The price of a real vacation is now a bargain. A steal, actually.
Why? A lot of Americans skipped their summer getaway, forcing nervous rental companies, hotels and restaurants to slash prices. We had our reasons for staying home, of course. Record high gas prices, a soft economy and air travel woes made us miss the expensive out-of-town vacation.
So between now and the holidays -- the traditional off-season for a lot of vacation hotspots -- here's your chance to make up for lost time. The deals will be good. Really good.
Call it the staycation effect.
Consider that Florida is in a deep recession, weighed down by declining real estate values and rising unemployment. In Orlando, hotel rates are expected to go into freefall, as properties get desperate to fill rooms.
Ditto for Las Vegas, which is seeing its lowest hotel rates in five years, according to a recent survey. Among the bargains: $60 a night at the Monte Carlo, $103 a night at Loews Lake Las Vegas and $199 a night at the Wynn.
But there are other reasons why you should book a vacation now, in the waning days of summer. Reasons that go beyond the bargain you'll probably find.
