Planning a Flexible Motor Trip

Prologue

I was a little confused. I though it was bargain traveling while actually the group is called budget traveling. It won’t change much of what I do because they are similar. Budget traveling implies a limited budget therefore emphasizing low cost. Bargain traveling means getting a great deal. Going for luxury is good, provided it’s a great deal. Some people actually think it’s a mental crime to pay retail and can’t stop talking about their bargain purchases.

Planning for Bargain Motel Rates on a Flexible Motor Trip

1. Have an idea of the minimum and maximum days for the trip and get approximate dates at each location.
2. Look at AAA travel books (if you are a member) and the big three on line travel companies for motel/hotels in the areas you will be visiting.
3. Make cancelable reservations in places having difficult to get rooms (or all locations if your nervous about going place without reservations) e.g. downtown big cities and resort areas in season. The on line services usually have cancellation fees so you probably want to make these initial reservations directly with the hotels/motels. Also make sure you know what the hotel/motel cancellation policy is and cancel in time if you find a better deal or your plans change.
4. Keep information on the best deals you have found and take the phone numbers of the big three travel companies with you so that you have all the options available to you

To get the best motel rates

1. Obtain the discount motel travel books from the state visitors bureaus when crossing state borders on a major highway (see my previous blog).
2. Identify the best motel deals for the areas you want to go to and compare them to the deals you have already researched or reserved.
3. Select the best deal, make reservations as necessary, and cancel exiting reservations no longer needed.

Notes:

• You can make reservations with the on line travel sites even the same day via internet or by phone.

• Sometimes discount motel books are available in newspaper type dispensers at other rest areas or outside the state visitors bureaus when closed.

• City or regional tourist information centers may also have the motel discount books.

• Obtaining accommodations as described above and researching what to see can take a lot of time but has worked well for me.