How To Plan a Last Minute Weekend Getaway
Looking to get away RIGHT NOW! But don’t really have the time or cash flow for anything major. Then booking a last-minute vacation may be exactly what you need. The best kind of holiday is the one you can take ASAP. Trust me we’ve all been there. There is still time to plan that mini weekend getaway and it not send you broke in the process. Check out my top tips for planning a last-minute weekend getaway today.
Below are a few handy tips on how to plan a ‘vacation on the fly’ and help you make great spontaneous travel plans within your budget.
Don’t Over Think It
The first thing to remember here is that you are wanting to be spontaneous! You want to be flexible and not too picky. I sometimes don’t even pick a certain destination when it comes to planning my holiday and let the cheap deals find one for me. The key is to not overthink it and create too much planning. Keep it simple! Who knows you might just find what you’re looking for an hour or two just outside your hometown.
Getting There
If you’re thinking of flying somewhere I highly recommend checking out budget airfare deals first before planning everything else. These can often be a ‘deal-breaker’ as they are most of the time the most expensive part of the trip. Remember the key is to be flexible. Look at unpopular flight times like early morning or late afternoons, and on weekdays as the weekends tend to be the most pricy. Booking last minute flights can save you some big bucks if you do your research.
Budget airlines are also your BFF! They will almost always give you a better deal than your regular airlines so don’t be afraid to use them. I also love using Skyscanner & Google for flights as it has this great option to choose anywhere as a destination.
Helpful Tip: Always sign up for flight alerts! It would be a shame to see those flights increase in price all because you didn’t get the email. Read more handy tips on how to find cheap flights here.
Booking Your Hotel
It’s time to book your accommodation. The Best thing to do is compare prices. See what you can find online and compare them to hotels directly. You may be surprised that some hotels can be cheaper if you call them directly. I also recommend hotel websites with comparable prices they often have cheap deals during certain times of the year with vouchers and coupons as well. Let’s not forget signing up with certain hotel websites also has its perks. The more you book with them the more they reward you with sometimes free nights stay.
Two of my favorite websites to use is Expedia and Booking.com they have some incredible deals for last-minute bookings. They also have this cool feature where you can book a room without knowing the hotel. (kind of like a mystery hotel) Which is always fun when you’re being spontaneous.
What To Pack?
Depending on your plans you want to keep packing simple. Remember it’s a weekend getaway not a 3 month trip to Europe! If you’re planning to relax on the beach then pack your sun hat, towel, and a relaxing book that will help you unwind. Or if your plan is to be more adventurous and go trekking then pack your hiking boots.
You don’t want to stress overpacking. The idea is to pack your mini-vacay essentials so you have more time to enjoy your trip away.
Read More
What To Pack For A Tropical Getaway
What To Pack For A Winter Getaway
Here a few packing essentials I never travel without.
Try Out Cheap Travel Packages
Want the ultimate carefree experience? Then booking package deals are a great way to go. Travel packages can often come with flights and accommodation already included at a cheap price. You won’t have to worry about making sure you have all your hotels and flights lined up as it’s already taken care of. Package deals are super quick, easy, and stress-free so you can spend more time getting into vacay mode. Bundle and save with Expedia’s package deals here!
Be Ready To Wing It!
The most important tip to keep in mind with last-minute trips is to be ready for ANYTHING!! The best thing about spontaneous getaways is that things can change just like any planned holiday. Embrace all of what last-minute vacations bring you. So relax, sit back and enjoy your mini weekend getaway.
Enjoyed this post? Let me know how you like to plan for last-minute trips.
Just a heads up! This post contains some affiliate links. If you purchase through one of these links I may receive a small commission that helps support this blog. You will not pay more when you buy through these links. All opinions are my own and I would never recommend anything I don’t personally love.
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