every year, budgettravel.com posts a “top budget travel destinations” article, full of where to go, why to go and what to do once you’re there. this year, portland, oregon tops the list. citing small, yet trendy, hotels, a focus on local and sustainable food and drink and a “quirky” style, portland now rivals seattle and san fran, according to budget travel.
let’s keep going. las vegas, nevada is number two. w hy? according to bt, conventions fuel the economy in vegas and when business conventions dropped in 2009, it left a mass of hotel rooms empty – and cheap. expect 2010 to offer super-cheap hotel rooms (some as low as $40/night!)
the great outdoors also made the list: at number three is glacier national park, montana. at only $25 for a seven-day vehicle pass into the park, you can visit the park in the summer and hike the trails. this year is also the park’s centennial celebration, so expect events to run through september.
if you’re looking to head overseas, consider vienna, austria; hanoi, vietnam; sydney, australia; or rio de janerio, brazil, among others.
links:
travel portland
las vegas
fremont street experience (las vegas)
glacier national park
us park service for glacier nat’l park
discover baja california
rio guide from lonely planet
buenos aires guide from lonely planet
vienna
vienna biennale
sydney
vietnam tourism
*published on examiner.com 27 august 2010