Cincy City Break – $150 Getaway Challenge From New York City (Part 1)

It’s easy to feel like you can’t go anywhere on a shoestring budget. The conventional vacations many families take cost thousands of dollars and take a significant amount of planning time. My goal is to show you that even if you can save up a little bit each week for travel, it can pay off in the short term. In some cases you don’t even have to save anything extra. I’d also like to demonstrate that you don’t have to plan six months in advance to find great deals. As long as you’re willing to be a little flexible on airlines and accommodations, there are plenty of places you can go on a tight budget.

So, I decided to try to make the best weekend itinerary I could according to a couple rules. This will be the first of many posts of the $150 Getaway Challenge. The purpose will be to highlight different cities, many of which are overlooked as travel destinations, and emphasize the fact that cheap travel can be done from pretty much anywhere. Even if you work or go to school all week, you can break the monotony by doing quick mini trips on the weekends.

Rules:

1. Flights + Accommodation must add up to under $150 for 2 people ($300 total)
2. Must be at least a 2 night stay
3. Accommodation must be at least a private room
4. Travel dates must be within the next two months and fall between Thursday-Monday
5. Basic Economy Tickets will be assumed whenever possible (it’s only two/three days, you don’t need a full sized bag)

This would most likely be easier with more people and harder solo. Although, if you’re solo traveling you might as well stay in a hostel and save some cash. Above the $150 budget, you’ll still be spending cash on activities and food, but there are cheap things to do and places to eat in every city.

I’m going to be a little lenient and allow Thursday to Monday qualify as the weekend. I put together my college schedules so that I had four day weekends whenever I could. Taking a Friday and/or Monday off here and there is feasible for a good proportion of the working population, so we’re gonna let it slide. It’s also more difficult to stay within budget on those days because demand is higher for travel.

Keeping all of this in mind, here’s the best I could do.

Best Itinerary from New York City (EWR, LGA, JFK)

Destination: Cincinnati, OH (from EWR)

Flights: $164

Accommodation: $108

Total Cost: $272

Cost Per Person: $136 

Depart: Friday 2/8/19, 10:00 AM, Arrive 12:00 PM (Allegiant)

Return: Monday, 2/11/19, 7:00 am, Arrive 9:00 AM (Allegiant)

To recap, I came in $14 per person under budget which I’m happy about given that it’s a 3 night stay. Cincinnati is often overlooked, but a great travel destination. It was ranked number 8 in the New York Times’ “52 Places to go in 2018“. Cincinnati and New Orleans were the only two American cities in the top ten.

I’ve never flown Allegiant Air before, but with prices like this I’d definitely be inclined to do so in the future. The Airbnb is technically across the river in Kentucky but it’s very close to downtown Cincinnati, and is highly rated. You can take the bus to and from the airport to downtown for $2.00, and take another cheap bus to the Airbnb. You can also take a cheap Uber ride or walk across the river from downtown. This brings me to a point which holds true in most cases.

A Rant

You’ll have to sacrifice something for cheap prices. Most times it’ll be convenience, other times it’ll be the ability to bring bags, or to have your own private bathroom. Not everyone can deal with this but I feel that it grounds my travel experiences and allows me to connect more with the place I’m visiting and the people there.

Staying in a hotel in Times Square is exciting and enjoyable, but New Yorkers would tell you it’s not the real NYC. No short travel experience is going to be “authentic”. But, it’s nice to support local people through Airbnb and listen to their recommendations.

If you can get away from the mindset of having to stay in hotels and flying on non-budget airlines, your wallet will thank you. It could give you a different perspective on traveling, one less impersonal than the impression a tourist trap leaves.

I don’t mean to sound self-righteous, I just want everyone to know that travel is accessible even with a paltry sum of cash saved up. Maybe it’s not the way we typically envision travel, but it can be every bit as enjoyable. Now, let’s hear about what Cincinnati has to offer.

A quintessential American city

With a burgeoning food and arts scene, 3 major league sports teams (hello MLS!) and a world class zoo with a famous hippo, Cincinnati is becoming a trendy destination. Three full days is perfect to see the city.

Make sure to try some chili and hit up one of Cincinnati’s 30 craft breweries. Get breakfast at Findlay Market, which has been operating since 1855. After, you can walk around the revitalized Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and rest at Washington Park. The American Sign Museum and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center are two other attractions which have great reviews.

I’m no expert on food in Cincinnati but there are plenty of options. I usually ask my Airbnb hosts what they like to eat in the area. Tripadvisor is pretty decent for finding cheap but quality eats. Sites like Thrillist can help you find more expensive, trendy restaurants.

Stay tuned for more of the $150 Weekend Getaway Challenge in the coming days. I’ll release an itinerary from Los Angeles tomorrow. I’m open to requests for future cities from any readers to see how this could work from your neck of the woods. In the meantime, I’ll just go down the list of some of the biggest metro areas in the country.