Expert: Stephen Tanenbaum - 2/13/2005

Question
Hello ! Stephen,
Can you suggest some cheap B&B's for southern California or know of any company's that arrange inexpensive vacation trips for southern Cal.
We are intersted in San Diego,San Juan Capistrano, Dana Piont etc.

Could you offer some suggestions for any books,websites or internet searches that would help us with planning our own trip on a low budget to other States.
My husband and I are in our late forties with no young children. Just the two of us. We prefer to vacation during the months of June through September. We like to avoid the large crowds and prefer the more quiet off the beaten path destinations. We live in Arizona and can easily drive to Southern Cal. or would consider flying if it were cheap enough.
I hope you can help ? There are only a small handful of experts listed for California and they dont really meet our criteria for Low Budget Travel.
Thanks ! for taking time to answer. Any info is apreciated !
Karen  

Answer
Hi Karen:

First, my caveat.  We pretty much immerse ourselves in foreign travel, about six months per year these past five years since early retirement. Our recent Alaska trip fit most of your criteria vis a vis no crowds and almost no people, quiet, off the beaten path, world class (I added this one) and awesome low budget though no way to know if this is close to your 'cup of tea.'

We spent six weeks driving a 27ft Winnebago, with queen size BR, for 1800 miles in Alaska. From Anchorage to Fairbanks, then Valdez to Homer and finally to Seward where we picked up a Princess cruise to Vancouver.

The motor home was a classic 1986 rented from a small family owned business in Anchorage. Cruise America price in high season was $191 per DAY and we paid $70/day with unlimited mileage.

On the airline side of your equation...you should be flying FREE to any destination. Especially with American's second free U.S. flight. Have a 'go' at my recent article, in-depth, on Free airline travel including such as Americans's Free second flight. We went to Maui Free then a Free second flight to Buffalo (Niagara Falls) and Free flight back to California.

From Montreal we took a Princess repositioning cruise two weeks down the East coast to Ft.Lauderdale. We spent a full week in Orlando. But alas, while totally crowd free during our early November visit their will be crowds a plenty during Summer months.

We use the Historic Country Inns book with its ONE FREE NIGHT coupon. Works great for our yearly three day visit to Carmel the week before Xmas. But again, you are talking many more then three days at a B&B.

We have family and friends in LA and San Diego so no need to hunt down cheap digs.

I would say once you've nailed down Free airline travel you can pretty much write your ticket to multiple U.S. destinations on future trips.  

Here's my in-depth article on Free airline travel. It's on our new Blog at:

www.cheapskatetravel.blogspot.com
Our Author's web site is: www.cheaptrvel.net

We also LOVE Maui and have visited our two studio apartmens perhaps 30+ times since the 80's. Not considered 'barain' but then again less per day than most B&Bs ! You'll see our units on the Maui section of our Author's web site. Also, condos help cut the cost of vacation 'meals' expenses and the Hawaii Entertainment Edition also comes in $$$ saving handy.

In the end, afraid no real help on your lower 48 U.S.A vacation quest.

Let me know if you need any further info re: anything I've discussed. Good luck and Happy Travels. Steve Tanenbaum