WASHINGTON — Thousands of tourists hoping for a beach getaway have been forced to leave North Carolina’s Outer Banks because a construction crew accidentally sliced through a major power line.
So, if a cancellation like that happens, is it possible to book a whole new summer vacation this late in the season without breaking the bank?
“If you try to change your travel plans at the last minute during high season to another high season destination, you either don’t get in, or you get in and pay double — and that’s not a vacation at all,” CBS Travel Editor Peter Greenberg told WTOP.
He says if your travel plans get busted, resist the temptation to reach for your bucket list of places you’ve always wanted to visit.
“Pick a place you never wanted to go, where they probably have available airline seats and hotel rooms, and go. You will be very pleasantly surprised at all the things you can discover there and how happy people are to see you. I’ve always used that as a rule.”
Another idea is to choose a place you’re familiar with, but go in the offseason, such as Orlando in November.
When searching for airfares, hone in on alternative airports.
“You look for Providence instead of Boston. You look for Oakland instead of San Francisco. You look for Midway instead of Chicago, or even Milwaukee, which is like the city’s third secret airport in Chicago, it just happens to be in Wisconsin,” Greenberg said.
You can also save money by skipping hotels and heading for homes.
“This is where Airbnb really can play into it because there are so many listings that aren’t taken up every time that may suddenly be available within a 50-mile radius of where you happen to be,” Greenberg said.
He added, “Think alternate airports, think alternate cities, think alternate seasons, and you’ll be ahead of the game.”
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