Everyone says that traveling is expensive. And yes, it can be. BUT, if you’re smart about it, you can find ways to make traveling more affordable. What’s more affordable than free? There will always be free things to do in any part of the world. For example, probably the most photographed and visited place in the world is free. The Eiffel Tower. It’s not free to go up, but it certainly is free to look at from any other angle of the city. Here’s just some standard ideas on what most cities will provide for free.
5. Botanical Gardens, parks & beaches
Central Park is one of the most famous tourist attractions in one of the biggest cities in the world and it’s FREE! You can find a free park or garden in every city I guarantee it. Australia is one of the best places to go for its abundance of free parks and beaches. You will never pay a cent for any of the amazing beaches they have to offer. Pictured above is a small park in St Kilda, a suburb of Melbourne and all along the St Kilda shore you will find free parks and beaches. The High Line in New York City is also a fabulous new addition and is a public park built on an old elevated railroad.
4. Museums, buildings and monuments
Sure a lot of them charge a fee, but there are a great number of museums across the world that are FREE. Then there are others that are not free everyday but they will have special days when it will be free. Usually they offer this on quiet days such as Tuesdays or Wednesdays, so plan accordingly. Washington, D.C is the best place to go for free attraction heaven. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex with 19 museums and galleries, a zoo and 9 research centers. Then there are all of the famous monuments and famous buildings such as the White House which are all free. Plenty of other famous buildings and landmarks such as Big Ben, The Colosseum, Hollywood Sign etc? are free to see from the outside.
3. Markets, fairs & festivals
Find out what kind of local markets are on or if a special event is in town. I was lucky enough to be in San Fransisco when an amazing food festival was on. You don’t have to buy anything when going to a market, I just love checking out unique hand made crafts and trying new foods (cause you have to eat anyway right?). The Winter Wonderland in London over Christmas was one of the most enjoyable experiences and it was FREE (okay, well I may have splurged on some mulled wine).
2. Volunteer
Find a soup kitchen, help out at an animal shelter, get involved in a fundraising event in the area or volunteer at a farm. Get involved in a completely new experience that will not only save you money, but give back. You will also meet locals to hear about their life and learn a lot about yourself along the way.
1. Walking
I believe the best way to experience a new city is to really get amongst it and see everything you can. Walk around, meet local people, walk past local houses, eat local foods, discover hidden streets with amazing artworks and just explore by foot. You never know what you’re missing when you zoom past in a car or on a train.
Travel essentials:
Here are some things to remember while planning your trip:
Travel money card
Wise had been my go-to travel money card for years with 0% international transaction fees and the best exchange rate on the market. An added bonus is that you can order a physical card and also get an additional card to use with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay etc but they will be different card numbers. So if you lose either your phone or bank card, you can block it and still use the other card. Genius! The digital card can also be activated straight away while you wait for the physical one or even if you’re overseas already and am getting stung by hefty fees from your bank and want an alternative!
Travel SIM card
I use SIM Corner when I travel as they have excellent bundles for worldwide destinations and it is so quick and easy to set up. Their Europe 200GB and USA Unlimited packages are especially amazing. Use code: WANDERLUST5 for an additional discount!
Travel insurance
Never leave home without it! An affordable and reliable company I use is EKTA.
Digital nomad insurance
If you’re a digital nomad and have insurance covering your personal items already or just need health insurance coverage overseas, then I highly recommend Safety Wing.
Accommodation
Sign up to Plannin to get up to 40% off accommodation. As someone that has used every accommodation booking site you can imagine, this is my go-to and has the best rates of any I have used.
Travel experiences
Need some ideas for day trips or unique activities to do in your next destination? Klook have an amazing range of options. Use code: WANDERLUST for 10% off!
some of these links are affiliate links and by purchasing through these links or with these discount codes I may get a small kick back from the company but at no extra cost to you. So thank you if you choose to book via my link to support my blog. I appreciate it so much.
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