Spring is a glorious time to travel. Tourists are fewer and prices are often cheaper. Flights have fewer delays and cancellations, and the weather is starting to warm up. We have selected three budget-friendly trips from Denver that may appeal to you whether you’re traveling alone, with a partner, or with your family.
Get Your Groove on in Memphis
United Airlines has non-stop flights from Denver to Memphis that can usually be found for under $250. The Memphis Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Soul Museum are just two of the many Memphis museums that feature music. Live music can be found all over town, and Beale Street is the epicenter with three blocks of nightclubs, restaurants, and stores. It is best known for delta blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B and gospel music. The Beale Street Music Festival, held May 3rd to 5th, draws thousands of music fans from around the world for live performances.
Another claim to fame is the city’s barbecue. Barbecue tours offer tastes of a variety of barbecue styles — up to seven for $65. Or, just pop into a nearby BBQ restaurant and make your own discoveries.
The National Civil Rights Museum incorporates the motel where Martin Luther King was murdered and displays a compelling overview of Black history from slavery through the Civil Rights movement.
Lodging in Memphis ranges from the historic Peabody Hotel downtown (about $230 a night) to chain hotels that offer rooms for $100 or less. And if you’re an Elvis fan, you can stay at the Guest House at Graceland for $161 a night.
Fly to the Windy City
United Airlines offers round trip fares to Chicago for around $170. Getting from the airport to the city is just $5 on the L train that has a station in the airport. Or, you can purchase a $28 Ventra pass that is good for a week of unlimited rides on Chicago’s L trains and busses, including to and from the airport. Check into a small charming hotel, such as the historic Old Chicago Inn ($135 a night) with its Prohibition-era inspired speakeasy. The weather is usually balmy in late spring, so walking through the city parks, along the lakefront, and down the Magnificent Mile (a shopping mecca) can be delightful.
Chicago offers world-class museums such as the Art Institute, the Field Museum, and the Museum of Science and Industry. A $106 VIP CityPASS lets you skip the lines at five major museums and attractions. Chicago theaters offer performances of many varieties with a wide range of ticket prices. The Looking Glass Theater is one of the more affordable and unusual as it is situated in the Water Tower Building. Act(s) of God is playing through the start of April and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is playing in May. Expect to pay $35 to $45 a ticket.
You can eat your way around the world without leaving the city. Chicago’s iconic staples are deep dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and the Chicago hot dog on a poppy seed bun. Other popular cuisines includes Italian, German, Irish, Asian, and Mexican. Try little restaurants in ethnic neighborhoods for meals prepared by families from the recipes they brought from home.
With so many things to do and see, a Chicago vacation can be geared towards children, families, or adults.
Fly to Iceland and Beyond
Round trip tickets from Denver to Iceland are around $552 on Icelandair. The airline allows multi-day stopovers before boarding a plane for your onward journey to Europe. A sample price from Denver to Dublin with a stopover in Iceland is about $1,110. This is about what you can expect to pay on a major airline without a stopover. While in Iceland, enjoy some of nature’s most dramatic displays in The Land of Midnight Sun. By May 21st, there is no night in Reykjavík. Glacier hiking, lava caving, and horseback riding are some favorite activities. Many choose to rent a car and drive the ring road that circles the island, or just explore part of it for extravagant views of the wild and rugged land and seascape.
Be sure to set aside four hours to enjoy the warm, mineral-rich waters of the Blue Lagoon ($57) followed by a snack at Blue Cafe, or a meal at Lava Restaurant that serves a remarkable birch and juniper cured Atlantic char. Reykjavik has lodging options for all budgets. The Icelandair Marina Hotel ($232 a night) is by the Old Harbour beside the downtown area and has stunning ocean views. Budget hotels cost less, and some have a great deal of charm.
All three vacation options are fun to visit any season, but travelers headed for Iceland should be ready for the snow and cold if they plan an early spring trip.
If you’ve been bit by the travel bug and want to make sure your next trip fits in your budget, contact us to speak with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and we’ll help you keep your financial plan on track while you take that vacation you’ve been dreaming of.
