One of the best things about living in the Vancouver areas is the abundance of opportunities this region allows us. Within a few hours drive or ferry ride are many diverse destinations, such as Victoria, Whistler, Harrison Hot Springs, and Seattle, just to name a few. A “staycation”, playing tourist in your own city, is one way to enjoy your time off, but sometimes, you just want to get out of town for a few days.
This weekend, we did just that on a 3 day getaway to Seattle, Washington. With it being Canadian Thanksgiving, a quick getaway to one of the many great, nearby Canadian destinations would also be a quick way to empty our wallets. Holiday weekends are no excuse to take a holiday from your budget. For thrifty Bargain Bunnies, holiday weekends are an opportunity to expand our horizons while spending less. Enter… Seattle!
Hotel savings
With passport in hand and our budget in mind, Bargain Bunny hopped our way over the border. A few short hours later, we arrived at our Seattle hotel to start our weekend of saving. Hotels can be expensive, but in true Bargain Bunny style, we pulled a rabbit out of the hat… saving more than a pretty penny on modern, updated accommodations with great amenities. How did we do this? First, we went directly to Trivago.ca to compare hotel prices. While there’s a ton of hotel price comparison sites out there, we’ve found that Trivago.ca reliably shows us the best rates among hundreds of travel websites. To verify that we’re getting the best price, we also check Kayak.com.
A low price is only part of a great deal, however. We’re talking about getting a good value for your dollars. We live by the motto of “Live better, Spend Less”. We ensure we’re getting good value for our dollar by viewing user reviews and guest photos of hotels on TripAdvisor.com. When looking for a hotel to book, we look for an updated, modern hotel with a nice pool, free parking, and and a hot complimentary breakfast. These perks and amenities boost a hotel’s value greatly. With many hotels charging $15-25 per night for parking, and breakfast for 2 adults costing upwards of $30-40 with tax and tip, finding a hotel which includes both can save you up to $65 per night for each night of your stay.
More sightseeing, more savings
Without a doubt, hotel or other accommodations are in the top two most pricey parts of travel. Even the best deals can leave your pocketbook on the thin side. This is no reason to forgo seeing the city’s top attractions. Our favorite way to cut sightseeing expenses by up to half is with the Entertainment Book. Once a big, clunky behemoth, the Entertainment Book has entered the modern world. Today, an Entertainment Digital Membership fits in your pocket, thanks to their easy-to-use mobile app. Search for mobile coupons you can redeem right from your iPhone or Android device and discover coupons you can print out from Entertainment.com. The best thing about the Entertainment Digital Membership is that it gives you access to thousands of local and national deals, in both Canada and in the US. Whether you’re in your hometown or out-of-town, there’s great savings to be had. In Seattle, Bargain Bunny was able to save 50% on admission to the Pacific Science Center and Woodland Park Zoo, thanks to the Entertainment Book’s mobile and print buy one, get one admission coupons. These are just 2 of the 87 Seattle area attractions currently offering Entertainment Digital Membership coupons, including the Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Art Museum, and The Children’s Museum of Seattle.
Dining Deals
At the end of a busy day of sightseeing, it’s time for a good meal. Always hungry for a deal, Bargain Bunny turns to the daily deal sites. Groupon has the widest selection of restaurant deals that we’ve seen anywhere, which makes it our primary go-to when we’re hungry and in a hurry. When feeling a bit peckish at Seattle Center, Bargain Bunny picked up decadent chocolate treats for 50% off at Seattle Fudge. Another one of our favorite current Groupon dining deals is $11 for $20 off food and drinks at The 5 Point Café
. Part dive bar, part home cooking restaurant specializing in the best comfort food in Seattle, this Seattle institution is on our “must eat” list. For those who looking for something a bit more upscale, you’ll find tons of Groupon choices in Seattle, from Brazilian steakhouse
to Zagat rated Surf and Turf
to a Moraccan feast
.
