When my sister first told me she was having a destination wedding, beyond the initial excitement, my mind went directly to how expensive it would be. I am a budget traveler and really like to make the most out of my money and time. When I saw the total price (flight & accommodation) for 3 days in Jamaica in April was close to the equivalent of my 2 week trips to Africa & Europe, my penny-pinching heart cringed. I know there are definitely ways to go to Jamaica for cheaper, but when there is a specific date and venue already chosen it limits your options. So naturally, given the amount of money I was spending, I made plans to do as much as possible during my stay!
Here are 3 ways to maximize a short stay in a resort:
1. Know What’s Included & Go in with a Plan
I’m not a sit on a beach/by the pool with a drink in my hand all day type of person. I’m more of activity-based/ get out in the town type explorer. Luckily, resorts have activities to suit the needs of different travelers. Before you get to the resort, review all of the things you get “free”/ already paid for in your all-inclusive package. From there, make a note of the top three experiences you want to have. During my stay at Beaches Ocho Rios I was provided with a daily circular that lists the events of the day. They also offered tours of the resort grounds twice a day. Both were great resources for planning how I spent my time.
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2. Reserve Activities in Advance
Some activities may require a reservation. This should be one of the first things you do at the resort to ensure you are able to get a spot during your short stay.3. Know Activity Closing Times
I learn this the hard way! I really wanted to go on the banana boat and my mother wanted to go on the water slide. I incorrectly assumed that both activities would be open until sunset. I was wrong, both closed at 5pm, it was our last day to do activities, and the opportunity was now forever lost. Ok, that was pretty dramatic, it’s not forever lost, we’ll get to do those activities some day! But learn from my mistake and know the activity closing times before you start planning.
What are other ways you maximize your time during a short trip?
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This Post Has 4 Comments
Its always so exciting when someone has a destination wedding but it can be so expensive! Great tips to maximize your stay, especially since I’m more of an explorer too!
Yup, soooo expensive! Even when trying to cut costs!
I love adventures and love going around to explore. However, sometimes, resorts offer such fantastic prices, it’s hard to resist. Best thing is to always ask them what type of day trips they offer and go with that. Great advice!
You are right! You can score some great deals on resorts, unfortunately for me I couldn’t because of the time and location my sister chose. :/