and Peru. Both were wonderful and not that expensive. You have to be careful about the accommodations, though. We stayed in a couple bed bug-ridden places. Most people would find Peru particularly cool. Peru Rail is great! Costa Rica is beautiful, but not as economical as the previous mentioned.

I have never been to Africa or the Middle East. I'm hesitant to go right now.

Terrific suggestions! I completely forgot about Portugal when I mentioned Spain, but when I was last there, Lisbon was still pretty cheap for a big, beautiful city. And it is absolutely fantastic in my opinion. So unique. We also found extremely cheap food and accomodations down in Sagres, which I also love. Trains are the way to go, or at least they were a few years ago.

[WishfulThinker66]

We do a great deal of camping which is very economical but I agree not for everyone. It meets our needs.

We go on a bigger vacation though about every two years. Yes, since my own first adventure overseas I am hooked.

Everyone I know wants beaches and heat. Not us. We prefer a little more of doses of culture, art, and history (could be I grew up on hot sandy beaches). Yeah, the all inclusive resorts can come remarkably cheap but we spend a little more money and head to Europe for a riverboat cruise. At first glance I admit these can be pricey but you get what you paid for. Other than a little shopping though, I've never had to shell out a single penny more than the cost of booking the holiday. There are ways to make the holiday cheaper by watching for sales and promotions, arranging cut rate flights, and booking the lowest fare (why get a balcony when the only time you are going to spend in the cabin is to sleep?). Timing is everything. Booking at the last minute usually leads to sell-off prices. Similarly by booking a year in advance you can access early booking deals too. I generally can get my holiday booked for a quarter of the advertised cost. For example, I waited until I found not only a triple discount promotion but free international flights.