Surrounded by mountains and glittering harbor views of the Pacific Ocean, tourists to Vancouver remark on the healthy look of the place. The city offers budget-friendly hotels and vacation packages. As of 2011, room prices start at $79 per night. Recognized as one of the world's most livable cities, Vancouver has one of smallest "carbon footprints" of any major city in North America, according to the City of Vancouver website. The trans-link train is an affordable transportation system, like a metro or underground train. Tickets, as of 2011, run $2.50 for adults for a single journey. You can also opt to put money on the trans-link card, $20 or more, to cover your travel throughout your stay. As of 2011, cheap flights from San Francisco to Vancouver start at less than $300 round trip. From Syracuse, New York, flights are more expensive, around $664 round trip as of April 2011. Visit for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, in March-April, a spectacular flowering.
The Adirondack mountain range in northern New York has 46 peaks that soar more than 4,000 feet above sea level. For a weekend trip out of New York City, or a larger cheap getaway from the West Coast, Midwest or abroad, the Adirondack Park is an ideal choice. You can swim or just enjoy the views around Lake Placid, Saratoga Lake, ski, or just relax in hot tubs and saunas. The Lake Pleasant Lodge is a cheap option for accommodations. A motel with 11 newly renovated rooms, as of 2011, rooms for two start from $75 per night. The Big Moose Inn in Eagle Bay has rooms that start from $90 per night. If you live on the East Coast, drive up to the Adirondacks by car or take a train. If you need to fly, book a flight to Albany International Airport (ALB), 119 miles to Long Lake off the Adirondack Northway (I-87).
Charleston, South Carolina is a lovely, historic city with statues of Washington, quaint parks and Carolina shorelines and marinas. When you plan your getaway, book a romantic hotel in the historic downtown area, full of shops and landmarks, near the College of Charleston campus. Hotels and Inns start from around $120 downtown and $80 in areas outside downtown, such as Ashley, Mount Pleasant or near the Charleston airport. Attractions include historical tours, shopping, boating on the sound, touring the Magnolia Plantation Gardens and going to Folly Beach for sunning and swimming.
As a dependency, a country that depends on the U.S., it makes traveling to Puerto Rico much easier, although this may not last for long. Puerto Rico, located in the Caribbean, has mountains, such as El Yunque Peak, beaches, waterfalls and rain forests, such as the Caribbean National Forest. Tours of the rain forest are free, or you can have a guided tour with a $5 donation. Lodging in Puerto Rico is relatively cheap, from huge seaside resorts to smaller inns and motels. Acacia Seaside Inn in San Juan starts at $110 per night, San Miguel Plaza Hotel in Bayamon ranges from $99 to $152 and Villa Tropical in Isabela starts from $80. Round trip tickets from Baltimore, as of 2011, start at $430.
