How to Fly to Paris (and other European cities) for $150 or less from Louisville

While people window shop, I plan fantasy vacations.  This means I spend a lot of time looking up photos and prices for places I want to visit.  Fortunately for me and fellow travel bugs, those fantasies can now be realities!

WOW Air, an Icelandic budget airline, will start offering flights out of Cincinnati in May 2018 at a base rate of $100 one way to Iceland and $150 to 18 European destinations and Tel Aviv.  Flights to Iceland’s capital Reykjavik are direct and 6 hours long.  All other destinations stopover in Iceland.

This means you can fly to select cities in Iceland, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, the UK, Spain, Poland, Sweden and France for cheaper and faster than flying to some U.S. cities!  Flying to anywhere in Europe currently is $700 - $1,000 round trip, so this is AMAZING news! So if you ever fantasize about flying away to Paris and never come back (or at least for a short vacation), you can finally do it for only $150 one way.

Ridiculously cheap?  Yes!  It comes with a few caveats, but you can do it and here’s how.

How to book the cheapest flights

You can book tickets now for 2018 by going directly to wowair.com but I found the process to be cumbersome.  Search results only show prices for a few days at a time and you'll have to scroll one by one to see better prices.

Instead, I prefer to go to flights.google.com (best on your desktop).  To book one way tickets to Paris for $150 and to Iceland for $100:

• 1) Choose "one way" 
• 2) Departure = CVG and Arrival: Paris/KEF/Berlin...etc., 
• 3) Click on the "date".  A calendar will appear at the bottom and scroll through the months to see the cheapest dates. 

Cincinnati to Paris for $150

Cincinnati to Iceland for $100

It's easy to find cheap one way tickets to Iceland and Europe but finding a separate one way ticket back to Cincinnati is almost always more expensive.  To get a better deal, I suggest searching for "Round Trip".  When you click on the departure and return date, a calendar will pop up with a two-month calendar view of the prices.

 Pick the departure and return date with the best prices (in green).  The price for the dates you pick initially might not be the cheapest but you can refine your search further by choosing “flexible date” (next to "calendar" under departure date).  You’ll get a matrix with dates around your desired departure time with better rates.  For detailed instructions you can go here.

$260 RT to Iceland is an excellent price!

Once you find the dates and prices you like, Google will direct you to WOW to book.

If the price for your desired departure date is high, try these tips:

• For $100 and $150 tickets, search and book months ahead.
• Be flexible with your travel dates and destination.  Leaving a day early or later can save you hundreds.
• Google flights has the option to track flights & prices.  It’ll notify you when the price changes.  If the price is too high now, it might be worth it to wait.  However, have an idea of  what a good price is. You don't want to wait around for an unreasonable rate that may never come.  A really good price for a round trip ticket to Iceland is in the $300 range and $400 range for other European destinations.
• Prices change all the time, if you find cheap flights, book! By law, you have 24 hours to cancel free of charge.  That'll give you time to ask for your boss' permission :)  
• WOW flies only on certain days of the week depending on the destination, choose those dates to ensure the best rate. WOW flies out of Cincinnati to Reyjkavik: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; out of Reyjkavik - Cincinnati: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
• If you want to combine Iceland with other European destinations, consider their free Stop Over Offer. More info here. 

Europe and Beyond

If your intended European destination is expensive through WOW air or not offered at all, there's a great solution!

• 1)  The cheapest option is to book your round trip ticket to Iceland through WOW and use Iceland as your travel base.  From there, you can fly to almost any European city for very cheap. 
• 2) Go to skyscanner.com, my favorite website for inter-European air travel, to search for tickets to the destination of your choice.  If you are flexible on your destination and dates, try this search option:
• Departure: KEF
• Arrival: Everywhere
• Departure month & Arrival: Cheapest month
  

  

  Search Sample

  
  You'll get this result.  Round trip to the UK from Iceland for as low as $50.



Sample search results

Or if you have multiple cities in mind, fly one way into one city and back from another city.  You can find one way tickets from Iceland to Europe for as low s $22 one way.

If you time and book things correctly you can fly to from Cincinnati to Iceland for $260 + $50 (RT to UK) + $62 (RT from UK to Paris via EuroStar train) + whatever other cities you want to visit....the options are limitless!  Here's further reading for tips and advice on budget airlines in Europe. Please NOTE: skyscanner is a search engine so you cannot buy the tickets directly from them. When applicable, it'll give you a list of travel agencies and/or airlines to book.  I suggest selecting the airline company directly to avoid complications with un-reputable third party sites.

Louisville to Cincinnati 

Yes, you’ll have to fly out of Cincinnati but the short 1.5 hour drive there from Louisville is worth the savings.  If you have friends or family in Cincinnati, park your car there and then Uber/Lyft to the airport.  Information here for a free Uber ride.

If you opt to park at the airport, there are a few options.  The cheapest is to park your car at CVG ValuPark, a long term open air parking lot for $9/day.  Directions here.  Before you enter the lot, the parking attendant will direct you to the appropriate row, a shuttle will then come to you to give you a ride to the terminal.  It's a well coordinated process and you can be at the airport in 10-15 minutes, depending on how many people they have to pick up in the lot.

Finally...the Catch.

Since the airfare is cheap on budget airlines, you’ll have to make some compromises.  Drinks and snacks are not free;  the seats are smaller and leg room is minimal; luggage requirements are strict and expensive.  Prepare yourself by reading the policies and guidelines from each airline so are not caught off guard by unwanted expenses and headaches.

I've booked my Iceland tickets and am looking forward to this scenery!

Photo Source: D. Tran

If you are interested in more travel tips, check this blog post on how to fly to the beach for as low as $30 or this for tips on booking cheap hotels and cars.

Weekend Away - Lake Cumberland State Park

If you're looking for a nice weekend getaway for cheap, consider taking a short trip to Lake Cumberland State Park in Jamestown, KY.  It's a short and scenic 2 1/2 hour drive from Louisville.  

Sunrise from my bedroom patio

As college students, we love coming here for the summer, rent a camp site for cheap and spend a Saturday on the Lake.  As an adult, I've enjoyed staying at one of the cabins near Lure Lodge, waking up every morning to a spectacular view of the sunrise on the lake.  For around $70/night, a very nice room with 2 queen beds can easily sleep up to 4 people.  The rooms are clean and modern and all  have a view of the lake. The walls are thin and you can hear your neighbor easily but it didn't bother me too much.

View from the Lodge restaurant

Dinning option is limited as you're miles away from the nearest town.  The most convenient option is the Lodge restaurant.  Steps away from Lure Lodge, it offers decent meals for a reasonable price.  The best feature is the breath taking view of the take, so grab a table towards the back of the restaurant.

What to do:

• Hike: Check short and long hikes. 
• Horse Back Riding: They have guided trail guides leaving on the hour from Memorial to Labor Day
• Boating & Swimming: If you got a big group, rent one of the pontoons for the day and take it out for a spin on the lake.  Pack food for a picnic right on the waters.  Most comes with a slide for a full day of swimming and innocent fun. 

Weekend Away – Gulfshores, Alabama

My least favorite part about living in Louisville? The beach is way too far away.  Landlocked, a trip to the beach means 8+ hours  of driving or at least two flight connections away.  If you’re looking for a new beach to explore, I’ll let you in on a worst kept secret, Gulf Shores, Alabama.

I’ve been coming here since college and find new reasons to love it every time.  A relatively short drive away, 8 – 9 hours, Gulf Shores Alabama is clean, not touristy and super family friendly.  Miles of beautiful white sandy beaches are perfect for those loving long walks on the beach.  The water is full of wildlife, great for crabbing, fishing, and dolphin watching.  Being less well known means never having to fight the crowds and having many favorite spots to yourself.  Here’s my short guide to this gem.

When to go

I’m a sucker for the beach, so any time I have an excuse to go is a good time!  For the budget conscious, these are the times with the best hotel rates:  Fall (September – March).  You can get some hotels as cheap as 50% off.  But the water tends to be colder these months.  The best time to swim is in the early fall and summer (April – August). 

Where to stay

A beach front condo is a must.  It might be more expensive, but the view of the ocean as you wake up

Orange Beach view from condo balcony

every morning and the sound of the crashing waves as you go to sleep at night is priceless.  You also have immediate access to the beach without having to find parking or packing up every time you want to go for a swim.  Condos also have fully equipped kitchen, so you save a lot of money by cooking your own food. There are a lot of resorts/condos available so check online for the best rate. 
We usually stay at Regency Isle.  Managed by Meyer Realty, we save money by renting only one 2 bedroom condo that sleeps 6 and sharing it with a larger crowd.  All Meyer Realty condo guests check in off site, so you can sneak in more than the allowable limits and save money by bringing sleeping bags :)

What to do

I’m still exploring all the things you can do in Gulf Shores, but here are a few of my favorites:

Dolphin seen from our Pontoon

• Crabbing/Fishing: The water is teeming with fish.  Swim on any given day and you’ll see schools of fish right on the beach.  If you love to fish, you can do so right off the beach or head to the piers, pay $8 for an all-day fishing experience.  There are also a lot of deep sea fishing excursions with opportunities to catch larger fish.   Our favorite free activity is crabbing right off the beach, early morning or late at night.  You just need net and flash lights.  We had a lot of luck at this location: intersection of Kiva Way + Fort Morgan Road
• Swimming at the Beach:  Completely free and fun for everyone.  In parts where the waves are crazy, buy a body board and do some body surfing.  Or just float and relax.  Perdido Beach, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan Beach are all great.  The beach at For Morgan is shallow and goes out pretty far, great for the little ones.
• Dolphin Watching: If you wake up early, around 7 or 8 a.m., you can see these majestic animals right off the beach.  I’ve seen them from the balcony of our condo and less than 20 feet from the beach.  If you want to have longer sightings, there are several dolphin cruises.
• The Wharf: Light show every night makes this a fun place to hang out after spending all day at the beach.  There are several shops, restaurants, movie theaters and ice creams shops.  The lively music and DJ got the kids involved in activities and dancing all night.
• Pontoon: A cheap way to do a lot of stuff all in one day.  For approximately $20/a person you can rent your own private pontoon and cruise the waters. You’ll see dolphins, sneak in some fishing, and find your own private beach island to swim. 

Where to eat

• Meals at home: Our favorite place to eat is at the condo.  We shop for the week and prepare all our meals at home.  Delicious, cheap and hassle free if you have a large group of people.  If you want sea food, head to Bon Secoure to get fresh shrimps, crabs ($10.99/dozen), crawfish ($3.99 cooked) and oysters.  Billy’s Seafood, Aquila, and Safe Harbour are my favorite places.  You’ll get sea food off the boat for half the price.  An unlikely place to get really cheap fish? Don’t be shy, ask one the fishermen at the piers, we got these babies for $15 each.
  
• Lambert’s: if you have to eat out once, head to this fun restaurant where the portions are large and the atmosphere lively.  The food is decent but the fun part is the waiters throw freshly made rolls across the room right to you.  The prices are reasonable and they bring out unlimited side dishes. 

Have fun!

Weekend Away - Memphis, TN

It's been a busy few weeks so I've been slacking a bit in updating the blog, my goal is to update at least once a week!  The last weekend took us out of town to Memphis, Charlotte and Myrtle Beach.  A lot driving, eating unhealthy foods and little sleep.  We're now back to River City and ready to be hometown tourists again.

Memphis

We headed south for the weekend for a friend's wedding and got to sample some of that famous Memphis BBQ.  We also visited the famous Sun City recording studio, where a lot of music legends got their start (Elvis among the most famous).  Here's a little recap of the places we visited.

• BBQ: A trip to Memphis is not complete until you stop by at least one BBQ joint.  We only had Sunday free so headed to Tom's BBQ, one of the few places opened on Sunday.  My husband loved the turkey leg, it was soft and felt right off the bone.   Check out this link for the 7 most famous Memphis BBQ joints. Diners, Dine-Ins and Dives did a few special on these places so you can watch a video before deciding where to go here.
  
  
• Sun Studio: Iconic to the city, a visit to Memphis can't be complete without a visit here, birth place of rock and roll.  The fee is $13 for a tour that leaves every 30 minutes.  If you want to do it cheap, like we did, come snap a picture of the front, walk through the gift shops and enjoy the bar than head out.  No fees and no hassles. You'll still get to see some cool relics and get a sense of the place.
  
  
  
• La Michoacana:  Paletas and Mexican Ice cream are the stars here.  Meet your new obsessions if you haven't had these delicious cool treats.  Paletas are popsicles, either water based or cream based.  There are tons of unique flavors to choose, from tamarind, mango and chili, avocado, to traditional, strawberry, blueberries etc.  If you're adventurous, there are a bunch of different types of ice creams and snacks to choose from, ask the staff for suggestions.  

• Memphis Botanical Garden was beautiful.  If you're a fan of nature and pretty flowers, stop here if you get a chance.  If your guy is with you, you might want to skip, they won't appreciate all the hidden gardens with with beautiful flowers, plants and trees.  There's a Big Back Yard Section for kids with tree houses as well.