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10 Great Ideas To Help Plan A Cost-Effective Honeymoon
June 5, 2010
It seems these days everyone is on a budget because of a struggling economy, and this can make planning any event, especially a honeymoon, an extremely stressful situation. You shouldn’t worry so much, though, because it is possible to plan a dream honeymoon without spending a ton of money. As long as you are willing to check out your options you will see there are tons of ways to save money and still plan the honeymoon you’ve dreamed of. Check out this list of ten pointers to help you and everyone else plan affordable honeymoons.
1. Pick your time to travel in the off-peak season. Depending on where you go, you can find yourself saving as much as half off the normal price of everything from lodging to meals. As an example, if you choose to travel to a Caribbean spot, you could choose to go in the summer and save a bundle.
2. After choosing your destination, be sure to book air travel in advance. Most major airlines will penalize you with higher fares if you book a flight within less than 30 days of your target departure date. If you’re really savvy, be sure to have a frequent flyer account for the airline you’re using, along with a credit card for that carrier. My wife and I recently used our United Airlines frequent flyer miles to take a trip to Italy. We simply use my United Airlines credit card for most of our monthly living expenses, and the miles keep adding up over time!
3. As is the case with flight tickets, it is important to book hotel rooms early also. Especially in the non-peak time frames, room costs may be subject to negotiation. Anyone looking to save money and who does not mind a change of pace may find staying at a bed and breakfast or booking an apartment rental to be great options.
4. Decide on the tourist sights in which you are interested and make an effort to choose accommodations centrally located and within a short distance to the locations you most wish to see. Being able to secure accommodations near your priority tourist destinations is a great way to reduce expenses that otherwise might have gone to cab rides. Therefore, you can make the most of your vacation time by cutting down on travel time between points of interest.
5. When you dine where the locals do, odds are you’re getting an authentic dish at a reasonable price. Eating American cuisine outside of U.S. borders is considered a premium and probably not as satisfying as the local dishes you could often have for even less money.
6. This next tip is DIRE: If you or someone you know are looking to plan affordable honeymoons, you have to be educated on the exchange rates of currencies outside this country; you also must find out where the best exchange rates are offered. Face it, merchants are going to know you are a tourist, and they are going to use this to their advantage to make as much money off of you as they can.
7. The best money to use when you are overseas is the credit card for several reasons: you won’t have to worry so much about pickpockets, you will usually receive a good exchange rate on things you buy, you will have to worry less about carrying local currency, and you will have a nice way to show everywhere you went.
8. Although most couples look forward to shopping when they go on a honeymoon, the key to saving money is to know what you are shopping for. As long as you know who you are buying for and the merchandise that is the best choice for where you are going, you will be a smart buyer. This way people won’t dislike what you get them or sell them for a nickel in a yard sale.
9. Pack efficiently. No matter your destination, or the length of your journey, you always pack more than you need. Also, it is likely that you will purchase some locally-made garments while traveling. It is common to get wonderful bargains on quality clothing and decorative items in the local shops and markets.
10. Public transportation is cheap, efficient, and always an adventure (and a safe one at that) in most places outside of the United States. It is also a great way to see and experience local life.
I hope this list of tips has been helpful. As you can see, planning affordable honeymoons can be a really fun process. More importantly, the more you plan right now, the more you can relax and have a good time on your actual trip.
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The 5 Top Things To Do In New York City
June 4, 2010
The grand city of New York is undoubtedly one of the most enthralling, unique places in the entire world. Even if you visit the city several times each year, you still won’t see everything the Big Apple has to offer. Because there are so many fun and interesting tourist attractions, choosing the best ones is often a difficult task for tourists, especially those who are only visiting for a few days. But to help make the process a bit easier for you, here are five of the top things to do in New York City:
1. Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty
The ever unique and widely diverse history of our country can be found at Ellis Island, where years ago so many of our ancestors set foot on American soil for the very first time looking for freedom and prosperity. If you’re a genealogy buff, look through the registry for names of relatives who may have stepped off a boat here before heading on to visit the Statue of Liberty, fondly known as Lady Liberty. If you’ve never seen the statue in person, she is definitely a sight to behold with her strong, majestic presence and watchful eyes overlooking the ocean. To visit Ellis Island from the city, or from New Jersey, take a ferry for $12, which also goes to Liberty Island where the statue is situated. Tickets often sell out, so buy yours early if at all possible, either online or from the site where the ferry departs. You can also tour the crown of the statue, but this might entail an extra cost. These tickets sell out fast as well, so reserve them quickly.
2. Exciting Times Square
There are countless things to see and do in the district of Times Square alone, site of the New Year’s Eve ball drop. Spend a few days shopping, eating at some of the state’s best restaurants, and buy tickets to the latest Broadway shows. If you ever find yourself running out of ideas of things to do here, which is highly unlikely, head over to 7th Avenue near 46th Street and pay a visit to the information center for buying tickets, details about finding your way around, where the best places to go to enjoy the city’s nightlife, and of course, new ideas for things to do and see.
3. Beautiful Central Park
There is so much to do in the park alone, and so much to see. One of the best parts of Central Park is Strawberry Fields. This is the monument area set up to honor the late John Lennon. It’s across from the Dakota, the New York City apartment building where Lennon was assassinated. The site itself is a beautiful stone circle set in the ground and it says “Imagine” which was the name of one of Lennon’s biggest hits. Central Park also has a zoo and a giant carousel. Except for the zoo and the carousel, the rest of Central Park is free of charge. The park is huge, and you can easily spend a day exploring everything the park has to offer.
4. Ellen’s Stardust Diner
For ’50s style fun, delicious food, and an incredible ambience for both kids and adults, visit Ellen’s Stardust Diner, which is not too far away from Times Square, located on 51st and Broadway. At Ellen’s you will be sung to by waiters and waitresses who know all of the best Broadway show tunes. In fact, several employees of Ellen’s Stardust Diner have gone on to successful careers on Broadway. If you can, sit in the upper dining area which provides a view of the whole place. Food is on the pricey side, but well worth it. While reservations aren’t necessary, the diner is rather well known, so plan on waiting in a long line most days.
5. The Empire State Building
Head to the top of the Empire State Building on a clear day and you will be rewarded with a stunning view of all the surrounding states. This is New York’s tallest building and is also one of the world’s most recognizable structures. It has appeared in several well known movies. Adorned with red and green lights for the holidays, the top of the Empire State Building also has various look-out points and binoculars for visitors to use. Admission to the building is $19 for adults, $2 less for those with a military identification, and discounts can often be found through AAA, in entertainment books, and newspapers. You can also buy tickets in the building’s lobby, but because this is one of the city’s most popular attractions, be prepared to wait in line many times during the year.
There are so many things to do in New York City. After all, it is the city that never sleeps! Hopefully, this list will help to narrow down your search for great tourist attractions. Have fun exploring the city!
Want to find out more about the top things to do in New York City? Visit my blog for information on famous restaurants in New York and New York day tours.
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