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.

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