PLANNING TIPS FOR YOUR SPRING BREAK TRIPS Writer / Lindsey Thompson Photography Provided
The weeks after Winter Break can drag on and on, especially during an exceptionally cold and dreary winter. A little Spring Break planning can be just the thing to get you out of the winter doldrums and looking forward to some time away. Whether you stay close or travel far, here are some tips for planning your Spring Break trip. 1. BOOK EARLY Lots of people travel during Spring Break so booking early assures you can get better flights, hotel rooms and attraction tickets. Schools typically release their yearly calendars at the beginning of the school year, giving you plenty of heads up to book Spring Break early. When you book early, you have a better
chance of getting a better deal and making sure you book just the right flight or hotel for your family. The longer you wait to book flights, for example, the less likely you are to get seats together or even be on the same flight. 2. SET A BUDGET Lay out a travel budget for your Spring Break trip and stick to it. Making family memories on a vacation may be priceless, but taking a trip you can’t afford isn’t worth going into debt. Just like it’s beneficial to book early, it also helps to save early for your Spring Break trip. Spring Break doesn’t fall too far after Christmas, another expensive time for your family budget, so planning ahead allows you to spend money on both. Use a budget management tool like Mint to help you plan and save. 16 / CARMEL MAGAZINE / MARCH 2020 / atCarmel.com
3. DIAL INTO DEAL Travel deals abound, you just have to do a little digging to find them. Not just for massages and Thai food deals, Groupon and LivingSocial both have travel sections full of deals. Groupon has a special Spring Break page that offers lots of great ideas and travel deals including Smoky Mountain cabins, indoor water parks and beach getaways. Online travel agencies like Expedia, Travelocity and Kayak allow you to search for travel deals all around the world. Many even have special Spring Break pages, providing trip suggestions for flights, hotels and activities. If you’ll be traveling by air, some travel experts suggest the best time to purchase airline tickets is on a Tuesday, as prices tend to drop that day each week. Sign up for airline and hotel emails to unlock other deals.
