Feeling burnt out?
Want some quiet time to reconnect with yourself? A personal
retreat could be the answer.
Accomodations are free of distractions like TVs and
radios. There are usually tables and chairs to encourage
reading and writing. Many retreats offer small libraries
to peruse. Beautiful natural settings and even walking
paths are common.
There are some things to check in advance. Most retreats,
regardless of their own religious affiliation, welcome
people of all faiths, but make sure. Some retreats don't
have telephones or even mobile phone service. Find out
about amenities ahead of time. Prices range widely,
but excellent deals can be found. This is just a sampling:
Buddhist:
Personal
Retreats In California - Land Of Medicine Buddha
Catholic:
A number of convents and monasteries around the world
open their rooms to guests. If you know that you'll
be near a convent or monastery during your travels,
you may want to call and see if they have lodging available.
Be forewarned that these stays require you to follow
some rules and be respectful of silence. See this article
for more details:
Staying
At Convents & Monasteries
Personal
Retreats - St. Benedict Center
Episcopalian:
St.
Christopher Personal Retreats
Protestant:
Personal
Retreat - Living Water
Personal
Retreats - Four Springs
Personal
Retreats - The Heights
Lutheran:
Loma
Conference & Retreat Center
Quaker:
Personal
Retreats - Quaker Center
Secular & New Age:
Earthdance
White
Lotus Foundation
Or create your
own cheap or free retreat!
If you're traveling internationally,
homestays are an option. For these, you stay with a
host family, getting immersed in their language and
culture. Some meals are included. Homestays are often
offered in conjunction with language courses. Prices
vary widely. To find homestays at your chosen destination,
go to the Google
search engine and type in "homestays" and the name of
the country in which you'll be traveling.
Camping is a great way to save
money while traveling. The cheapest way to camp is to
stay at state and national parks, which have the added
benefit of nature's immense beauty. Many offer cabins
and RV spaces in addition to campsites:
National parks:
National Park
Guide - National Park Service
State parks:
State
Park Agencies - About.com
Canadian national parks:
National
Parks - Parks Canada
You can reserve
uSDA Forest Service and US Army Corps of Engineers tent
sites and cabins in advance. There are some real adventures
to be had!
If you'll be visiting parks
frequently, purchase a state or national parks pass.
You'll still have to pay camping fees, but you'll save
on entrance fees:
National passes:
Recreation.gov
(see left menu)
State park passes:
State
Park Entrance Passes - About.com
Parks Canada's national passes:
National
Passes - Parks Canada
If you're adverse
to roughing it, some commercial campgrounds offer inexpensive
cabins with electricity and plumbing in addition to
their more traditional campsites. 4 or more people can
share a cabin, making this a cost-effective option:
KOA
Campgrounds
Camp
Jellystone
If you're traveling in an
RV and need more camping options, take a look at the
Free RV Campgrounds
of the American West website.
You may also want to consider a membership with one
of the following, which assure you RV camping at discounted
prices:
Recreation
USA
Passport America
And finally, if you're flat broke,
but still need a place to sleep, this site suggests
that you try airports! They even rate them for you.
Just be forewarned that this option has gotten a bit
trickier since the September 11th attacks:
Sleeping
In Airports
NEXT:
Multi-Stop Trips
