Everyone needs to get away from time to time, even the residents of a wonderful city like Philadelphia. With many people struggling to make ends meet, it can feel like a vacation isn’t within your budgetary abilities. But cheap vacations are around every corner, you just have to know where to look. The trick is finding an out-of-state destination that has cheap, last-minute flights from Philadelphia International Airport and plenty of exciting things to do that are free or dirt-cheap. If you are a resident of Philly and are looking to take a last-minute vacation, then we’ve got just the thing for you. Here are our tips and tricks for finding a budget vacation out of Philadelphia. (And even if you live somewhere else, these tips may still apply to you!)
Finding Last-Minute Flights from Philadelphia International Airport
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The first step to keeping your vacation under budget is finding cheap transportation. Fortunately, Philadelphia International Airport is a massive airport with hundreds of flights flying out every day, which gives you plenty of opportunities to find a good deal. While we will be giving you ideas for cheap destinations, the tricks to finding good deals are the same regardless of where you are going. Try to travel during the week, like on a Wednesday or Tuesday, or during the wee hours of the early morning. Watch flight prices closely so that you have a good idea of what a good deal looks like for your location, and then strike while the iron is hot. To help you keep an eye on pricing, you can sign up for fare alerts whenever you complete a GoLastMinute flight search to get live pricing sent right to your inbox.
Tampa, FL
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Tampa is one of the most popular destinations from Philadelphia, which means that there are plenty of flights to choose from. With as many as 10 flights in a day flying out, the likelihood of an airline dropping prices last minute is that much better, and flight prices are super low to start anyway. Once you get there, you can spend all day at one of their beaches without having to spend a dime. Look for a hotel that is a little further from the beaches to get a better deal, and just use public transportation. If you are willing to spend a 15-minute bus ride to get to the beach, you can potentially save a lot of money on your lodging!
Boston, MA
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Boston is another popular destination for Philadelphia International, which means that it is not uncommon to find roundtrip flights for under $100. Being a town with a lot of history also means that there is a lot of sightseeing to do for little or no money. This can be a good vacation to take your family to learn about US history by visiting the 16 historic locations along the freedom trail. To get a feel for the people of Boston, visit the Faneuil Hall Marketplace for window shopping, people watching, and to grab a bite to eat. Then grab a ferry to Boston Harbor Islands, where you can enjoy hiking, picnicking, and exploring the scenic islands.
Denver, CO
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Flights from Philly to Denver aren’t quite as cheap as Tampa or Boston, so you may have to shop around a little to get a good deal, but it is still possible to find roundtrip flights for as low as $100. Remember to look for flights during the week, or consider looking for a red eye flight to keep the cost down. Once in Denver, there are plenty of free or cheap things to do both in the city and nearby. Being in the mountains means that there are plenty of hiking trails and other outdoors activities for you to engage in. Check out the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, which is free to visit and is not far from Denver International Airport!
Cancun, Mexico
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You probably don’t think of Cancun as a cheap vacation, but it is time to reevaluate that conception. If you are booking an all-inclusive, beachfront resort, then yes, that would be pricey. But hotels a little further from the beach can easily be found for under $50 a night. If you shop around for your flight, it is possible to find roundtrip tickets for under $300. Combine that with dirt-cheap lodging and inexpensive street food, and you can have an international, culturally rich beach vacation for under $500. So grab your sunscreen, pick our a swimsuit, and keep your eye on those fare-alerts to get a good price!
