Think you can't afford to get away this summer? TripAdvisor(R), the world's most popular and largest travel community, can help with its new "Great Escapes" tool www.tripadvisor.com/takeoff. You can find outstanding low-cost getaways to unexpected destinations by air or car. The Great Escapes trip-planning resource inspires travelers with up to ten great air and car options from their point of origin, based on the lowest priced flight and popularity of the driving destination, according to millions of TripAdvisor travelers.
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"No matter where you live or what your budget, Great Escapes offers places you might not have thought of for a great price," said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer of TripAdvisor. "TripAdvisor travelers have always cherished a good value but this year even more so, with searches for 'bargains' on our site up nearly 30 percent, and now we're making it even easier to check out the places our travelers love, all for under $199." Forum posts on TripAdvisor about discounts, sales and deals are also up an average of 25 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
Top 10 Great Summer Escapes for Less than $199*: From New York City
Top Flight: Baltimore, Maryland: $119 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: Fort McHenry National Monument, Urban Pirates, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Top value hotel is Homewood Suites by Hilton Baltimore, average nightly rate: $176.
Top Car Trip: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 102 miles or 1 hour 50 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: City Food Tours Philadelphia, Eastern State Penitentiary and the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum.
From Los Angeles
Top Flight: San Francisco, California: $119 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: City Segway Tours, The Urban Safari, and San Francisco Guided Segway Tour. Top value hotel is The Donatello, average nightly rate: $193.
Top Car Trip: Palm Springs, California: 109 miles or 1 hour 49 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: Elite Land Tours, The Fabulous Palm Spring Follies, and Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.
From Chicago
Top Flight: Saint Louis, Missouri: $115 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis Zoo, and Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Top value hotel is Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis, average nightly rate: $136.
Top Car Trip: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin: 195 miles or 3 hours 18 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: Rick Wilcox Theater, Noah's Ark Water Park, and Wizard Quest.
From Philadelphia
Top Flight: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: $119 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: NC Park, Just Ducky Tours, and Senator John Heinz Regional History Centre. Top value hotel is Fairfield Inn Pittsburgh Neville Island, average nightly rate: $108.
Top Car Trip: New York City, New York: 96 miles or 1 hour 49 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: Real New York Tours, Scott's Pizza Tours, and the Top of the Rock Observation Deck.
From San Francisco
Top Flight: San Diego, California: $97 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: Another Side of San Diego Tours, USS Midway Museum, and the Chula Vista Nature Center. Top Value hotel is Best Western Lamplighter Inn and Suites, average nightly rate: $102.
Top Car Trip: Napa, California: 49 miles or 1 hour and 1 minute away. Nearby top-rated attractions: Platypus Tours Limited, Napa Valley Balloons, Inc., and Napa Tours and Chauffeur.
From Dallas
Top Flight: Tulsa, Oklahoma: $98 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: Discoveryland, Philbrook Museum, and Gilcrease Museum. Top value hotel is Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Tulsa, average nightly rate: $78
Top Car Trip: Fredericksburg, TX: 272 miles or 4 hours 33 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: Rockbox Theater, Dooley's 5 10 & 25, and Enchanted Rock State Park.
From Boston
Top Flight: Baltimore, Maryland: $99 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: Fort McHenry National Monument, Urban Pirates, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Top value hotel is Homewood Suites by Hilton Baltimore, average nightly rate: $176.
Top Car Trip: Gloucester, Massachusetts: 39 miles or 46 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: 7 Seas Whale Watch, Cape Ann Historical Museum, and Cape Ann Whale Watch.
From Washington, D.C.
Top Flight: Boston, Massachusetts: $119 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: Urban AdvenTours, Boston Gliders Segway Adventures, and the Freedom Trail. Top value hotel is Constitution Inn, average nightly rate: $177.
Top Car Trip: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 136 miles or 2 hours 37 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: City Food Tours Philadelphia, Eastern State Penitentiary and the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum.
From Atlanta
Top Flight: Miami, Florida: $129 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: Thriller Miami, Miami Tour Company, and Miami Beach Bicycle Center. Top value hotel is Sofitel Miami, average nightly rate: $155.
Top Car Trip: Chattanooga, Tennessee: 116 miles or 1 hour 58 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: Raft One Whitewater, Tennessee Aquarium, and Jukebox Junction Theater.
From Houston
Top Flight: Dallas, Texas: $116 round trip. Nearby top-rated attractions: Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park Dallas, White Rock Lake Park, and Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Top value hotel is Hawthorn Suites Dallas Market Center, average nightly rate: $103.
Top Car Trip: San Antonio, Texas: 197 miles or 3 hours 3 minutes away. Nearby top-rated attractions: Mission San Jose, River Walk, and Natural Bridge Caverns.
* The prices on this page reflect the best fares found over the previous 48 hours. Please note that prices and availability change rapidly and cannot be guaranteed. Flight, hotel, and attraction information as of June 30, 2009.
About TripAdvisor Media Network
TripAdvisor(R) Media Network, operated by TripAdvisor, LLC, attracts more than 33 million monthly visitors* across 14 popular travel brands: TripAdvisor(R), www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.frequentflier.com, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com and www.virtualtourist.com. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 25 million monthly visitors*, 10 million registered members and 23 million reviews and opinions. Featuring real advice from real travelers, TripAdvisor-branded sites cover more than one million destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions and operate in the U.S (www.tripadvisor.com), the U.K. (www.tripadvisor.co.uk), Ireland (www.tripadvisor.ie), France (www.tripadvisor.fr), Germany (www.tripadvisor.de), Italy (www.tripadvisor.it), Spain (www.tripadvisor.es), India (www.tripadvisor.in), Japan (www.tripadvisor.jp), Portugal and Brazil (www.tripadvisor.com.br), Sweden (www.tripadvisor.se), and The Netherlands (http://nl.tripadvisor.com/). TripAdvisor also operates in China under the brand daodao.com (www.daodao.com). TripAdvisor(R) Media Network provides travel suppliers with graphical advertising opportunities and a cost-per-click marketing platform. Collectively, the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network have won hundreds of awards and accolades from press and industry worldwide. TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network are operating companies of Expedia, Inc.
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