This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Due to rising prices caused by inflation and the uncertainty linked to the war in Ukraine, the scope of the famous “catch-up trip” may eventually be reduced. As for the soaring price of gasoline, it no doubt sounds the death knell for long road trips. More than ever, it’s time to plan vacations offering the best value for money! Third text in a four-part series.
Websites of states or cities that pique our interest are a good starting point for this “treasure hunt”. (This also applies to the sites of regional tourist associations in Quebec, we will come back to this next week.) A tab Deals often hides offers like “two for one” or even “4and free night with the purchase of three”. That of New Hampshire, a destination of relative proximity whose picturesque villages and White and Green mountains we love, even offers discounts reserved for Canadians. If they look sparse these days, these tabs will take over the next few weeks.
JFK or SFO?
From the outset, an urban stay during which you will travel on foot and by public transport is a good idea. Among the extraordinary cities to explore on sunny days are Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston and, of course, New York. For a change, we could decide to stay in San Francisco thanks to the new direct Air Transat flight, which will be inaugurated in May, a few days after the one to Los Angeles. (Good to know: San Francisco’s convention center, Moscone Center, has a clinic for visitors who need to be tested for antigens in preparation for their flight home.)
Regardless of the city chosen, buying a pass that groups together attractions by granting a discount on their entrance fees is advantageous when you plan to visit several attractions. Like the Passeport MTL, which returns this summer, several American destinations have their CityPASS, and in the Big Apple, the discount can reach 40%. Also in this city, the Pod hotels are an excellent option for those looking for relatively affordable accommodation in a prime location – a real miracle, to be honest!
To explore a less touristy neighborhood during a guided walking tour in New York or Chicago, you could rely on a resident found through the International Greeter association. It has volunteers from all over the world (including Gaspé) who are enthusiastic about the idea of introducing foreigners to their part of the country. We lived this experience several times in Paris, and thus discovered an anti-Amelie Poulain Montmartre with the manager of a hypermarket and the secret Marais of a bookseller! A discretionary donation to the association is all it takes to have a good time.
South of the South
On the sea side, Virginia Beach has experienced a great renaissance in recent years thanks to a range of activities (watching dolphins in a kayak, tasting oysters on the waves) and up-to-date accommodation, including the superb campsite at First Landing State Park. The family resort has also been saving Canadians’ wallets for a long time through its Loonie Savers program., which offers various discounts, some of which represent 15% of the cost of accommodation.
Dream destination or plan B for some vacationers if ever the war in Ukraine hindered their European plan A, the Hawaiian archipelago is however far from affordable for Montrealers. According to the Numbeo comparator, it costs 49% more to live in Honolulu than here (excluding rent). To save a little while helping the environment, one could indulge in the voluntourism activities that take place on the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii: the partner hotels of the Malama Hawaii program give discounts and sometimes overnight stays for participants. The Hopper app could also be useful: it indicates how much you will save by buying your plane ticket now rather than in a few weeks.
The popularity of Caribbean dates is undeniable, even in summer. In order to live a Cuban experience cheaply in an all-true rather than all-inclusive formula, one could stay with the locals. The website casaparticularcuba.org lists bed and breakfasts as entire homes all over the Isla Grande. A good idea ? Settle in Old Havana and alternate days of sightseeing and excursions to the beach, including the superb Playa del Este, located half an hour from the capital by wow.
Exotically authentic
In French Polynesia too, you can stay with the locals, an option that falls under the “small family hotel business”, as they say there. The website tahititourism.ca gives several addresses of pensions, in Bora Bora as in Fakarava. (As of this writing, 90% of guests are back in business.) The rates are great, the stay will be authentic, and, as a bonus, the destination is at its peak of summer appeal. It is notably the season of the Heiva artistic festival, in July, and of the canoe races, the famous go to, which are an intrinsic part of the history of the Pacific Islands. In Papeete, the Te Aito race will take place on June 24 and 25, then the Super Aito, which brings together the cream of rowers, on July 22 and 23. We will have a good view of the beach of the Aorai Tine Hau park, in Pirae, near Papeete. Then, it will be off to the “roulottes” for the tasting of local specialties casually with the Tahitians!
Finally, another destination to discover in the summer, especially if you want to go hiking, is Peru. The temperatures are cool, but the weather is dry and the sky clear on the side of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Machu Picchu. In addition, here, our dollar goes far. In Aguas Calientes, base camp of the “Old Mountain”, we could stay at the small hotel El MaPi by Inkaterra. It’s the affordable brand of Inkaterra, a local banner that has been promoting ecotourism and sustainable tourism for 46 years.
Last fall, its properties were named “the world’s first carbon-negative hotels” by the Green Initiative, a certification body accredited by the United Nations. Together with other players in the local tourism sector, Inkaterra has also contributed to making Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the first carbon neutral destination on the planet.
In short, having a memorable trip while helping to preserve a fragile common good is commendable, and so much the better if you don’t break the bank!
Read next week: Heading for Quebec and Canada… affordable!