The Art of the Mini-Vacation 2: The Budget

All vacations of any length of time to any destination require one thing. No, not your iPhone, although they do come in handy. Every vacation requires a budget. Regardless of if you are currently worth millions or have, by legal means hopefully, access to unlimited funds you still have to mind an idea of what you plan to spend. Most people plan well ahead of time and allot certain monies for certain things, i.e a hundred bucks for gas, another hundred for food and so on. So how do you budget a spontaneous mini-vacation? Well, that’s easy.

If you’ve picked the proper destination, half the battle is done. It is imperative, as it pertains to the mini-vacay, that you pick a place you can get to on a single tank of gas. If you are flying, you want to keep it close or fly into an international airport to get cheaper rates and more arrival and departure times. For many Southerners, Panama City Beach is the ideal one-tank vacation. As gas prices continue to fluctuate, this becomes more and more important. Panama City Beach’s ability to be a perfect round-trip adventure from cities like Atlanta, Birmingham or Nashville cut down on fuel costs, eliminate outrageous airfares, yet still afford cost-conscious beach-lovers the opportunity to get far enough away from home to relax and recharge. Whether you just want to splurge on a day-trip, relax through an overnight excursion or truly getaway, it is ideal.

At this point, you’ve decided on the perfect destination and booked the perfect accommodations. Everything is in order for a great weekend getaway. Let’s say, you have $100.00 remaining to make an awesome weekend, but don’t want to spend it all at one place. Lucky for you, this is a mini-vacation which means $100.00 should make for an exciting time. Here are a few tips for the budget:

1). Always pack a cooler full of ice filled with food perishables such as milk, water, lunch meat, condiments, etc. and pack an air tight Tote filled with dry goods-cereal, bread, potato chips, snacks, etc. There’s nothing better than a beach picnic, which can double as both romantic and fun.

2). Bring more than one pair of shoes. I know this sounds silly, but on Panama City Beach many of the attractions and entertainment are within walking distance. If you only bring the heels or the loafers, you’ll want to drive. The weather is always nice…perfect for an outdoor walk.

3). Avoid the big breakfast. Many hotels and condos offer continental breakfasts or have coffee makers in the room. Going out for breakfast each morning can add up fast. Breakfast for three at McDonald’s can quickly be $20.00 bucks which is a huge slice of your $100.00 budget.

4). Don’t plan on buying souvenirs. Walking along Panama City Beach’s shores its easy find ones that cost nothing- a seashell, an interesting rock or stone, a cup from a favorite restaurant or match box from the hotel.

5). Plan for one big outing. This is important because it provides a sort of climax to the whole vacation. Plan for an attraction or a nice restaurant where you can spend the bulk of your budget and have a ball doing it. Pick something fun, though. I would try a place like Shipwreck Island Water Park or dining at Pineapple Willy’s where you can eat and enjoy live music and drinks all for one price.

Here are a few things worth splurging on..

-A great hotel
-Balcony views
-Dinner at a memorable restaurant
-Wine…always get the good wine
-Adventure

Obviously, there is a lot to do on Panama City Beach. Which brings us to our next installment of The Art of the Mini-Vacation, “The Vacation,” all about how to get the most out of your vacation and all the fun things to do on Panama City Beach.

Click Here to go back to mini-vacation part 1

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Part 1: Choosing the right destination.

You’ve taken big vacations before. You’ve saved up sick days and vacation time all year long, planned a huge two-week trip, bought airline tickets, rented vehicles, bargained a sitter for the dog—the whole nine. The vacation is great but you get back to the job to find your work piled up and you can’t get away again for another year. That’s no fun. But what if you could vacation any time you wanted? This is where the mini-vacation tosses on a cape and saves the day…or the entire weekend.

The mini-vacation is a quick getaway from the daily routine. It isn’t a full-fledged beg-the-boss-for-leave vacation, but an escape for a few days you’ll be talking about at the water cooler on Monday. The mini-vacay can be as simple as a same day scoot to the beach or a weekend adventure for the whole family. Taking the occasional mini-vacay can relax and recharge you and make a stale routine fresh again.

There is no such thing as a failed mini-vacay but there are keys to getting the most out of one. You could just as well enjoy a spontaneous two-night foray and have an absolute ball. But if you want to save money while your toes are in the sand, see, eat and do as much as you can in a just a wee-bit of time, a game plan is paramount.

First things first, you should decide what type of mini-vacation you’re planning. Are you going solo, bringing a friend or taking the whole family. Once you’ve decided on who to bring and who to leave, pick the right destination. Choosing your destination can make or break your trip. It’s always best to pick a destination to which you can drive, preferably on one tank of gas. You’ve got choices. Try finding a destination that provides the most to do. In the southeast, Panama City Beach enjoys near-perfect proximity for the mini-vacay, with easy interstate access from many large cities. So with premeditated bias we’ll use it as our example.

In a weekend on Panama City Beach you could spend the whole time tanning on the beach, which is always better than a cubicle, or dive into loads of other fun. There’s fishing expeditions, shopping, extraordinary restaurants, and an awesome nightlife. You could bring the golf clubs and take a shot at the links or take a trip to the state park and disappear in nature. Picking a destination that gives you the most bang for your buck is what makes the mini-vacation exceptional. So how do you get so much done and not have to eat bologna sandwiches until the next payday? Our next installment of The Art of The Mini-Vacation is all about budget. Read it here.

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Distances to Panama City Beach, Florida

Alabama

• Dothan – 93.1 miles – 2hrs
• Troy – 152 miles – 3hrs 5 mins
• Montgomery – 181 miles – 3hrs 44 mins
• Tuscaloosa – 311 miles – 5 hrs 40 mins
• Mobile – 173.3 miles – 2 hrs 57 mins
• Ft. Rucker – 117 miles – 2 hrs 40 mins

Florida

• Blountstown – 58 miles – 1 hr 19 mins
• Tallahassee – 132 miles – 2 hrs 28mins
• Marianna – 67.8 miles – 1 hr 28 mins

Georgia

• Albany – 177 miles – 4 hrs 17 mins
• Atlanta – 299 miles – 5 hrs 50 mins
• Bainbridge – 120 miles – 2 hrs 50 mins
• Thomasville – 161 miles – 2 hrs 59mins
• Valdosta – 215 miles – 3 hrs 5 mins