Last Minute And Affordable Holiday Weekend Getaway

Holiday weekends sneak up on you, but it is never too late to plan your getaway. Here are a few tips on how to successful plan a last minute and affordable holiday weekend getaway just in time for Labor Day.

Hitlist

I love this app. Unfortunately, Hitlist is currently only for iPhone users, but it looks like they are in the process of developing an Android version. For those who have access, this is one of my go to apps for last minute travel. Hitlist allows you to set up custom travel alerts or you can use one of their pre-made alerts like the “weekend getaway.” For a specific holiday weekend getaway, I will type in my dates and my preferred departure airport. From there, Hitlist will compile a list of possible locations and pricing.

Staycation

Depending on the holiday, flights can still be pricey if you don’t have the flexibility to come back on a Monday or Tuesday when flights are cheaper after a holiday weekend. If this is the case, consider taking a road trip a few hours away. If you’re in the Bay Area, you have places like Paso Robles for amazing wine tasting, Santa Cruz for beach fun or grab a hotel and act like a tourist in San Francisco.

Unused Hotels

People often have to cancel their trips due to unforeseen obstacles, leaving them stuck with non-refundable hotel reservations. That’s where companies like Roomer Travel and Cancelon come into play and can help you save money. These companies essentially let you buy or sell unused hotel reservations similar to buying and selling concert tickets on Craigslist.

What I love is that you can find hotels rates discounted as much as 80 percent on Roomer Travel and Cancelon. The only catch is that these services are hit or miss and the customer service could be better. If you’re up for a potential adventure, then I say it’s worth trying one of these services.

Flexibility

The key to a successful last minute and affordable holiday weekend getaway is being flexible. Because this is a last minute trip, you may need to be flexible on the destination. That’s how I ended up in Thailand on a last minute trip. It wasn’t my first choice to go to Thailand for my birthday, but it was the cheapest, so I booked the trip. Being flexible saved me money and I experienced a country that at the time was low on my bucket list, but now is high on my must-go-back list.

What are some of your tips for affordable last minute holiday weekend getaways?