Due to the recession many people are deciding to stay closer to home when it comes to vacationing. Instead of taking a trip to China or Italy they are treating themselves to a weekend spa package Massachusetts based or renting a cottage on Georgian Bay. But savvy shoppers who long to put another stamp in their passports can still find all sorts of vacation destinations that cost as little as visiting places you can get to by car. Here are some tips for leaving behind that Toronto bed & breakfast and heading to a place you've never been.

One of the best ways to get the best deals is to let the current prices choose your vacation spot for you. There are incredible discounts going on all the time for hotels that want to sell their extra rooms or locations that are just getting less tourism traffic than they would like. If you just want a reason to take some time off from doing Muskoka catering or working in a doctor's office and don't care much where you're going you should check out travel websites to see what they're offering. You might find that you can get an all-inclusive week away for the same as it would cost to go to Montreal or Vancouver.

Last-minute deals are another way to go when it comes to vacationing on the cheap. If you're sitting in your unit in Toronto or Richmond Virginia condominiums in the winter dreaming of a sunny beach than you should think about waiting until just a few days before you want to leave to book your trip. This is always a little bit of a risk, as you might not get the exact hotel or city of your choice, but you can usually find something comparable with your dream destination. This is also a good idea if you're looking for a ski package or going to a European city.

If you have the luxury of choosing any time of year to get out of town than you can also wait for deals to come up for your favorite location. New flight deals are posted each week for throughout the year and if you're diligent about checking all of the best sites than you can sometimes save more than fifty percent in the off-season.

While the flight is one of the most expensive aspects of most overseas trips, you should also think about alternative accommodations when trying to cut costs. Some people think that it's as easy to win a car as it is to find a discount hotel without problems but usually those that are willing to do some extra research can really find a gem. You might want to look away from the hotel chains at independent hotels or bed and breakfasts.