Trips to Take in the U.S. for $1,000 or Less

You can swing from trees like Tarzan. Journey back in time to the Wild West. Fly above glaciers. Embark on a ghost hunt. And more.  All for less than $1,000.
      
** $1000 OR LESS, OPPORTUNITY #1: Swing from a tree, just like Tarzan. And, fly past trees with speeds up to 40 miles per hour – using the fastest tree zip-line at the Out ‘n’ About Treehouse Treesort in Takilma, Oregon (www.treehouses.com/index.cfm).

Later, you can cozy up, inside a treehouse (the Majestree is perched as high as 47 feet up in the air!). Fall rates (Sept. 6 through Oct. 31) run from $80 to $240 for a variety of unique-themed treehouses, such as the saloon-styled treehouse with a swinging door, called Treeloon. With domestic round-trip flights running from as low as $231 from New York to Oregon, according to cheapflights.com, it’s a great adventure for under $1,000.
 
** $1000 OR LESS, OPPORTUNITY #2: Journey back in time and discover the Wild West. The Three Valley Gap Heritage Ghost Town (www.3valley.com) in British Columbia, Canada contains more than 25 rescued and restored historic buildings brought together to recreate a typical 1800s British Columbia western town.

Here, you’ll gain a taste of the pioneer days of the old west when gold fever brought thousands of fortune seekers to the area in 1862. (Entrance is $12 for adults and $10 for Seniors.) And, right now, (Sept. 6 through early October), two people can stay from $112 CAD per night (approximately $112.67 USD) at the Three Valley Lake Chateau. Nestled between clear waters and sheer cliffs of the Monashee Mountains, you’ll get the best views when you hop aboard a helicopter tour (departing daily from the hotel area).

For $45, you can enjoy a six-minute flight over Three Valley Lake. For $155, you can enjoy a 25-minute flight seeing mountain peaks, lush, green valleys, high alpine lakes, and the glaciers of Mt. Begbie. (A round-trip airfare from New York to British Columbia starts from $359 from New York, according to cheapflights.com.)

** $1000 OR LESS, OPPORTUNITY #3: With Halloween just around the corner, you might like to join ghost-hunters on popular tours offered at The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado (www.stanleyhotel.com).

Home to several spirits, horror writer Stephen King was inspired to write ‘The Shining’ when he stayed in room #217. You’ll learn why, and about the ghosts — as part of the 90-minute Ghost & History Tour – for only $15. Or, for $50, you can embark on a five-hour ghost hunt, journeying to the most haunted places on the property searching for paranormal experiences!

Staying here isn’t all that scary, though. It’s sheer luxury – with majestic mountains, all around, taking your breath away. The best deal I found was the Manor House Bed & Breakfast Package from $229 per night. (Round-trip flights from New York to Colorado, run from $240 according to cheapflights.com.)

While here, a visit to the nearby Rocky Mountain National Park is a must. Only minutes away, you can get into the park for $10 or $20 (depending on whether you’re bicycling in or driving in!). You can even camp here, too, for $20 (note: only a few campgrounds remain open year-round; some will be closing as September rolls on. Learn more at: www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/camping.htm).

** $1000 OR LESS, OPPORTUNITY #4: The “coolest” place to stay this winter. Literally. Bedroom temperatures remain between -3°C and -5°C. Yet more than 700,000 have already visited this Ice Hotel, made of ice and snow, re-built and re-designed every winter since 2001. You too, can enjoy a visit to Quebec’s Hôtel de Glace (www.icehotel-canada.com). It re-opens Jan. 6, 2012 (and closes March 20, 2011). But if you book before Sept. 30, you can lock in a great room rate – from just $179 CAD per person (approximately $180.06 USD). Just ask for the “Nordic Escape one night” package when you call 1-877-505-0423.

The price includes a room at the Hôtel de Glace, including the Nordic sleeping bag for the night, a welcome cocktail served in an ice glass, access to the Nordic area’s hot tubs and sauna under the stars, breakfast, and all gratuities.

Tip: Although the hotel re-opens Jan. 6, here’s an idea of when to book your stay: Quebec transforms itself into a winter wonderland, to celebrate their Winter Carnival between Jan. 26 and Feb. 11, 2012. Book your stay during that time, and you’ll get to celebrate with the locals, enjoying parades, snow sculptures, snow rafting, dog sledding, and more. Round-trip flights from New York to Quebec run from $274 (according to cheapflights.com).

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]