2008 Woodie Awards
Affordable Summer Getaway Destinations
Montreal, Myrtle Beach, Wildwood Offer Inexpensive Fun For Students
Paige Classey
Issue date: 4/29/08 Section: Focus
The weather is getting warmer and finals are getting closer. Yet as each day passes, we get closer and closer to May 10, when exams end and students pack up all vestiges of life from their dorm rooms into their parents' SUVs and minivans. UConn students have an amazingly long summer ahead of them: almost four months of freedom from class, friends, and 40-hour weeks at the local Big Y. The envy begins to turn your skin green as friends and foes set out for tropical cruises, international adventures, or summer Study Abroad programs. You realize your wallet is looking tragically thin, but you're desperate to get out of town. Being a little low on funds should not stop you from setting out on some sensational summer travels. Here are a few magical vacations that won't obliterate your bank account. After all, when the fall semester starts anew, there will be plenty of textbooks, décor, Wings and Keystones to buy.
Montreal
This is one road trip that will be worth the gas money. Montreal is a beautiful Canadian getaway, complete with moderately priced hotels and a drinking age of 18. Depending on how long you stay, the amount spent on gas, food and drinks may be a little daunting, but your hotel price doesn't have to be.
"If you book through a travel website like Expedia, you can get a really good deal on a hotel room," said Greg Ferrara, a 4th-semester coaching and administration major. "We split the price among our friends and it came to $80 for three nights for a room." Montreal is also bursting with real nightlife, a concept unfamiliar to those of us residing in Storrs.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Montreal
Downtown Attractions: La Ronde Amusement Park
Food and Drink: Peel Pub
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Dreaming of sandy beaches, world-class golf courses or incredible shopping? Myrtle Beach is your dream vacation location. Due to its status as a major tourist attraction, prices can get pretty steep if you're not careful about selecting hotels and restaurants. Travelers can stay at Best Western Grand Strand Inn & Suites on the beach for late May for only $99 a night. As the summer continues into June and July, prices steepen, so see if you can manage an early summer getaway. Myrtle Beach offers mini-golf, shopping, delicious food, and picturesque views. Everyone knows that flights can get pretty expensive, but using sites such as Travelocity and Expedia can save you a bundle.
Montreal
This is one road trip that will be worth the gas money. Montreal is a beautiful Canadian getaway, complete with moderately priced hotels and a drinking age of 18. Depending on how long you stay, the amount spent on gas, food and drinks may be a little daunting, but your hotel price doesn't have to be.
"If you book through a travel website like Expedia, you can get a really good deal on a hotel room," said Greg Ferrara, a 4th-semester coaching and administration major. "We split the price among our friends and it came to $80 for three nights for a room." Montreal is also bursting with real nightlife, a concept unfamiliar to those of us residing in Storrs.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Montreal
Downtown Attractions: La Ronde Amusement Park
Food and Drink: Peel Pub
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Dreaming of sandy beaches, world-class golf courses or incredible shopping? Myrtle Beach is your dream vacation location. Due to its status as a major tourist attraction, prices can get pretty steep if you're not careful about selecting hotels and restaurants. Travelers can stay at Best Western Grand Strand Inn & Suites on the beach for late May for only $99 a night. As the summer continues into June and July, prices steepen, so see if you can manage an early summer getaway. Myrtle Beach offers mini-golf, shopping, delicious food, and picturesque views. Everyone knows that flights can get pretty expensive, but using sites such as Travelocity and Expedia can save you a bundle.
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