There is nothing quite
like getting away on a vacation and it is something you plan for and look
forward to all year long. The day finally comes, you set out on your trip and
have a list of places to see and things to do. However, one of the things you
may not have considered is where you will eat while away from home. Of course
you probably have budgeted for what you can spend, but once on the road, where
do you eat? Here are a few dining tips when traveling for making the most of
your food budget.
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| San Francisco California |
Book Hotels with Continental
Breakfasts
They say breakfast is
the most important meal of the day but it is usually the first one most people
do without when on vacation. It is horribly expensive eating out three meals a
day so many tourists skip breakfast so that they can enjoy a better lunch and
dinner. Why not book hotels on your trip that offer free continental breakfasts? Most have an assortment of pastries and of
course, free coffee or tea. The savings from this meal alone could provide
enough money to see one extra sight that day and you won’t need to do without a
kick-start to your day.
 |
| San Antonio Txas |
Mix Sightseeing with Dining
You know you need to
eat but one thing to keep in mind is that this is time you could be spending
sightseeing. Why not plan ahead for eateries that are unique to that area or
serve award-winning cuisine? This way you get a ‘taste’ of local dining
experiences while eating one of the two remaining meals after your free
continental breakfast? For example, on a trip to Indiana you may want to spend
an evening out having a few drinks at the best bar in Indianapolis. You do a bit of searching and find that the Spoke and Steele Indianapolis has won this honor and also has an award winning menu. Why not make it
a late dinner so that you can try the food, sample the drinks and have a fun
night out all at one go?
Steer Clear of Fast Food Restaurants
You might think that
fast food restaurants provide the biggest savings when dining out on vacation
but this isn’t always true. In recent years, one value meal can cost as much as
a lunch or dinner special at a local café and the food isn’t nearly as interesting.
Even if you spend a few extra dollars on a meal, it is something you can do at
home and this is just time wasted. Try an open-air farmers market for a fresh salad perhaps or a sidewalk café
where you can have a look around while getting the nourishment you need for the
day? You can always visit Mickey D’s when you go back home but you can’t always
dine in the open air watching the locals and getting a glimpse of shops on the
boulevard!
So, even if you are on
a budget you don’t need to scrimp on eating. With a free breakfast and a bit of
creative dining, you can have a wonderful vacation and taste some local foods
that can actually be part of your itinerary. Just remember, hit restaurants and
cafés you don’t have at home as it’s just a waste of time. Plan ahead and
you’ll be able to see the sights while satisfying your need to eat.
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31 delicious comments:
Thanks for these great tips. Dining out when travelling can be a challenge, whether it's finding a place on a budget or just trying to judge if it's going to be tasty!
We do our own research before planning our trip. Find an affordable hotel with affordable foods
I always look for congenital breakfast when we go on vacation. They are yummy and the kids get to choose what they want. Love the tips!
Having that continental breakfast is such a good way to save both time and money while traveling! It is a top priority for us especially because we have 3 kids haha! Avoiding fast food is much easier said than done just with the sheer business of sight seeing, but I know it is no good for us and we try to avoid it too.
I only book hotels with free breakfasts. It makes life SOOOO much easier with the kids.
What great tips and thanks for sharing today! Staying away from fast food restaurants gets my vote today!
When I'm booking, seeing continental breakfast available makes a big difference. I need to start checking local restaurants before heading out too.
We always try to find a hotel with breakfast. I have learned to still pack something like protein bars just in case no one is a fan of the food there. Great tips!
Continental breakfasts are a big bonus while on vacation, because usually, they have choices that children love to eat. Less trouble, more fun!
Such great tips! Especially the one about skipping the fast food places! I totally agree with you on that!
Great tips! We don't travel often but when we have we always find the best deals, check with the hotels and avoid fast food at all costs! - jeanine
I always look for a hotel with a continental breakfast! Saves money and time!
These are all great tips!! I just finished a 2 week road trip and we stayed at places with free breakfast and only ate at places that we didn't have back home!!
I am not a fan of fast food restaurants at all so we rarely go to them not unless the little one wants one. And we've always chosen hotels with free breakfast.
Great tips! I love dining out when we are traveling. The kids always love it as well. We always try to get a hotel with free breakfast as well.
These are great dinning tips for travelling. I always try to stay away from fast food and stick to local restaurants.
These are excellent tips. I always try to find a hotel that serves at least breakfast. Several hotels also are serving dinner too (some are limited to weekdays only) so read the fine print. We often spilt meals when we dine out. If possible, find a hotel with a refrigerator and kitchen so you can make your own meals.
Thanks for the tips! I just came back from a mini vacay but next year we planning a big one with the kids.
When I was younger and traveled across Europe I could have cared less about the food...now, it's ALL about the food!!
When we eat out, which isn't often, we try to make it as special as possible. One of the ways we do that is avoided fast food because thats just not really a treat.
These are fabulous tops! And so timely, we're always trying to figure out dining plans when we travel!
I like to avoid fast food when we travel too. I need to try more new restaurants that are not chains.
Thank you for the wonderful dining tips! I will definitely have to keep these tips in mind.
I love exploring the new food options while on vacation. You are right, no need for fast food that's for sure!
These are great tips! When we book for a hotel, we make sure that breakfast is included. We usually have a late breakfast, so it's alright to skip lunch. The only meal we really spend on is the dinner.
Thanks for these tips and your right sometimes fast food costs more then going inside somewhere.
Steer clear of fast food is a great idea. My simple question to my family when they suggest going to a fast food restaurant I always ask "why eat the same thing here that we can get at home?" Experiment with new things. Great post.
I have been all about hotels that have breakfast in the morning now that I'm a mom! So helpful to be able to take an elevator down stairs in the morning with the kiddos to grab some food!
One of my priorities is to book a hotel stay with a complimentary breakfast. Some are basic, and then some are really impressive. One of the best ones that I've seen had an entire Asian section where you could eat noodles with tons of different flavorings and spices. I've never seen that before.
We never ever do fast food when we travel. Part of the travel experience is the food and culture. What's the point of traveling!
Great tips! I am always booking hotels that offer breakfast included in the room rate. It makes eating breakfast so much easier. Plus, eliminating the expense of a meal is always a good thing!
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