PLANNING
Hyannis Massachusetts is known as the home of the Kennedy compound, beautiful beaches, seafood and a gorgeous harbor. Some place that sounds heavenly to me. So I’ve been doing some research to see just how I can take a long weekend trip (frugally) and have fun too. One travel site that I always depend on to find good deals is travelzoo and once again they didn’t disappoint. They were offering a four hour deep sea fishing trip that included everything…. bait, rods, reels and the license for half price — much too good a deal to pass off.
So after talking my husband into it, I bought the deal.
Hotel Hunting
Now it was time to find a hotel. This proved to be a little more tricky. We called the fishing company to see if they had a special relationship with any hotels that would be close to the harbor (being unfamiliar with the area we didn’t want to be too far away and possibly get lost) so that maybe we could get a special rate. This strategy didn’t work mostly because of the time of year. If it would have been off-season then this usually works, but it never hurts to ask. We did get a lead on hotels that are close to the harbor with views (expensive) but other rooms in the same hotel without the views were a little more reasonable. If you’re going with a family or with a few couples you might want to think about renting a house or a condo. When splitting the cost, it can prove to be more cost effective, and with a kitchen you can also save on meals.
Hotels might also have other perks such as discounts with local restaurants or coupons for area attractions. Be sure to check the hotels website to see if they have any promotions going with other businesses in the area and also for leads on activities to do.
Packing
I like to pack light. If there is anything that I’ve forgotten I can always pick it up at a store, Walmart is everywhere — right? But it does make more sense to have everything with you. You can’t count on the hotel having free toothpaste or toothbrushes, shampoo and mouthwash. For a trip like the one we’re going on I’m planning on shorts, t-shirts (the weather is suppose to be hot), a jacket for the evenings, rubber soled shoes, bathing suit and possibly one nice outfit for dinner out. The most important thing for me since I write while I travel is to be sure that I have Wi-Fi available. I also make sure to pack my computer, and of course my camera. I take all my cables and cords to be sure that I can keep the batteries charged, download my photos and write my posts.
That’s about it, besides cash and my cell phone.
Then We’re Off
It’s very important to plan a route for a day trip like this. Going to Massachusetts from Saratoga Springs there will be tolls, so be sure to either have an E-Z pass or cash to pay the tolls. I always like to have extra cash for little things, always over plan on what you think you might spend. Nothing spoils a trip faster than being short on cash…. trust me I know.
I also like to have either mapquest or a GPS to plan stops ahead of time for gas and food. I like a GPS better since you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to check the map.
By planning ahead, using the internet or guide book, packing appropriately you can have a flawless vacation.
So plan, pack and go!
Have a travel tip you’d like to share?
