As Easter weekend approaches and people begin scurrying home this Thursday and Friday to prepare for Easter egg hunts, spiraling ham and family time, it's also a good time to take advantage of some last minute weekend travel. Whether you're looking to getaway with a loved one for the holiday or book a late trip home, one of many last minute travel websites has solid deals for trips departing later this week.
Eleventh Hour Vacations (tel. 888/740-1998; www.11thhourvacations.com) has land-only and air deals this weekend to many destinations that might (or might not) be near your family. For those who want to experience something slightly different this Easter weekend (perhaps have a religious experience via nature), 11th Hour has a two-night land package to Niagara Falls that starts from $66 up to $122 based on the quality and location of your accommodations. Several of the best-known hotels with falls views and heart-shaped tubs such as the Sheraton Foxhead on the Falls and Brock Plaza cost $87 and $82.
Eleventh Hour also offers an Orlando air-land package that will ensure you and the kids (if you got them) a fun-filled Easter weekend close to Mickey Mouse. A three-night stay at the Best Western Maingate East Hotel and Suites (formerly a Sheraton property) costs $328.30 per person with airfare out of Houston, Texas. The hotel has a huge pool, by the way. From Indianapolis, $209 will get you there and back with two nights at the Buena Vista Suites in the heart of Orlando close to the Magic Kingdom and the city's well-known golf courses.
Possibly the most-well known last-minute travel site on the web, Site 59 (tel. 888/740-1998; www.site59.com), typically has great deals to domestic and international locations. Owned by Travelocity, Site 59 recently got a new look with an easy-to-use redesign. The excellent search engine allows you to choose a detailed day of departure and return as well as a departure city so your results show all of the sites offerings for your vacation choice. Leaving from New York on Thursday, March 24, 2005, there were six pages of 20 trips each increasing in price from $207 for the four-night excursion to Boston to $1,016 for the four nights in Banff on Lake Louise in Southwestern Canada. A list of potential locations include Burlington, VT; Washington, D.C.; Indianapolis; Columbus, OH; Pittsburgh; Green Bay; Detroit; and Atlanta among many other domestic spots. Included in Site 59's prices are flight, hotel, taxes and fees, which means if you forgot to book your Easter trip home, chances are Site 59 can get you close and set you up in a hotel nearby for a very low price.
For just $311 you can get to Nashville for the four-night stint. You get a choice of hotels including center city hotels at the low end and resorts at a slightly higher price with add-ons around $25 to $50 dollars per person for the entire trip, not per night. You can fly and stay four nights in Louisville for $320, Grand Rapids for $321, or Kansas City, MO for $321.
We know it's Easter, but it's also NCAA March Madness, and you can get close to the action including everything but tickets with Site 59. A trip to the regional Sweet 16 in Albuquerque, New Mexico starts at $461with a number of hotels to choose from. Remember, those above prices don't just mean airfare or hotels. That's for air and hotels. If you like, Site 59 can also hook up with a rental car or give you a price for air and rental car so you can stay at home for the Easter holiday.
The opportunities for last minute travel this weekend are endless at these two sites. And this is a holiday weekend. Imagine what goes on during a "slower" period.
