Travel hacking ideas

[meadow lark]

Hi.  My not very frugal vacation plans for August just evaporated.  We have 2 weeks off and want to do something very cool, and very inexpensive.  I am in Albuquerque, we have plenty of Southwest points and Marriott points.  I would also be willing to get another credit card to get different points.  I love being in nature, but HATE biting bugs, and don't want to camp.
  I know that is not much to go on, but anyone planning on any cool vacations this year with travel hacking?

[Left Bank]

Your post is a bit confusing to me. 
You want to do something very cool (not done by the vast majority of people?) and very cheap that involves an airline and Marriott stays?  Additionally, it should involve being in nature but do not want to inconvenienced with potential bug bites?
Is that right?

IDK but:
Cycle from Marriott to Marriott down the Calif. coast?
Sea kayaking off the Baja in the Gulf of CA?

[arebelspy]

I'd start with a list of places you'd like to go.

Go explore somewhere you haven't been.  Somewhere in Canada, or go to Belize for two weeks, perhaps.

[boarder42]

southwest doesnt go to northern america or belize ...

[rujancified]

Portland! Oregon or Maine. Or, since you have 2 weeks, pair it with Seattle/Boston.

Bourbon Trail in KY. And/or Nashville.

Fingerlakes region? Rent a car and go to Niagara or Toronto?

Deliberately avoiding anything in the South because it'll be hot and crowded in the summer.

[Left Bank]

My suggestions stay in bug-free(ish) zones.

[MoneyCat]

Here's a thread I started about a travel hack I used with great success: http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/how-i-got-a-nearly-free-vacation/

[arebelspy]

southwest doesnt go to northern america or belize ...

Ah, I was assuming they had partner airlines OP could book on that would go pretty much anywhere.  Apparently not.  That's unfortunate.

My original point stands though: figure out places you'd like to go first.  Otherwise we're just naming random places..  :P

[Trudie]

I would suggest looking into Marriott resort type properties, or at least a room with a fridge and small kitchen (so you don't have to eat out all the time).  If you like nature, I would recommend going somewhere that you can explore the national park system -- relatively cheap -- by day, then return to your Marriott resort hotel by day.

"Nature" means different things to different people.  To me, there is beautiful nature in urban settings with great park systems and waterfronts (ie Boston, Portland, OR; Seattle).  I might suggest an urban destination so you can ditch the car and go by foot and public transport.

I'm not much of a travel expert, but I do know that the best ways my husband and I have found to save is to ditch the car/rental car (rely on public transport) and to find a housing arrangement with a kitchen so we don't have to eat out all the time.

[renaite]

You may want to check out nerdydaytrips.com. Of course with that much time you could go farther than a day's drive but maybe you'll see something interesting there.


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[renaite]

Oh, I guess I now realize that's not travel hacking like you were actually asking about. In that case, maybe check out chrisguillebeau.com, The Art of Non-Conformity


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[NinetyFour]

I would think that the heat of August would rule out the southwest and, well, the whole south?  How about the Jersey shore?  Or any beach/shore on the East coast--from, say, North Carolina up through Massachusetts?