Mar 27, 2009 6:44 pm US/Eastern
Spring Break Deals Abound Despite Economy
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
While money may be tight during the recession, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't find a great deal on a spring break vacation. From pristine peaks to the soothing seas, the deals are plentiful as airlines and vacation hot spots are looking to recover from recent economic trouble.
If the warm Miami climate has you yearning for a breath of cool, crisp air, you might want to hit
Squaw Valley U.S.A. It's nestled in the Sierra-Nevada snow belt and has an average, yes average, of 450 inches of snow per year. The area is said to have more than 4000 skiable acres and during the summer, the area transforms into a hikers paradise.
Rates are as low as $86 per night and all of the packages include a free ski or snowboard lesson if you book it through Squaw Valley central reservation.
If wedding bells are in your future, you might want to consider the
Ritz-Carlton hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico. The hotels are offering a "complimentary wedding ceremony" that includes a free 3 night return stay for the couple's first anniversary. It's called the "reconnect package" and it includes breakfast for 2 for all of you guests, plus a $100 resort credit.
Rates for your guests start as low as $159 per night and the deal is available at the Ritz-Carlton Cancun, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, St. Thomas, and San Juan. The wedding must be booked between now and June 30, 2009.
For those of you looking for a family vacation,
Walt Disney World Resort will give you three extra nights and tickets for free if you buy a four night package. Disney is also advertising a $68 – plus tax- rate at its value resorts Sunday through Thursdays on certain weeks. Plus, there's free admission to the parks on your birthday this year.
The wildest deal we've ever seen will take you to
Sin City.
"Kind of the entire city
(Las Vegas) is a hot deal," said Jim Lehman of AAA Travel. "We're seeing fifty percent rate deductions on lots of hotels."
There are rooms right on the strip at the Tropicana for as low as $35 and as low as $27 at Circus Circus. Even the extravagant Bellagio hotel is only charging $139 on some nights. The casinos hope the savings on the hotel prices will help visitors to press their luck on the casino floor.
If you don't mind a 16 hour plane ride, you can get to Australia for 50 percent less than you would have last year. The lower rates, combined with the U.S. dollar being worth more, means more of you might be able to put another shrimp on the Barbie.
Happy travels everyone!
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