No matter where you’re headed this year, be it London, Florence or Mexico, with a little budget-wise wisdom under your belt, you can stretch your travel dollar and explore even more of sites in the great cities of the world. So, here’s some of the best travel tips from around the globe to get you on your way after all that cash you saved on accommodations with your Travel Set Go membership.
It’s a little-known fact that you can get free admission to many of London’s historic sites just by becoming a member of the not-for-profit Historic Royal Palaces (hrp.org.uk). The membership pays for itself when getting you into some of the biggest attractions: Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and more, for free. And, you can skip the long lines to buy tickets.
Ireland boasts more than 70 historic sites in a relatively small land mass. And, by purchasing the Heritage Card, which grants you unlimited admission to sites like Dublin and Kilkenny Castle, your savings can add up quickly. Purchase the card before you go at heritage ireland.ie.
Save big when you buy a Friends of the Uffizi Gallery pass before you fly to Florence (florenceforfun.org). The membership is good for a year and gets you into to the Uffizi, the state museums of Florence, the Pitti Palace, the Medici Chapels, and countless others for free.
If you’re planning to explore Washington D.C. for the first time, take the time to write to your state’s congressional representatives and ask them for passes to attend sessions of Congress, and discounted tour tickets. It’s a common practice and well-kept secret.
When the time comes to take in Europe or other wondrous regions of the world, do your homework and learn where the dollar is worth the most. By going to the Office of Allowances page of the U.S. Department of State website, aoprals.state.gov, and clicking on the Foreign Per Diem Rates link, you can discover daily travel expenses allowed for U.S. government civilians who travel overseas. The amounts are in dollars, are updated regularly and include information for more than 1,000 destinations around the world.
If you’re staying at standard resort hotel during your trip, look at day passes sold by nearby all-inclusive resorts. These types of passes grant visitors access to things like restaurants, swimming pools, and those beach chairs you would otherwise have to rent for a hefty price.