Staying at home during a city-wide lockdown was devastating for many. After all, being at home for over three months was bound to take a toll on us, especially backpackers. Online shopping, virtual offices, and home schooling was anxiety-inducing at the very least. Whether you need to travel for business or pleasure, traveling was at a halt. This affected not only the state of mind but also financial resources.
Once lockdown restrictions relax, along with domestic and international haulage approval, many travelers are thinking of planning vacations. But then again, the first hurdle in planning a post-pandemic trip involves your budget. To ensure that the trip is enjoyable yet within budget can be challenging. Obviously, if you’ve managed to save and have a healthy budget, you can treat yourself to luxury things, such as a private jet charter from Jettly or somewhere similar!
Nonetheless, all situations have a beginning, middle, and ending. Hence, you can manage if you work on it wisely. You can do so using assistance from companies that can help you when it comes to planning a trip on a budget. Let us further give you an insight on how to plan a post-pandemic trip on a budget.
Planning a Low-budget Trip after the Pandemic
Some of the less expensive ways to travel can be a lot of fun for money-saving travelers like you. Not to mention, it will help you stay safe as well. Moreover, as identified by Kupino.com recently, “prices of travel packages have become 2 times lower during the last three months into certain destinations”. Since the pre-pandemic prices are not getting back as quickly as assumed, this makes it a good opportunity for all travelers who enjoy low budget trip ideas.
1. Camping
Even if you’re going traveling for some relaxation post-lockdown, procuring safety precautions after the pandemic is still a requirement, while you are planning a vacation trip that should be far from home but still safe for you and your family, ‘camping’ is the best idea. It would charge you the same as staying at home if you pre-plan your food, grocery, and medicine takeaways.
Where to Camp?
You can go camping in national parks or other recreational areas that require reservations. Many simply allow walk-ins, but it is better to decide beforehand to avoid any discomfort. Think about moving to lesser-visited spots that are popular amongst adventurers, such as Mount Rainier, Denali, and Zion. Some other spots that have low visitation are Lake Clark, Great Basin, and North Cascade. National forests, parks, and recreation areas provide other NPS lands and campgrounds. The U.S. controlled Forest Service provides places to linger as well.
What to bring along?
Considering buying the best tent for you? Check the size and the season ranking. The measurements typically depend on the number of people sleeping in a tent, and if the area is warm, the bigger, the better. Seasonal rating tents operate well and, in most cases, three-season tents, which ensure that they are accessible in spring, summer, and autumn. A four-season tent is ideal for winter, with added temperature protection and heat retention.
Suppose you are planning to make food on-site but need a heat source. If you plan on setting up a camping stove or fire, you must consider a range of items beforehand. Some places prohibit campfires or have limits, and others have public grills. But you’re going to have to carry your own fuel.
In terms of cookware, pots, pans, dishes, and utensils, you may have to bring with you depending on what you plan on eating. Take what cookware you can from home, and buying recyclable ones is a great option.
2. Staycation
How about a staycation? It’s all about staying inside the States and still reaping full vacation benefits. This slothful yet sustainable tourism invites you to live the moment. It allows you to devote valuable time to important people, appreciate local environments, relax, and invest time in nature.
Apart from benefitting financial savings by staying at the homeland, a staycation will also benefit businesses in different industries. That includes various modes of transportation to take you from place to place and hospitality businesses. This is especially great after the pandemic.
To further keep yourself safe, it is ideal to book private and affordable yet comfortable conveyance. Many travel platforms, like Tripduck for example, have launched various domestic sales and discounts, which allow you to enjoy some of the best local guides wherever you travel and for a fraction of the cost. Even though it’s something new that the pandemic has brought into our lives, it now gives opportunity to all low-cost travelers to enjoy services that they would have probably never considered. As Localgrapher, the biggest vacation photography marketplace, stated, “the low-cost travelers are now those who still keep us in the game. We have launched our gift card discounts in the beginning of the pandemic thanks to which we’ve gained a totally new clientele and we’re quite happy for this mix we’ve created. It keeps the travel industry alive and opens new doors to different types of travelers”.
Benefits of Staycations
Other than being budget-friendly, staycations allow you to limit long-distance travel-related stress. From looking for accommodation to packing several suitcases, you effectively avoid all such problems. It also allows you to indulge in activities you would never have considered if you traveled abroad, such as visiting the city museum, attending local sports events, and nearby parks. Staycations also help promote the local economy, which is a need of the moment. Taking part in seasonal activities and artistic courses or even spending a musical night at a nearby hotel is all part of it.
Most importantly, it gives you a chance to discover or rediscover the beauty of your own location that we often forget because of consistent pressure.
3. Vacation rentals
This is another way to enjoy a budget-friendly planned vacation. Vacation rentals are becoming more popular with single travelers and not just for family holidays on the beach. A holiday rental is a quick way for families to get more out of hand – renting a house will almost certainly offer more space for a lower price than a stay at a hotel. A vacation rental house will allow you to do what you want to if your next trip abroad is as a tourist who wants to feel like a local. Why spend thousands of dollars on hotel booking when you can rent a house at a third of the price?
You can rent out a house for the comfort of a home. In addition, large conglomerates own many hotels, so they charge for everything while also providing the least in terms of safety. Most vacation houses come without extra charges for anything you need. Cookware, utensils, and pans are in the kitchen. You can enjoy your own entertainment without charge. You don’t pay extra for movies or flipping channels to watch something.
Some vacation rentals have washing machines and dryers. Meanwhile, others offer to take clothes to a dry cleaner. You can find rentals with a private Jacuzzi, swimming pools, and recreational spaces, suitable to rest with friends. In a holiday rental, visitors feel more at home and feel local pride during their stay.
Added security
In most cases, hotel workers clean and refurbish supplies in your room. You’re probably worried about keeping stuff safe or taking it with you.
When you stay in a rental, you don’t care about workers entering the room. It not only keeps your belongings safe but also guarantees safety against potential health risks in light of the pandemic crises. While it’s keyless entry, it offers a different degree of security. Without permission, random foreigners cannot enter, just visitors who have the passcode. You don’t incur higher costs for the loss of keys. Travelers may also park in an adjoining garage or driveway on-site. No more space fights for luxury spaces around a parking lot.
A few rooms and suites have kitchens, but there is no easy cooking. This forces people to dine out, and it’s common for travelers to give up their healthier eating habits, along with stacks of bucks. Holiday houses are the place to prepare home meals. Of course, restaurants are still enjoyable, but you should eat your own meals on holiday. It also encourages tourists to attend a nearby farmers’ market or festival where they buy local produce and stimulate the economy.
4. Couch surfing
Couch surfing is one of the wiser means to plan economical traveling to more than four million cities around the world. However, experts wouldn’t recommend this for locations where the number of COVID-19 cases is rising or vulnerable to rise as it allows gathering.
Couch Surfing simply means staying with hosts you find online who offer you very low prices or even free accommodation. You can find your hosts globally from online sites and is a great help for backpackers and budget travelers. Some hosts may be emigrants or previously travelers themselves for long trips. People who like staying in touch with individuals enjoy couch surfing.
It gives you a chance to meet people from various cultures and traditions while allowing them to know yours. Couch surfers may keep their homes open for travelers and strangers for free. Of course, you shouldn’t take couch-surfing literally. Some hosts have spare bedrooms they offer to guests. Couch surfing for a few nights can help you save hundreds of dollars. You can spend that money on many other important causes while you are out of your country.
Is couch surfing safe?
It’s far more secure than hotels and hostels from my point of view. You are staying at someone’s private residence. Groups of travelers have approved these hosts, so you have peace of mind. And as there is a direct relationship, they usually have a greater interest in your well-being than a receptionist. If you get lost in a new city, your host will give you personal directions or even come to pick you up!
Travel After Coronavirus