ST PAUL, Minn. – When the Brown sisters travel, one thing they rarely pack is a plan.
“Were not type As!” said Lisa (Brown) Stark of Circle Pines and Shannon (Brown) Cruz of New Richmond, Wisconsin. “This was just our style to wait for the last minute.”
Take spring break: Stark and Cruz didn’t even think about booking a trip until this week.
“We texted the whole family and said, ‘Hey, who wants to go on vacation?’” said Cruz.
And now, with just a month to go, their group of eight, including Cruz and Stark and their husbands, plus their brother and three kids, knows they have to be game for anything.
That’s exactly what Theresa Williams told the Browns and all the others calling her travel agency, Escape With Us Travel. But she says the trips still available from Minneapolis are anything but leftovers.
“I think the best advice is just to be flexible with your plans,” Williams said. (The deals still available) have some amazing resorts, they have some stunning beaches, and some great opportunities for travel.”
Stunning beaches are always the top request for sick-of-winter Minnesotans, and even those without a hot bank account are in luck.
“There are still some good deals to Florida, the West Coast, Arizona, California–those other places that are going to give you a little bit of vitamin D and also save you a little bit of money,” said Williams.
So how can you save? Here are Theresa’s tips:
- Fly at off peak times, like in the middle of the week or in the afternoon, when airfares are almost always less expensive.
- Take a shorter trip. Going five days instead of seven is a great way to get away but still spend less.
- Always check prices on all inclusive trips, which are usually a far better deal than paying for things like meals, drinks, fees and taxes separately.
- Think about Mexico and Europe, where exchange rates can mean big savings.
Williams says Mexico is by far the best option for travelers going at the last minute or on a budget. Her top three spots for good deals are Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun.
The Browns took her advice, booking a week at an all inclusive Mazatlan resort for $1,200 a person.
“It’s a fantastic deal!” said Cruz. “We never plan in advance!”
(© 2017 KARE)