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Are You a Champagne or Beer Traveler? Trips for Every Budget

It’s up to you: Travel first class … or watch your pennies


spinner image illustration of a palm tree with a $549 price tag on it
Getty (2); Lettering: Carolyn Sewell

Need suggestions for whether to splurge or save? These trips across the country and in Canada show you how to do both at six weekend destinations throughout the year.

Pricing Note

  • Lodging prices are the average cost for one room with a king-size bed for a single night during a three-night weekend stay, including taxes and fees.
  • Food prices are the midrange cost of a dinner entrée unless otherwise noted.
  • Attractions and activity prices are per person before any discounts unless otherwise noted.
  • Total vacation costs are for two adults.
  • All prices are in U.S. dollars as of early July 2024.

Seattle in September

spinner image Pike Place Market in Seattle
Pike Place Market is a top Seattle tourist destination.
Brooke Fitts

Luxury

(Weekend starts at $2,943)

Accommodation

  • Lotte Hotel. A 44-story glass tower within a mile of Pike Place Market and the Seattle Art Museum; $609

Dining

  • Canlis. A multicourse tasting menu alongside views of the city, Lake Union and the Cascade Mountains; $180 (full meal)

Things to Do

  • Viator excursion to Mount Rainier National Park. Includes a mile-long hike to picnic next to a glacier; $179
  • The 5th Avenue Theatre. Open since 1926 and the birth site of nine Broadway-bound works, including Hairspray and Memphis; $199 (center orchestra)

On a Budget

(Weekend starts at $950)

Accommodation

  • Staypineapple University Inn. Four blocks from the University of Washington and surrounded by restaurants and shops; $279

Dining

  • Marination Ma Kai. Hawaiian-Korean tacos, margaritas and views of the city skyline; $10

Things to Do

  • 2.8-mile Loop Trail at Discovery Park. Overlooking Puget Sound, with views of the Cascade and Olympic mountains; free
  • Space Needle. At the time of its completion, the tallest U.S. building west of the Mississippi, with an observation deck 520 feet up; $46.50

Early Fall in Santa Fe

spinner image Library at the Rosewood Inn of the Anaszi
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi is in Santa Fe’s cultural center.
Douglas Merriam

Luxury 

(Weekend starts at $3,277)

Accommodation

  • Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi. Located in Santa Fe’s cultural center and featuring a mix of Native American, Hispanic and Anglo furnishings; $883

Dining

  • Geronimo. Global eclectic dining in a 250-year-old art-studded adobe building; $50

Things to Do

  • Glass Experience Class at Liquid Light Glass. An opportunity to create original pieces (blown or shaped) in a 1½-hour class; $338 total
  • Routes Bicycle Tours’ art and history ride. A two-hour outing covering 10 miles at a leisurely pace; $95

On a Budget

(Weekend starts at $828)

Accommodation

  • The Sage Hotel. Motel style with a bohemian flair; $222

Dining

  • The Shed. A 1692 adobe hacienda with three patios; $14

Things to Do

  • Self-guided walking art tour. A visit to the Canyon Road galleries, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe Plaza and Railyard Arts District; free or up to $22
  • Meow Wolf. Immersive, interactive large-scale art installations; $45

Holiday Season in Philadelphia

spinner image people eating at the Ambra restaurant in Philadelphia
A three-hour multicourse Italian tasting menu is available at Ambra.
Courtesy Ambra

Luxury

(Weekend starts at $3,888)

Accommodation

  • Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. On the top 12 floors of the city’s highest building, with an infinity pool and spa; $820

Dining

  • Ambra. A three-hour multicourse modern Italian tasting menu with wine pairings; $300 (full meal)

Things to Do

  • Adrenaline private helicopter tour. A 30-minute sunset flight above the city at 1,500 feet; $534 total
  • Handel’s Messiah. The masterpiece performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra and a choir; $147 (first tier)

On a Budget

(Weekend starts at $589)

Accommodation

  • Club Quarters Hotel Rittenhouse Square. Steps from historic sites and shopping; $187

Dining

  • Dalessandro’s Steaks and Hoagies. Iconic, award-winning cheesesteaks; $14

Things to Do

  • Independence Mall. Home of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, among other historic attractions; free
  • U.S. Mint. A tour of coining operations and artifacts at the nation’s first mint; free
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Spring in New Orleans

spinner image Beautiful balconies in New Orleans .
The French Quarter is a must-stop destination in New Orleans.
Stocksy

Luxury 

(Weekend starts at $3,084)

Accommodation

  • Windsor Court. Views of the Mississippi River or city skyline from private balconies and bay windows; $775

Dining

  • Commander’s Palace. Creole cuisine in a Garden District landmark restaurant that opened in 1893; $40

Things to Do

  • New Orleans Yacht Experience cruise. City views during a private two-hour Lake Pontchartrain charter on a 47-foot yacht; $399 total
  • Doctor Gumbo food and cocktail walking tour. A stroll among restaurants, bars and landmarks for a history lesson and tasting tour of local specialties; $140

On a Budget

(Weekend starts at $851)

Accommodation

  • Maison Dupuy. In a quiet section of the French Quarter, near Louis Armstrong Park; $259

Dining

  • Camellia Grill. Quintessential po’boys at this landmark uptown diner; $14

Things to Do

  • Frenchmen Street. A hot spot for live music and local art; free or up to $20 per person
  • St. Charles Avenue Streetcar ride. Views of early-1800s mansions in the city’s historic Garden District; $3

Lake Tahoe, California, in June

spinner image a woman sitting along a beach in Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe, California, has mountain and lake views.
Jake Stangel

Luxury

(Weekend starts at $3,305)

Accommodation

  • The Landing. Mountain and lake views steps from a privately owned beach; $601

Dining

  • Edgewood Restaurant. Visible from your table: Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada range; $57

Things to Do

  • Lake Tahoe Balloons ride. Sunrise hot-air ballooning with views of the surrounding wilderness; $399
  • Lake Tahoe Boat Rides tour. Two hours on the lake in a powerboat at sunset; $590 total

On a Budget

(Weekend starts at $800)

Accommodation

  • Station House Inn. Boutique hotel a short walk from the lake; $242

Dining

Sidellis Brewery. Bar food plus a selection of home brews; $14

Things to Do

  • Emerald Bay State Park. Hiking, fishing, swimming and picnicking against a background of blue water, towering trees and granite cliffs; $10 per vehicle
  • Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. Locomotives, model trains, railroad history and a 40-minute ride on a steam-powered train; $18

Summer in Montreal

spinner image various food at Greenspot
Grab hot dogs and 27 variations on poutine at Greenspot in Montreal.
Courtesy Greenspot

(Prices are in U.S. dollars)

Luxury

(Weekend starts at $2,262)

Accommodation

  • Ritz-Carlton. Among the highlights: afternoon tea in a palm court and a saltwater pool; $576

Dining

  • Chez Delmo. An Old Montreal gem for nearly a century; $40

Things to Do

  • Bota Bota Spa-Sur-L’eau massage. A 90-minute therapeutic treatment with a balm on a boat-turned-spa in the city’s old port; $143
  • Local Montréal Food and Drink Tour. A three-hour walking and tasting trek in Old Montreal; $84

On a Budget

(Weekend starts at $702)

Accommodation

  • Le Nouvel Hotel. A short walk to the shops on the famous Rue Sainte-Catherine; $212

Dining

  • Greenspot. Burgers, hot dogs and 27 variations on poutine, including the classique preparation with gravy and cheese; $10

Things to Do

  • Mount Royal Park. Woods and meadows on a hilltop in the middle of the city, ideal for walking or picnicking; free
  • La Grande Roue. Views of the city from a Ferris wheel with climate-controlled cabins rising to 200 feet; $23

To see all our coverage, visit AARP The Magazine: The Travel Issue

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