Need ideas for cheap vacation with free flight tickets *Subway help

[Leshaface]

*ETA- We're staying in a hotel in Cambridge across from Harvard. We're wanting to do/trying to do these activities:

-Duck Tour (departing from Museum of Science)
-Museum of Science
-North End
-Sam Adams brewery tour
-Faneuil Hall

Is the subway fairly easy to get to all these places? Also, should we purchase the 1 day unlimited Subway pass for $9/person?

Thank you!

-----------------------------------

So my DH and I received the two free flights promotion through Southwest for applying for their credit card. Now we don't know what to do with them!


We have to use them by March of next year, HOWEVER, DH is a teacher who will be starting up July 27.

These are the only dates WE can use them because of work:


-Anytime in July through the 25
-December 10 - January 7 or 8th.

We're only looking for a short trip, max 4 nights, BUDGET! We're not trying to do MAJOR site-seeing stuff, but rather free or nearly free things to do. It would be nice to NOT have to rent a car and rely on public transportation, but if it would work out better for us, then that's what we'll do.

We were 'originally' thinking Boston because that was just a random place that we've wanted to visit but would probably never go any other time, but considering it's free flight tickets, we should check it out...HOTELS ARE EXPENSIVE! Even if I named my own price through Priceline, hotels would still be over 225/night.

Now i'm thinking, maybe we should just book a small package and go to WDW the 11-15 of December, but not sure of the crowds during this time? .

I'm just so confused, DH is not helping me much. Free airline tickets should not be this stressful!

If anyone has any ideas for us, PLEASE suggest them! We're open to do anything (trying to stay away from the West Coast though, considering we can drive anywhere from where we live)

Thanks friends!

 

[Safari Queen]

If you do Disney, I recommend going after New Year's Day. The crowds die down and it's much more relaxing.

If you really want to do Boston, try an extended stay hotel in the suburbs. There's one near us, Extended Stay Deluxe, 831 Main
Woburn, MA 01801, (781) 938-3737, BWO@extendedstay.com. About $100 a night and it's close to public transportation to Boston. Probably about 30 minutes to town.

 

[chris31997]

Or look into DC and stay in the suburbs and use the Metro. Hubby might be able to tie in all the Smithsonians into school. I have no clue about prices.

 

[dzorn]

Washington DC quite a bit is free, Many of the monuments and museums. Though it did cost us quite a bit in souv. money she'll start middle school in the fall.

Denise in MI

 

[lisa-upnorth]

I just got back from Wash DC and would definitely vote for that!!!! I did priceline name your price and paid $90 a night for 4 star on capital hill (Hyatt).Could walk to everything!!Did a few taxi rides at about $12 a pop.Visited 4 Smithsonian museums, all monuments,Nation Zoo,Arlington Cemetery,White House(outside),Capital and my FAVORITE PLACE the Library of Congress. Spent 4 days and had more than enough time!ALL PLACES VISITED WERE FREE!!!!

 

[smitch425]

The St. Louis Zoo is HUGE and is totally free. Also, the Missouri Botanical Gardens is the most stunning place I think I've ever been (and I've been to Paris, France!). I think the garden was $20 per person and you could easily spend an entire day there. Lots of museums, The Arch, MLB games. We stayed at a Days Inn in O'Fallon, IL that trip. I think it was only $50-60 per night. If you go there, definitely do a July trip. Now I have to go to my Facebook page and look at my garden photos and reminisce...

 

[rigs32]

Check out skyauction.com. It requires research to know what resorts/hotels are worth staying at and what a decent price is. But if you can wait to book the flight until a couple weeks ahead, you can get some good deals.

I stayed in a 1BR at Silver Lake in Orlando for a week (the back entrance hooked right into the WDW road system and it was 10-15 min to each park) for $199. Actually, the condo was Fri to Fri and I was there Sat to Fri which wasn't a problem and still a great deal.

I also went to a decent (2nd or 3rd tier) all-inclusive in the Dominican Republic for $60pp/nt through them. Not a super fancy place, but I definitely drank more than that.

Your post says you're from California. Perhaps New Orleans? http://www.skyauction.com/action/offer/1957112

Here is how I got the Orlando condo: http://www.skyauction.com/action/offer/1957057

 

[SandrA9810]

WDW doesn't pick up until after the 17th or so, the first two weeks in December is comparably quiet and festive. They still offer discounts on the rooms till then as well, which usually co-insides with the blackout dates for seasonal passholders.

But then you still have too look into the ticket costs, and the cost of eating around there. If you have an annual pass to DLR, would it be economical to upgrade to both resorts?

If you go in the winter time, do you want warm weather or cold weather climate? And can you handle flight delays from a snow storm? December 10-17th would be ideal time, because it'll give you a break in the middle of the year, you're not rushing your plans, and would allow for anything nature throws out at you.

Chicago, NYC, DC all seem to be areas with good public transportation. Of course there's also several small towns with good transportation, like in the Carolinas, Tennessee, Arkansas, and probably a million more. What about Niagara Falls?

 

[kirstenb1]

Here in Virginia, one of our state parks, First Landing in Virginia Beach has cabins they rent. I've not rented one, but understand they're very cheap. You'd need a rental car, but this park is gorgeous. I used to jog the trails when we lived there. 5 miles of wooded trails, through cypress bogs, etc, right up to the oceanfront.

Anyway, my point was, to look into state parks and their rentals.

 

[emma'smom]

We occasionally have stand-by SW tickets (given to us by a family member) and it is fun to pick a trip. We've done Orlando, LA, and Vegas (the latter two probably wouldn't be anything new to you).

The most fun was a "mom's getaway" I took with a friend who had never been to the east coast before.

We flew into Baltimore/Washington, rented a car, and toured Baltimore for the day (Fells Point/Inner Harbor/Ace of Cakes, etc).

Then we drove to Philly that evening and did a little touring. Stayed overnight with a friend from college....

Then got up the next morning and drove to NYC. We spent the day touring Manhattan (street-parked on the upper west side) and took a bus or train around. We hit Columbia University area, Central Park, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Center, China Town, Times Square. We ended up at a noodle shop back near our car and then drove out to NJ to stay at a hotel overnight (much cheaper).

The next day we had breakfast in a classic greek diner, hit Ikea, and then drove back to Baltimore to turn in the rental car and fly home.

You could toss a day in DC in or spend more time in Philly.

Total major cost for us was 75.00 for car rental, 40.00 tolls, 100.00 for hotel. There were also a few tanks of gas in there....and then meals, drinks. However, I figure we would have eaten and filled our own cars with gas at home--so that was a wash.

 

[smitch425]

Here in Virginia, one of our state parks, First Landing in Virginia Beach has cabins they rent. I've not rented one, but understand they're very cheap. You'd need a rental car, but this park is gorgeous. I used to jog the trails when we lived there. 5 miles of wooded trails, through cypress bogs, etc, right up to the oceanfront.

Anyway, my point was, to look into state parks and their rentals.

Is there a giant cross there??? I remember going to Viginia Beach and our parents stopping at a park with some type of pilgrim landing cross. There were these huge (and I mean HUGE) bugs flying around everywhere, and me and my little brother and little sister would absolutely NOT get out of the car! It was really hot so my parents kept the front windows of the van rolled down. We were terrified of the bugs so we opened our suitcases and got out our beach towels and frantically held them up in the open windows the whole time our parents were gone. I'm sure it was probably only 10 minutes, but it seemed like hours! Sorry for the long story, but your post just took me back to that moment. I don't even know if it is really the same place, but thanks for bringing back the memory.

 

[An_Island_Girl]

What about New Orleans? There is so much to see and do, and as long as you stay in the French Quarter, you can walk most anywhere or take the cable cars. There are so many hotels, that you can find a nice room for a decent price.

My DH and I went for a few days last November, and we had a blast!

Good luck on whatever you decide!

 

[puffkin]

What about a cruise? There are a lot of awesome cruise deals out there. Considering that would cover the lodging/food/entertainment and you have the airfare tickets, you really wouldn't have a lot of extra costs. As long as you don't drink a lot of alcohol or take expensive excursions it is very affordable. I did a Carnival cruise a few years back for $280. That was for 4 nights. I spent an additional $50 on drinks and another $60 for an excursion, but easily could have saved that money if I was going more budget.

With free airfare, you would have a lot of ports to choose from and may be able to find an awesome deal!

 

[Leshaface]

OP here!

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

I would love to go back to DC and see all the things that we missed, but DH wants to go somewhere different (we were there last summer). He doesn't want to go to FL (just got back from a fabulous Disney Dream cruise!). He wants to go somewhere random, that we would never really plan a trip to if we would have to pay for airfare like TN or Wyoming.

I was looking into Rhode Island (since there are flights still available for our dates, July 10-13) and to rent a car would only be less than $150. Not entirely sure what we could do there, but sounds like an adventure!

Any other suggestions!?

 

[Leshaface]

Okay so we're really looking into flying into RI, staying the night in Providence upon arrival, and the next day wanting to go into Boston and stay one night there.

Since we'll be renting a vehicle, would it be wise to find a subway station on the outskirts of Boston and parking there overnight, to avoid driving in the city/paying for parking at a hotel?

Which parking station would be closest for us?

Thank you!

 

[lisa-upnorth]

I was a RI'er for 18 years and I would suggest the bus to Boston. It is a quick and cheap alternative to driving in--which is not fun!!Bus station is in Providence.
PS-I still vote for DC over Boston

Have fun!!!!

 

[rella's fan]

I have a friend that lives just outside of Boston and I always fly into Providence when I go to visit. VERY easy drive. She lives in Quincy which is about a 45 minute drive from Providence airport. There is a great Marriott in Quincy (super close to the highway and to the subway station.) This way you would be very close to Boston and not have to drive into the city. The hotel has free parking and also offers a free shuttle to the T station which will get you right into the city. Super easy.
Another option is Newport, RI. Love it there, it's about a 45 minute drive the other direction from the Providence airport. I think there may even be a shuttle? Great "New England" little town with shops, beaches, restaurants and all the mansions that you can tour through.

 

[MHSweb79]

Look at the MBTA website and see what's available in Quincy or Braintree (Red Line?) I don't know if you can park overnight but I think you can at some of them. If you send me a PM I can get some more info from a friend who lives in Quincy, which is just south of the big city.

Cambridge, MA is adjacent to Boston and has good subway (it's called "the T") access to Boston. Or consider staying in RI and doing day trips to Boston. A hotel in Mansfield, MA would be right at the junction of Routes 95 and 495, which makes it a straight run to Boston or even Cape Cod, if you are so inclined. Newport, RI is gorgeous in the summer as well.

 

[bamor]

There is a new commuter line from T F Green you can take into Boston.
It does only run inbound a few times a day. Check the MBTA website for the schedule. There is a Hilton Garden Inn almost directly across the street from the T Stop. There is a good restaurant attached as well called the Iron Works Tavern. So if you are just planning on spending the night, I would look here.
Ok, so the Providence airport is actually in Warwick, just so you know when looking at hotels. I live in Warwick, pm me if you have any questions.
Boston hotels are expensive, yes, but I've had great luck with Hotwire. If you refer to www.betterbidding.com you can often pinpoint which hotel you might be getting. There is good info on that site about Priceline "wins" too. Just do your research and you should be able to find something. Check the Orlando and attractions board, there is a thread on there with someone who has offered their friends and family discount to Holiday Inn hotels. Have a look at the Holiday Inn Beacon Hill with this discount, in a good central location.
If you do go to Boston, I highly recommend the Duck Tour. A little pricey and I thought it would be way too touristy, but in fact we loved it and would do it again in a second. It will give you a great overview of the city.
The subway in and around Boston is super easy, really no need to rent a car.

 

[Leshaface]

I have a friend that lives just outside of Boston and I always fly into Providence when I go to visit. VERY easy drive. She lives in Quincy which is about a 45 minute drive from Providence airport. There is a great Marriott in Quincy (super close to the highway and to the subway station.) This way you would be very close to Boston and not have to drive into the city. The hotel has free parking and also offers a free shuttle to the T station which will get you right into the city. Super easy.
Another option is Newport, RI. Love it there, it's about a 45 minute drive the other direction from the Providence airport. I think there may even be a shuttle? Great "New England" little town with shops, beaches, restaurants and all the mansions that you can tour through.

Look at the MBTA website and see what's available in Quincy or Braintree (Red Line?) I don't know if you can park overnight but I think you can at some of them. If you send me a PM I can get some more info from a friend who lives in Quincy, which is just south of the big city.

Cambridge, MA is adjacent to Boston and has good subway (it's called "the T") access to Boston. Or consider staying in RI and doing day trips to Boston. A hotel in Mansfield, MA would be right at the junction of Routes 95 and 495, which makes it a straight run to Boston or even Cape Cod, if you are so inclined. Newport, RI is gorgeous in the summer as well.

Looks like Quincy is a popular choice then!

I'll check out some hotels there. Are there any other cities I should look into?!

Thanks everyone for your help!