Planning the Perfect Road Trip

Ready to hit the open road? Check out our top five Memorial Day road trip ideas below! 

1. Amusements Parks – Looking for a cheap thrill? Make a weekend out of visiting a far-away amusement park you've been dying to go to. The best of the best include Busch Gardens, Universal Studios, Disney, and Six Flags just to name a few.

Travel Tip: Splurge on a speed pass so you can bypass most lines in the park and miniimize the amount time you actually spend waiting in line.

2. Visiting Old Friends- Have a pal that moved away after graduation? Know someone still in school but on a trimester schedule? Take advantage of the extra day off and Mapquest your way to their home or school. You’ll be sure to find a BBQ, bars, or even a cute boy to give you a guided tour once you get there.

Travel Tip: Is your friend's apartment or house a total shoebox? Get creative and plan ahead! If you're know you're staying at a house (and there weather report says no rain) grab a tent and camp out back. Shacking up inside? Snag an inflatable mattress and bring along your own pillow and blanket that can easily be repacked and stored in the car for safe-keeping.

3. Hit the Beach - The beach is the ultimate place to be on Memorial Day weekend. Book a hotel near all the sun and fun so you don't have to worry about finding a parking spot or lugging all your stuff back and forth from your hotel room. (Extra points if you happen to plant your beach towel next to someone hot and shirtless.)

Travel Tip: Hotels can get really pricy during peak season, so make sure you hit up travel sites like TripAdvisor.com and Hotels.com to ensure you're getting the best rate. Are your parents AAA or AARP members? Both organizations offer discounts on accomidations, so make sure to snag their card BEFORE you make your reservations.

4. Explore a City - D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans…there's a ton of big cities (probably one just a few hours away from your hometown) that have lots to do. Check out the city’s website and plan a day visiting all the famous sites, stores, and retsuarants.

Travel Tip: Don't leave home without your college I.D.! Many museums, aquariums, zoos, and national monuments offer special student discount rates that can totally help you save in the long run.

5. Shop 'Til You Drop- Who said your road trip had to be all about sight-seeing? If you're a fashionista and want to jump on the holiday sales band wagon, think about heading to a huge shopping mecca like the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN, or Woodbury Common Premiumn Outlets (the only designer outlet mall in the U.S.) in Central Valley, NY.  Unlike like most other malls or outlet centers, these specialized shopping destinations offer free or near-cheap transportation to and from their sites so you don't have to worry about finding a parking spot or dealing with weekend traffic.

Travel Tip: Don't wait until you get there to discover which stores have sales and clearance merchandise. Go online and sign up for for special savings coupons so you can stretch your spending power.

-- By Stephanie Vacchio, Union College