The idea of going on an adventure, exploring a new place, or even just finding fun local things to do is exciting, but does anyone else feel daunted by it at the same time? This summer I went on a trip to Tennessee with my brother and best friend, and it took me hours to figure out what we were going to do, and even with some planning I still felt like we didn't do the time justice. As fun as traveling and doing fun things can be, I know the pressure to find activities that fit in a schedule as well as a budget (especially a college budget...) can be difficult. So, I compiled a few of the websites and apps that friends and I have come across lately that have been super helpful.
1. Entertainment tickets (on sale!!) :Goldstar
This website is amazing. It doesn't have every city on the map, but it has many of the bigger ones, and it shows you every single event going on in the area. And for cheap! It finds the best tickets and prices available. I went to a comedy show in Chicago the other night for just $10 at the Laugh Factory! I don't know about you, but it can be hard to find an all-encompassing list of events for a city, so whether you want to stay local or plan for a vacation or road-trip, I highly recommend this site.
2. Travel ideas/itineraries: 36 Hours...
This is on the New York Times website. It is a compilation of columns that gives you a 36 hour itinerary of activities, lodging, food, etc. for a bazillion different cities--738 locations to be exact. If you've ever heard of the book 36 Hours, then this is the same idea, but all shown to you on one website. Making the itinerary for a trip is the hardest part of planning, so this is a great start. And you wouldn't have to use all of it, but it does give some of the best suggestions in a place, so it is a good place to look if you want to do some high-quality sightseeing.
3. Overnight stays (cheaper than hotels!): Airbnb
This may just be my FAVORITE on the list. Airbnb is unbeatable guys! It is a website where people post their home for you to rent out for a night. It might be a single room or an entire apartment or house. You get to choose. When I traveled to Tennessee this summer I stayed in Nashville for a couple nights, and I found an Airbnb home that was perfect--cheap, very close to downtown Nashville, and the people were incredible trusting and generous. The best part about Airbnb is that you can find locations ANYWHERE, even in the tiniest of towns, and you can find prices that are dirt cheap, or if you want an upscale house all to yourself--you can find that too.
4. Games for the sporty people: Gametime
If you want sports tickets, this app is perfect. It allows you to buy tickets, last minute, at the cheapest prices possible (say Cubs game for $10? Okay.), and then you can purchase and store the ticket right on your phone. You don't have to print out anything. You can search any city or sports team to find out if they are playing when you have a free night or are visiting another city, and you don't have to worry about purchasing your tickets weeks or months in advance.
5. You want food and you want it now: Grubhub
So now were on to the important stuff--food. Sometimes when you are out and about, or, let's be honest, just sitting in your room at home or school, you don't feel like actually going to get your food or eating inside of a restaurant. If that's the case, Grubhub is perfect. It allows you to search by kind of food, location (you can literally just enter your address), school, etc., and it finds you all of the places that deliver or do take-out nearby, and then you can order straight from your phone. Craving wings? Chinese? Pizza? Well there's a place for you that you didn't even know about. And Grubhub will find it for you!
Of course there are way more helpful websites out there, but these are a few good ones I've used lately! Do you have any others you really like?? Share them with me!
