travel mag

The Internet has changed travel. Sometimes hasn’t been for the better (one just needs to see how many people are checking Facebook in a hostel to agree) but it has allowed people to share, connect, and collaborate in ways that haven’t been possible before.
And for the budget traveler and culture enthusiast this change has been terrific. There are now so many more ways to travel on a budget as well as get the most out of your destination and learn the hidden secrets of the places you are visiting. Here are some top notch sites and services (some old, some new) that you can use to travel cheap and connect with locals.

Hospitality Networks

Hospitality networks have been around for decades but were really
popularized with the creation of Couchsurfing. Founded in 2004, this old standby really took advantage of the web and brought together travelers and locals. It connects travelers with locals who are willing to give them a free place to stay (couch, room, floor, etc) and get a local perspective on a destination. It popularized hospitality networks and, with 7 million members, is now the biggest.

I don’t use the accommodation service that much anymore since I like my own space, but I still value it as a resource to meet up with locals (you will find a lot of group meet-ups on the website). Some similar sites are Be Welcome, Hospitality Club, and Global Freeloaders.

For cyclists, check out the website Warm Showers, which is a free hospitality exchange for cyclists.

is a UK-based website started in April 2011 that is slowly expanding around the world. Its simple premise: connect campers to people who will let them camp in their backyards for a small fee. You have to bring your own camping gear but most properties will let you use their facilities (no peeing behind a bush!). Locations are found predominately in the UK and Europe but the site is gaining traction around the world.

Camp in My Garden

Camp in My Garden

Eat With Locals

This relatively new website allows you to eat home cooked meal with locals. Eatwith lets locals post listings for dinner parties and specialty meals that people can sign up for. There is a fee (everyone sets their own price) and you can pick from a variety of meals (depending on what the person wants to cook). The dinner parties are small and a chance to do something different, pick a local’s brain, and make a new friend. Eat With A Local, Meal Sharing, and Colunching are similar websites worth using.
Share a Ride

Need a ride? Check out Lyft or Sidecar and get locals to pick you and drop you off where you need to go. It’s about 30% cheaper than a taxi, though rates are “suggested” donations and the companies take a commission. I prefer it to Uber since they don’t have surge pricing (i.e. increased rates during busy times), it’s not a car rental service, and it’s less formal.
Share Someone’s Car

Need a car for a few hours? Rent someone else’s. Getaround allows you to rent people’s unused cars by the hour. Renters and owners are vetted by the company, who also insures both parties in case an accident happens. It’s a good cheap alternative to more traditional car rental services. Rates start at $7 per hour. The downside to this website is that it is only available in a handful of U.S. cities. A more established service is ZipCar, though they are based mostly in U.S. cities.
Another alternative is FlightCar. FlightCar lets people parking at airports rent their vehicles to other travelers. All cars are insured up to a million dollars and users are verified and checked out ahead of time. If you are a traveler, this option lets you make some extra money for future travel. Like Getaround, it is only in a few U.S. cities. Other companies include:

Here are a few of the more incredible experiences that were on show.

Necker Belle (Caribbean)

Virgin boss Richard Branson's Necker Island is already famed for being one of the world's most spectacular private retreats.

But he also likes to get his feet wet on the Necker Belle, a 105-foot catamaran that he calls "a mobile version of Necker Island."

Guests can design their own Caribbean itinerary, during which they'll spend the days scuba diving, fishing, sunbathing, enjoying water sports, eating and drinking with up to 12 of their luckiest friends.

At night, a screen and projector is set up on deck for movies under the stars.

Priced from $110,000 per week, more info at: Virginlimitededition.com

Hotel President Wilson (Geneva, Switzerland)

Bill Gates, Matt Damon, Rihanna and Mikhail Gorbachev make an unlikely quartet.

The common thread?

They've all stayed in the Royal Penthouse suite in Geneva's Hotel President Wilson.

Overlooking Lake Geneva and the Alps, it features 12 bedrooms over 18,000 square feet -- all for a cool 75,000 Swiss francs, or $80,000 per night.

Guests don't even have to slum it in the gym as it's got its own fitness area and spa.

Bulletproof glass, a private elevator and a helicopter pad all ensure it's the safest spot in town.

Hotel President Wilson, 47 Quai Wilson, Geneva, Switzerland; +41 22 906 66 66

Private helicopter tour (Queenstown, New Zealand)

Few landscapes are as dramatic as the south island of New Zealand.

For those short on time, veteran pilot Louisa "Choppy" Patterson offers helicopter day trips that take in everything from Queenstown to Stewart Island.

A payment of $12,000 secures exclusive use of a Eurocopter, including an hour's flight to isolated Stewart Island, where the nation's flightless kiwi bird is said to outnumber humans.

Once on land, an expert guide takes guests hiking, kayaking, fishing and bird watching.

Over The Top, Blue Hangar, Tex Smith Lane, Queenstown Airport, Queenstown, New Zealand; +64 3 442 2233

Your private bird awaits.

Belmond Napoleon barge (Provence, France)

River cruises are one of the hottest trends in travel right now and the super luxury market is no exception.

One of the swankiest tours on offer is a six-night cruise on the Belmond Napoleon barge, which floats down Provence's Rhone River, from Arles to Tain l'Hermitage.

Guests enjoy candlelit al fresco dinners and soaks in the outdoor jacuzzi at night and visit some of France's most famous wine chateaux during the day.

High season rates to book the entire barge, which has six cabins and holds up to 12 passengers, start at $76,100.

More info at Belmond.com

Private jet tour (Australia)

Bill Peach Journeys has 30 years of experience creating private jet luxury tours in Australia and New Zealand.

Its most recent bespoke trip came in at a cool $27,000 per person for a family of five.

All travel was by Cessna Citation and included stops in Sydney, the Outback and Uluru, the Northern Territories and the Great Barrier Reef.

All accommodation during any of Bill Peach Journeys' trips is, unsurprisingly, five-star.

More info at Billpeachjourneys.com or +61 2 9693 2233

Singita Serengeti (Tanzania)

For safari enthusiasts, Singita offers the ultimate in African wildlife encounters.

This includes the private four-suite Singita Serengeti House villa at Sasakwa Hill, which costs $84,500 per week during high season.

That elephantine price tag buys prime game watching in the heart of the private 350,000-acre Singita Grumeti game reserve, which sits on the western flank of the Serengeti.

A lap pool, private chef, horseback riding, mountain biking and archery are all available.

All meals, drinks, guides and a private Land Rover are inclusive.

Booking info at Singita.com or +27 21 683 3424

South America cruise, Seven Seas Mariner

Booking the 2,000-square-foot master suite on the Seven Seas Mariner's South America cruise costs $120,000 per person -- not terribly outrageous given you'll be spending 72 days at sea.

Starting and finishing in Miami, passengers take in destinations like Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and much of the Caribbean along the way.

As the ship caters to only 700 guests, the staff-to-guest ratio of 1 to 1.6 means a gin and tonics are never far away.

More info at Rssc.com or +1 844 473 4368

Willing to call this beauty home for 72 days?

Iceland

The land of fire and ice has no shortage of thrilling scenery, landing it on plenty of "places to go in 2015" lists.

One of the more luxurious Iceland tours comes via high-end travel specialists Ker & Downey.

Their 10-day bespoke tour takes in geological wonders including the Godafoss waterfall, Krafla volcano, Skutustadagígar craters and Dimmuborgir lava pillars.

They'll also help with the pronunciation.

Add in puffin and whale watching in Husavík's Skjalfandi Bay, the famous Golden Circle tour and an extended stay in Reykjavik for their "culture night" festival and you're looking at a price of about $23,325 per person.

More info at Kerdowney.com or +1 800 423 4236

The great American road trip is a rite of passage in the States. We Americans have a unique fascination with the open road. It’s built into our cultural DNA. In Jazz Age America, the car was a symbol of freedom – a chance to escape your small town and the watchful eyes of parents. As the highway system was developed in the 1950s, a wave of kids set out on the road to explore the country, giving new life to America’s car and road trip culture. Today, many still dream of getting in a car and driving into wide open spaces for months on end.
And I got to do just that — for four and a half months and 13,000 miles, I traveled to all corners of this country.
In diversity and scale, the United States is magnificent.
But this isn’t a post about fawning over the U.S. (this post is). This is about how you can travel around the U.S. on a budget because, as it turns out, this country is incredibly easy to travel on the cheap.
After 116 days on the road, I spent $6,262.67, or $53.98 per day. While that is slightly higher than $50 a day, there were many parts of my budget I splurged on (see analysis below). Here is how the numbers break down:
Accommodations: $1,036.36 Food: $3,258.23 Drinks: $438.94 Gas: $696.98 Parking: $253.00 Starbucks: $75.26 Miscellaneous (movies, toothpaste, shampoo, conferences, etc.): $170.00 Attractions: $269.40 Taxis: $41.00 Bus: $17.50 Subway: $6.00
A couple of things hurt my budget. My Starbucks addiction* was unnecessary and added to my costs. Moreover, as a lover of sushi, trying various restaurants throughout my road trip drastically raised my food costs. Sushi, after all, is not cheap. In general, I ate as if I wasn’t on a budget and rarely cooked, which is why my food expenses were so high relative to everything else. I would have definitely gone below $50 if I bothered to cook more often.

But while I splurged in some places, three other things really helped me to keep expenses down: First, gas prices were low, averaging around $2.35 a gallon over the duration of my trip. Second, once you leave the big cities, prices for everything drop by nearly half. Third, I Couchsurfed and used hotel points often to keep accommodation costs down.

Overall, while I could have done better, I didn’t do too bad and am happy with how much I spent.

How to Save Money on Your Trip

There are numerous ways to travel around the US on a budget. Whether you want to do it cheaper than I did or splurge a bit more, there are always ways to cut your expenses and focus your spending on what matters most to you.

Accommodations

This will be your biggest fixed cost, and lowering it will do the most to lower your overall expenses. Luckily, you have plenty of options:

Couchsurfing — Couchsurfing is a service that allows you to stay for free with locals. Using this website or similar ones is the best way to lower accommodation costs, as you can’t get cheaper than free. More than that, it’s a wonderful way to meet locals and find off-the-beaten-track stuff to do in the area you’re visiting. The site is a double win: you meet cool people and save money at the same time! I Couchsurfed in Richmond, Napa, Reno, Phoenix, and a few other cities. There are so many hosts across the United States, you’ll rarely find problems finding someone to put you up.

Airbnb — A more comfortable alternative to the cheap hotels listed above, Airbnb is a service that lets you stay in people’s homes and apartments. It’s far cozier than any hotel! You can find a lot of single rooms as well as shared spaces for $30–40 per night. I used this option a lot on my road trip. The prices are affordable, you’re staying in a nice house, you have access to a kitchen, and you get to meet cool people. Note: If you use this link, you can get $25 off your first stay.

Cheap hotels — When you can’t find a Couchsurf or Airbnb to use at the last minute, there is a plethora of cheap roadside hotels such as Motel 6 and Super 8 to the rescue. Rooms start around $40 a night, but including tax, they work out to be $60 on average. Rooms are basic and always look well worn. You’ll get a bed, bathroom, TV, tiny closet, and maybe a desk. They are nothing to write home about, but for a quiet place to sleep, they do the trick. Tip: Even if you’re traveling with someone, always say the room is for one person, as these hotels charge you more for two people.

Hotel points — Be sure to sign up for hotel credit cards before you go and use those points when you travel. You can get upwards of 70,000 points as a sign-up bonus, which can translate into a week’s worth of accommodations. The points came in handy in places where I couldn’t find an Airbnb or Couchsurfing host. Be aware that most hotels charge parking fees if you have a car, and adjust your budget accordingly.

Hostels — There aren’t many hostels in the United States, and most of them are overpriced. A dorm
room typically costs around $30 a night. You can obtain a similar private room on Airbnb at that price, and if you are traveling with others, it’s often more economical to get a budget hotel than a bunch of dorm beds. However, if you are traveling solo and want to meet others, the social benefits may outweigh the price. Some hostels I loved: Sweat Peas (Asheville, NC), South Beach Hostel (Miami), India House (New Orleans), Jazz Hostels (NYC), International House (San Diego), and The Green Tortoise (San Francisco and Seattle).
Camping — Around all the national parks are inexpensive campsites, so if you have a camper or gear, my recommendation is to camp when visiting the parks. Campsites are between $10-30 per night. Additionally,

you can find a TON of RV parks and campgrounds around the country via the company KOA for $20–30 per night. Moreover, check out the sharing economy website, Camp in My Garden, where you can camp in people’s backyards for a small fee.

My recommendations for keeping prices down: Try to Couchsurf as often as possible, use Airbnb or hotel points in major cities, stay in hostels when you want a good social scene, and camp at the national parks.

Food

Cook your own meals and avoid expensive meals and restaurants as much as possible. If you are looking to find cheap food, use Yelp!, ask people on websites like Couchsurfing, or inquire at the desks at hostels. Avoid Whole Foods. Avoid trying to eat sushi like me everywhere! Don’t feed your Starbucks addiction and cook often. Food in the United States is very affordable and there’s no travel hacking ninja techniques to help here. Cook, save, be happy.

Sightseeing

There are three ways to lower your sightseeing costs:
A National Parks pass — For $80, you can purchase an annual National Parks pass that provides access to all 59 national parks (as well as any other recreation areas administered by the National Park Service). At $15–20 a visit, seeing five during your trip makes the pass a money saver. The U.S. national park system is amazing, and you can’t trek across the country without stopping at many of them, especially when you get out west. Though there are a lot of options, I highly recommend Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Glacier, Redwood National Park, Zion, and the Grand Tetons.

City tourism cards — City tourism cards allow you to see a large number of attractions (and often include free public transportation) for one low price, usually $30–40. They provide free access to museums, reduced access to attractions, and restaurant discounts. Be sure to look into them if you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, as they generally will save you money. They can be purchased at tourism information centers or online before you go.

Free museums and events — Inquire at tourism centers, use Google, or ask hotel or hostel staff for information about free events and museums. Many museums offer occasional free or discounted admission throughout the week.

Transportation

Getting from point A to B in the U.S. isn’t always easy, as our infrastructure isn’t that robust. Sadly, to really see the country, a car is a must. We have few non-car options outside the major cities, and besides organized tours, it’s hard to get around the countryside and to the national parks.

Hitchhike — This isn’t something I did on my trip, as I had a car, but it’s very doable (and relatively safe). Here’s a post by my friend Matt who hitchhiked across the United States.

Rideshare — Taking on riders can be a way to lower your costs. On my first trip across the U.S., I offered rides to people I met in hostels. On this trip, I had friends and readers join me along the way. You can post ads on Craigslist and Gumtree and at hostels to find riders. This not only makes the trip more enjoyable but lowers your gas costs. Or if you are a rider, you can use the same services to find rides to get you places.

Get a car — You can buy cheap used cars from car dealers or owners on Craigslist. There are lots of listings, and you can resell the car at the end of your trip to recoup some of your initial purchase cost. While this is easy in other countries, it’s hard to do in the United States, so remember a couple of key points:

You’ll need a U.S. address for registration documents to get sent to. I would use a hostel or hotel address and then set up a forwarding address with the Post Office.
You’ll have to buy car insurance, which can greatly add to the costs of your trip.

Another option is to use a car relocation service. This is when you take someone’s car and drive it across the country. You are usually paid, and gas is covered. The downside is you don’t often have a lot of leeway on timing, so you might not have much time to stop and sightsee along the way. Car relocation options are also usually limited. Two companies worth checking out are Transfercar and Hit the Road.
Some miscellaneous things

The highways are filled with junk food restaurants. I’m not proud to say I ate at Subway a lot on my trip. Stock up on sandwiches at grocery stores to avoid having to choose between Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and Subway.
Parking costs add up. I didn’t really find a super awesome way to lower parking costs when I was in major cities overnight, but if you have suggestions, leave them in the comments.
Take a metal water bottle to refill along the way. Plastic water bottles add up!

A road trip across the United States is a fun way to see a lot of diverse landscapes, experience different cultures, and meet interesting people. The United States isn’t very expensive outside the big cities and you can easily travel extensively throughout the country on a budget.
*Note: I actually don’t drink coffee. I’m just hooked on their iced green tea lemonade!