Travel

Advice on getting 3 small trips in this spring/summer/fall.

  • Last Updated:
  • Apr 23rd, 2018 7:30 am
Deal Addict
Apr 5, 2017
1556 posts
1391 upvotes
Edmonton, AB

Advice on getting 3 small trips in this spring/summer/fall.

I'm long over due taking some time off work to get out and see more of the world. I'm not too picky but also have a budget.

I was able to do 10 days in Maui, Hawaii last year for under $1500 CAD (500 flight, 700 misc expenses, 300 car rental that was surprisingly really fun - turbo'd Chevy Sonic, was like a mild hot hatch) and had a pretty good authentic experience as I already look like I belong there + have family there, so was able to have a pretty unique experience that way. My Goodlife membership even worked at their 24 Hour Fitness location - felt like I was at home. A 2 minute drive from gym to the grocery, then 2 minutes to a "lesser known by tourists" beach for some BBQ. Ate endless fresh tuna poke.

Same with my 3 weeks spent in the Philippines (about 10 years ago). Family and all there as well. I think each of us was in that for $3300 CAD and saw a lot of the country. Even experienced getting stuck in one of their Typhoons. Had to turn back as a bridge to the next town we wanted to visit had collapsed.

Other than that I've gone from Edmonton > Calgary and sometimes Banff/Jasper, or Edmonton > Vancouver, once went to Vancouver Island, Tofino, etc. but never Victoria. I'll never go to Eastern Canada unless it's free or cheap. Not worth it to me, other than maybe some family in Ontario.

This year:

1) BC Road Trip (June), taking my new to me 2013 500 Abarth with 41,xxx KM's for some fun, try to put as many KM's on it during it's last 13 months of factory warranty. Rear seat delete. Just me and one other person. Plenty of space. Should be $100 there and $100 back fuel wise. Maybe slap another $50 for good measure in there as premium will probably be over $2 per liter by June in BC. Plus I want to drive for fun on the twisties, but plan to stick to the speed limits for the boring straights. The 135km/h speed limit sections will be interesting. I won't be spending much in BC, usually never do with their outrageous cost of everything. Usually take Yellowhead to get there, and coming back I'll go through the Southern way (through to Calgary then North to Edmonton). Last 3 times I went I took an automatic 2008 Civic that was "decelerating while accelerating" on steep inclines, very trippy and messed with me, it was like going back in time. Now I have a turbo, which hopefully doesn't heat soak too badly. Plan to make some either brief or overnight stops: Jasper and/or Banff, Kamloops and/or Kelowna depending on which route. I'm thinking it should take a total of 5 days but I'll include another day because of spreading the driving out. Taking someone whose never really been on a road trip like this or seen the scenery, so I want to take my time and cater to their experience. $250 gas, maybe $250 hotels, and maybe $250 whatever else. Will be staying at relatives once at Vancouver. I love driving, so this road trip is most exciting to me.

2) America! Vegas (end of August / beginning of September maybe) I'm thinking also 5 days. Monday-Friday sorta thing. Never been. Just want to see the city, the nightlife, maybe some EDM events, whatever cheap buffets, and enjoy whatever resort I'm at. Trying to minimize flight/accommodation expenses to increase my "whatever else" budget. Going with 1 or 2 others. I can redeem my Scotia Gold AMEX points which is on track to accumulate $350 worth of points by the time I go so that helps. Then I'll budget another $1600 for this, so close to $2k CAD total. And I still have $50 USD to bring with me leftover from Hawaii.

3) Mexico (Cancun) or Cuba ... but realistically I may just do Vancouver/Vegas and save a tropical place for during a nasty part of next winter instead. Actually, may just do the Hawaii one again since I know Maui as if I live there. Whereas I'd probably just stick to the resorts if it were Mexico or Cuba. Thinking July, or put this off till November.

Not sure what the best course of action is with these last two options. The third one really depends on how much it will be, as it may put me way over my total of $5k for all these put together.
1 reply
Deal Expert
User avatar
May 10, 2005
36968 posts
11408 upvotes
Ottawa
I would not do Vegas in August/September. It is very hot (although you will probably spend most of your time indoors LOL). I would wait till Oct/Nov. Be aware, Vegas is not cheap. The shows and entertainment are quite expensive (don't fall for the hawkers offering cheap tickets...you need to sit through a high pressure sales meeting first and then the tickets are in the cheap seats) and so are many of the restaurants. It is not like in the movies where they push drinks at you and ultra cheap buffets anymore.
Mexico has been getting a lot of bad publicity due to crime, including Cancun. Having said that, staying on the resort should be OK.
I live in Eastern Canada and many of my friends were Cuba enthusiasts for a long time but in recent years they have stopped going. The reasons have been from decaying resort properties (not being repaired and just getting old) and beaches that have disappeared due to the many storms over the island. They have moved on to the myriad of other Caribbean islands.
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