Getting Lost In America - Part Four - It’s All About the Money!

Getting Lost In America ... The Highs & Lows of Travel in America is a four-part series to help you discover America. Click any of the links for more information about that location or attraction!

You're the top, you're turkey dinner,
You're the Kentucky Derby winner.
I'm a toy balloon that’s fated soon to pop,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom, You're the Top!*

So let’s get to the bottom of what’s tops in America. We began the Highs & Lows Tour of America with Elevation, and continued through People, Weather, Area Codes, and the points of the Compass. So what’s left? As you well know, it’s all about the Money!

Part Four - It’s All About the Money!

Taking a trip or vacation is not without expenses for most folks. According to AAA’s Annual Vacation Costs Survey the average cost of meals and lodging for two adults traveling together through the U.S. is $244. Now that is “average”, so some are spending more and other are getting by on less. Add a couple kids, some amusements and entertainment, and a family vacation can easily top $300 per day. Below are five each of the Most and Least affordable cities in America.

Lowest Cost - Most Affordable Cities
Admittedly you can spend a fortune on a vacation just about anywhere and everywhere. So here are some suggested locations that can help you stretch your vacation budget and are family friendly.

• New London, Connecticut - New London's historic waterfront district is the center of Connecticut's hottest tourist area. Festivals and events attract visitors year round.

• Baltimore, Maryland - Historic American port city, the crown jewel of Baltimore is the Inner Harbor, a scenic and popular waterfront area with dozens of retail stores, restaurants and attractions.

• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - Capital of Pennsylvania located on the Susquehanna River near the beautiful Blue Mountains, is home of the Pennsylvania Dutch and a short drive from the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg.

• Corpus Christi, Texas - Lay in the sun. Dance on the beach. Run in the surf. There are miles of beaches for fishing, boating and floating, and attractions for the whole family are waiting to be explored in Corpus Christi.

• Las Vegas, Nevada - We all know “What happens in Vegas-Stays in Vegas”, but what about the kids? Take ‘em with you! There are more things for kids and families to do in Vegas than at most destinations! Check out the animal shows, the amusement rides, museums, and outside the desert canyons, Lake Mead and the Boulder Dam just for starters!!!

Highest Cost - Least Affordable Cities
You say “money’s no object!” well these cities are waiting with open arms for you to open your wallet! That’s not to say that you can’t do these cities on a budget ... but you will really have to sacrifice on creature comforts or base your visit in a distant suburb.

• New York City - While NYC no longer makes the Top 10 list of the World’s most expensive cities, falling to between 11^th and 19^th place on various recent surveys, the Big Apple is still the most costly city to visit in North America. Of course you want to see everything, start with probably the most recognizable icon of America - the Statue of Liberty. There’s also Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, United Nations, the Yankees, a Broadway play, and the temple of capitalism - the New York Stock Exchange. Fitting it all in is guaranteed to take longer than a New York minute!

• San Francisco, California - Are you going to San Francisco? You’ll leave your heart as well as your money in San Francisco. The city is a popular destination famous for its landmarks - Golden Gate Bridge, El Presidio, Alcatraz Island, the cable cars, Coit Tower, Chinatown - and is a beautiful city with its steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture, gardens and parks, and waterfront.

• San Diego, California - Home to Shamu the killer whale, you will bask year-round in San Diego’s moderate Mediterranean-like climate, have access to miles of beaches, be wowed by the variety of zoos and animal theme parks, plus be able to slip across the border for shopping and a real Mexican dinner in Tijuana.

• Los Angeles, California - Beverly Hills - swimming pools, movie stars! Old Jed had the bucks and if you don’t want to look like a hillbilly in LALA land you better have the money too. With miserable public transit, you will be driving everywhere and nothing is close together in LA. Tops on most folks lists are Hollywood and the movie studios, the amusement parks - Mickey’s original home Disneyland, plus Knots Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Universal Studios - and shopping (or at least gawking) on Rodeo Drive.

• Boston, Massachusetts - Steeped in history and known as the “Cradle of Liberty” Boston has a lot to offer. Walk the Freedom Trail of colonial historic sites, visit Paul Revere’s House, cross the Charles River to Cambridge home of Harvard and MIT, have a lobster dinner, and be sure to have some tea while you’re there...after all, they started a war over it!

Want to save a little scratch? Check out Smart Destinations “GO Cards” for many of the cities listed above (Boston, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco all have GO Cards). The “GO Cards” include tours and admission to dozens of attractions in each city, plus special savings at area restaurants, stores, and more, making vacations more convenient and affordable.

You're the top, you're the Tower of Pisa,
You're the smile, on the Mona Lisa
I'm a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,
But if, baby, I'm the bottom you're the top!*

Wherever you go, be it High or Low, this summer - Happy trails and happy travels, and enjoy yourselves, your family, the sites and sights, and of course your summer vacation!

Read the whole series!
Getting Lost In America ...
The Highs & Lows of Travel in America

Part One - By Elevation
Part Two - By Population & Weather
Part Three - By Codes & Compass
Part Four - By the Money

* Song lyrics from “You’re The Top!” by
legendary American songwriter Cole Porter.