Flying last minute....and New York City

[Steve]

The weekend of the 18th is our anniversary; the girls are going to grandma's and we're going.....somewhere.

Our plans are very flexible. Here's the deal: we have some travel vouchers AA gave us after I complained about a particularly bad experience. I'll be going to AAA tomorrow to see what sort of travel deals are available; the goal is to fly somewhere that sounds interesting for practically nothing and spend a weekend tooling around.....

OK, but here's the catch. We're also perfectly willing to show up at the airport Friday afternoon and go to the AA ticket counter with our vouchers and see if there are any cheap, last-minute airfares to somewhere fun.

Has anyone ever done anything like that and if you did, were you successful?

Because if we're not, we'll just get back in the car and head into New York City for the weekend, which brings me to my second question:

We're traveling light, nothing more than an overnight bag with some clean underwear, etc. What are the chances that if we go to NYC we'll be able to get a hotel room somewhere on the spur-of-the-moment? Doesn't have to be mid-town Manhattan; financial district or even Jersey is OK but I'm just wondering if we'll be able to do it all.

Any thoughts?

Six years, in case you were wondering.....;)

[Sir Joseph]

Worst case, you can always get a hotel/motel in the outer Boros.
Although the Brooklyn Marriott is nice, but it is not cheap, and it is right at the Brooklyn Bridge.

[Sierra Mike]

Don't know if AA will honor that with vouchers, because that puts them in control. Believe me, you don't want to wind up on a flight to, say, White Plains. :)

Check out The Benjamin (http://www.thebenjamin.com) on E. 50th and Lex...I just stayed there last Friday in one of their one-bedroom suites, and it cost me around $350, which included a kitchenette and a huge balcony. It's worth it if you find the cost is too steep. I just checked, and there are rooms available...

http://www.thebenjamin.com/images/06020300_1bed.jpg

SM

[Steve]

$350, eh? Have I related how the county assessor screwed us by not getting 2004's tax bill to us until January 6th, and how having a construction loan for most of the year with minimal interest payments resulted in practically no mortgage interest deduction this year?

This year, we're looking to do something as cheaply as possible :)

[Sierra Mike]

Oh...well, we can start a fundraiser, I guess. :)

SM

[Copzilla]

New Orleans, bro. There's a fun time, for a quick overnighter or two. Check out hotels.com for some good deals, like $59 a night at Motel 6 New Orleans Airport, probably 8 miles from the French Quarter and Garden District. You should be able to take mass transit to all the sights. Good stuff.

Or San Antonio, the Alamo and Riverwalk, very cool and inexpensive minor vacation getaway. Econolodge Central, $53 at hotels.com, and mass transit is the bargain of the century in getting around town.

[cdw]

I've done such things, generally to Atlantic City or the Bahamas and it was fun as all hell. Nothing like the spur of the moment kind of trips. I never had a problem getting a room in NYC. I don't believe that there is anything special going on there then and generally on the weekends it's easier...the stay during the week workers have gone home for the weekend.

[Steve]

Oh...well, we can start a fundraiser, I guess. :)

SMThat'd be cool! ;) Did I mention our sick kitty cat, too? :)