Value Travel: Alternative Vacations - 2

Pre-Recession Dream: Wine-tasting in Napa Valley
Yaycation Alternative: Taste Wine Close to Home

As much as I (and many visitors) love California’s Napa Valley, it’s not the only place to find great wine in the United States. Every state has a wine region these days. Visiting other area wineries not only allows you to discover new places, but may also allow you to save some money.

Washington’s wine regions (including the Columbia Valley and Columbia Gorge) together produce more grapes than any other state in the United States, after California. Oregon has 395 wineries, and the Willamette Valley is Oregon’s largest wine region. In Central California, the Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo wine regions have tripled in size over the past decade, offering more than 210 wineries. The New York Finger Lakes area has more than 100 wineries, many with lake views.

Pre-Recession Dream: Take a Bite of the Big Apple
Yaycation Alternative: Urban Adventure in Chicago

New York City may be the Big Apple, but you’ll save travel dollars by taking your big city dreams to the Second City, Chicago. The third-largest city in metropolitan area in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), Chicago is an urban giant.

The city has rich offerings in theater, architecture, museums and cultural institutions (such as the Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and Art Institute of Chicago), as well as simple fun stuff, like the Lincoln Park Zoo—which is free. Hit the “Magnificent Mile” for labels, or the trendy Wicker Park for local design flare, or grab a seat at Wrigley Field to see the Cubs play. Eat deep-dish pizza, or have a gourmet cuisine night on the town. Chicago has nearly everything you’ll need—for less than what you’ll spend in New York.

 

• For an urban adventure, escape to Chicago.

Ashleigh Nushawg

April hotel rates range from $51 to $416. Round-trip airfares to Chicago start at $215 (from Los Angeles), $217 (New York City) and $219 (San Francisco).

Pre-Recession Dream: Swank it Up in St. Barts
Yaycation Alternative: Romantic Caribbean Escape to St. Lucia

You dream of taking your sweetie to luxe St. Barts for a romantic Caribbean escape, but don’t want to look like you’re counting what’s left in the bank every time you order another drink at the bar? Travel to St. Lucia, just a little farther south, and save some money for those drinks with some serious resort deals.

The Landings resort is offering an Invest in Yourself package, which kicks $500 to $1,000 (depending on when you stay) back to you to use toward resort purchases. Similarly, Windjammer Landing offers a 50 percent resort credit, to be used towards dining, spa treatments, room upgrades and activities. In addition, St. Lucia pegs its currency to the U.S. dollar, so you don’t have to worry about changes to the exchange rate causing changes to your savings.

 

• There’s no need to travel halfway around the world for an exciting trek with Yosemite National Park right in your backyard.

Joe Shlabotnik

Pre-Recession Dream: Nepal Trekking
Yaycation Alternative: Yosemite Hiking

Want to go trekking in Nepal, but not enough moolah in your wallet to get to the other side of the globe? Satisfy your thirst for the great outdoors and discover the vast wilderness of Yosemite National Park. The area’s nearly 1,200 square miles contain majestic waterfalls, great meadows, deep valleys, granite cliffs and giant sequoia groves. On a journey from the valley floor to the alpine region, hikers can pass through six different vegetation zones.

Gear up and plan your hike in one of several areas of the park, with more than 750 miles of trail from which to choose. Whether your preference is the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir area with its isolated location, the variety of day hikes from Wawona and Glacier Point Road, or the steep waterfall-laden granite cliffs of the Yosemite Valley—there are plenty of choices for every type of trekker.

Campground fees range from $5 per person per day to a flat fee of $20 per day. Park entrance fee is $20 and is good for seven consecutive days.