Hey Babes!
I know I've been MIA for the past few weeks. I've been traveling a lot for business and pleasure. As fun as it has been, its also great to come home to family and friends. Aaand obviously I'm going to share all my travel secrets with you!
I wrote a post a while back called Traveling on a Budget (you can check it out here). It was a pretty popular post so I know lots of our readers have a serious case of wanderlust! I decided to take a deeper dive into the "getting there" part. A part that can often be the most expensive!
Below are 5 sites I recommend using to book travel. I've also included a bonus NYC guide. So yeah, if you love to travel and want to save money while you're at it, then this post is for you!
My Fave Travel Booking Deal Sites
Frontier: SLC to RDU $200 roundtrip. Boom. To put this deal in perspective, last christmas we ended going to Europe instead of home to Utah because it was cheaper.... They also have lightening deals on lots of other flights. We're talking $25-$50 each way. Crazy, right?! Now the catch is they are going to make you pay for a carry on. Lame, I know. You just need to be a light packer and fit everything in a small backpack (personal item) or pay the $25 carry on fee. Even with the fee its still a crazy deal! Check it out here.
Google Flights: I've mentioned Google Flights before! If you're not using them to find and book your next adventure then you should get on it. Easy to use interface! Check it out here.
ITA Matrix: Powered by Google, ITA Matrix is a more robust version of Google Flights and helps you find the best deals with more search options. Check it out here.
SkippLagged: Two words, hidden cities. Buying more tickets is sometimes WAY cheaper. Learn how you can save here.
GoToBus: Bus, hotels and vacation plans. GoToBus is such an affordable option if you don't mind being a little adventurous. For example, they service the China Town buses that go up and down the East Coast. We took a Bus from Durham to NYC for $30! It was an over night bus so we were able to maximize our time in the city. Book your next trip here.
Bonus!
Here are some New York City tips that are huge money savers!
Getting There
Definitely try one of the above mentioned sites. We used GoToBus and for to NYC for $30! The tolls alone would be way more than that (if we were driving our own car).
Lodging
AirBnB: Hotels and even motels are so expensive in NYC. We got an entire apartment with a private rooftop balcony for super cheap. AirBnB is pretty awesome. Super easy and reliable. Use my link to get $20 off your first trip.
CouchSurfing: I've mentioned this before, and I know its not for everyone. But if you're feeling adventurous, you can stay somewhere for free! Check it out here.
Public Transportation:. I was surprised on how easy it was to find my way around Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. Google Maps does a great job at showing you the fastest trains and connections in real time. If you haven't downloaded Google Maps on your phone yet, get it here.
If you're going to be there for a few days I would recommend getting a 7-day unlimited pass for $30. We got our money's worth on day 2. You can get more info here
What To Do
Here are a few fun and free ideas!
Big Apple Greeter: I have heard so many great things about the Big Apple Greeter Program! Its a free welcome visitor-service from a real New Yorker! Check out all the details here.
Studio Audience:
Good Morning America - No tickets required to be part of the morning fun. If you get there early, they will also have people go inside and join their studio audience, but you'll have lots of fun on the outside as well.
NBC Studios - You can check this site for info on how to get into what show. The day shows tape in the morning and the late night shows tape in the afternoon. You can request tickets ahead of time as they always sell out way before (they're free). But there is always the standby line! Check out more info here. When in doubt just go into the NBC Experience store and ask if they have standby tickets for any show. Being part of a studio audience is really so much fun!
Upright Citizens Brigade: Some of the funniest people have come from UCB. Show are cheap and often free! Check out the details here.
Bronx Zoo: Free on Wednesdays!
New York Aquarium: Free on Friday afternoons!
Museums: Check out this site for a list of all the free museums in NYC. I was surprised by how many there were!
If you have an upcoming trip to NYC, check out some of the fun above:) If you want to get out there and travel, then give some of my favorite sites a chance.
As always, if you need help planning your next trip or have any other questions, please shoot them my way!
Xoxo, Andrea
