Image Source: Flickr
Photographer: Craig Nagy
Megan Bryan says she will not be travelling for reading week because she is not working and can’t afford to travel. A politics and governance undergraduate at Ryerson University, Bryan isn’t the only one in that situation.
However, there is hope for students feeling the pinch. Michael Duchesne, who publishes the Newsflash and Canada Top 20 newsletters for the discount travel site Travelzoo Canada, says students can still find adventures in Canada if they cannot afford to travel overseas.
“Some Canadians are spending time closer to home because of the weather and the fall in the Canadian dollar but now is a great time to experience something local even if it’s in another province,” he says.
Duschene suggests spending a few nights in downtown Toronto at a hotel near the Eaton Centre for $99 a night, weekends inclusive. While there, you could take a day trip skiing at Hockley Valley and enjoy a wide variety of food Downtown. You could rent a cottage with a few friends over the weekend. On CottageCountry, there is a deal for a 2-night package for a three-bedroom cottage going for less than $300.
Other students find themselves in a situation like Vlad Vaccilyev, who is too busy to plan a vacation.
“For the last three years, I have not been doing any travelling… it has just been work and school,” says Vaccilyev.
Nonetheless, last minute deals are still available.
According to Duchesne, travelling to popular warm spots like Cuba, Mexico or the Dominican Republic could cost between $650 and $1,000 during reading week. Therefore, it might be advisable to go other warm areas closer to home, like Florida.
“If you’re travelling to Florida or California, you could try flying from a border city airport like Niagara-New York, Buffalo-New York, or even Detroit. Airfare from these border cities could cost up to about 30 percent less, especially with the drop in the loonie,” says Duchesne.
