Wanderlust: So where to next?

Hey everybody! I know classes are starting soon and it’s beyond freezing cold outside so I’m sure everyone is being a Debbie Downer…including myself. I mean, winter break flew by and I’m already looking forward to Spring Break!

Now I know many of you don’t know me, but if there’s two things to know about me, it’s that I love country music (see my previous post) and I LOVE to travel. I know, I know, it just seems so overrated now with everyone saying that. But for me, it’s not just about traveling…it’s about wanderlust. It’s about wanting to not only see a different culture but live it. It’s not just about visiting your stereotypical pretty places like Paris, Rome and Barcelona…but also about witnessing the culture and customs of a remote village in Africa. I willingly admit that I suffer from an incurable disease called wanderlust. It’s hard to explain it, I can go and on and you would never be able to fully understand my constant yearning for travel and exploration. I’ve done my fair share of traveling, and let just warn you, it is highly addictive. If you want to talk about my adventures, you can hit me up on Facebook!

So in an effort to ignite wanderlust in everybody, I thought I could list a few places that are cheap and affordable for college students. Here we go!

7. Dublin, Ireland: While the travel itself (read: airfare) isn’t cheap, staying in Dublin is. Who wouldn’t want to sit back and relax while sipping on a Guinness in one of Dublin’s many pubs? With hotel accommodation prices starting at $70/night, a quick vacation there would be a perfect getaway in the spring or summer. And while you’re there, you’ll have to check out the beautiful castles and cliffs.

6. Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal: Yeah I know this seems a bit hipster-y but trust me when I say that Nepal offers a generous amount sight-seeing opportunities with the Himalayas and the Mount Everest as its backdrop, while offering a tremendous amount of cultural experiences as well. There are so many beautiful temples and monasteries for you to stay busy with. Also, this is one of the cheapest destinations for college students, because you would only expect to spend about $20-25 USD per day. How awesome is that?!

This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sagarmatha National Park.

5. Bangkok, Thailand: Lot’s of cities to visit and lots of activities to do in Thailand, which include sight-seeing, riding elephants, experiencing tigers up close and personal and trekking. You can expect to spend about $40 per day, and in lesser popular cities, everything is even cheaper.

4. Prague, Czech Republic: Prague is one of those cities where you can just walk around and explore because of it’s exceptional beauty. Hostels are around $15 per night and tons of drinks (read: cheap beer) to enjoy on a budget.

Charles Bridge in Prague

3. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Yes I know…the airfare to Europe from the States is anything but cheap. But is it any consolidation that there are so many free things to do in Amsterdam? Unfortunately, the average hotel rate is about $90 per night, but there are other options such as hostels and bunking. You just have to be smart about it and do your research!

2. Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada: Great thing about this location is that you don’t have to fly, you can road trip there! I’ve done a gazillion times so I know that 8hrs sounds a lot but it flies by, especially when you’re with the people you love. There is so just so much to do here, including the views and the nightlife. It will be a vacation of a lifetime and you can stay within your budget. As a native Canadian, I can’t help but brag about it!

1. Florence, Italy: Real Italian thin-crust pizza anyone? Of all the places I have visited, Florence will always be at the top of my list. Not only because I felt like I was in a Dan Brown book when I visited, but because the place holds so much history and culture, it is really unbelievable. You would be standing in the heart of the Italian renaissance and it’s rich antiquity. It really is an indescribable feeling. With the Uffizi gallery to the Gates of Paradise to the Duomo, you will have to plenty to keep you busy. In the meantime, you can stuff yourself with amazing street-side pizza and gelato! Hotels average to about $74 per night, which might seem like a lot but all you really need is about 3 days in the city.

Here you can see the Duomo, also known as the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, overlooking the rest of this magnificent city.

That’s all for now folks. At the very least, I hope this post sparked some sort of interest about wanderlust in you. Hopefully you’ve got your spring break destination already picked out now! So…where to next? Sound off in the comments!