15 incredible 1-Week Vacations You Can Book for $1,000 or Less

You don’t have to break the bank to go on vacation. By picking the right destination, you can have fun and save money on travel.

Let’s explore affordable domestic and international locations to help you plan your next week-long trip. Here are our favorites that cost less than $1,000. 

How does a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains sound? Gatlinburg is a popular tourist destination, but you can save on high hotel prices by booking early or planning an off-season trip during the winter or spring months.

Nearby Knoxville can have flights for as cheap as $100 roundtrip and much more affordable lodging options. Note that you can travel for nearly free by using credit card points and miles.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) offers direct flights from locations all around the U.S. on multiple affordable carriers, including Southwest, Spirit, and JetBlue. It’s common to find roundtrip flights for under $200.

To continue saving money after you arrive, you can choose to use public transportation and opt for lodging that’s not right on the beach.

It’s also an option to book a cheap cruise to the Bahamas or another destination while you’re in town, which could cover your food and lodging for multiple days. Cruise companies also often have last-minute deals.

The “Land of the Rising Sun” might seem out of reach budget-wise, but did you know you could snag roundtrip tickets to Tokyo from the $500s or less?

It’s more than possible with Zipair, a budget airline that flies from California and Hawaii to Japan. And once you get there, it can be surprisingly cheap. We’re talking meals for $7 or less and lodging (with free breakfast) for $50 or less.

You can use the best travel credit cards to help reduce the cost of flights and hotel stays on your next trip.

San Antonio is sometimes overlooked in favor of other Texas cities, but don’t sleep on this vibrant destination and its beautiful riverwalk.

You can find sub-$100 hotel prices close to downtown and San Antonio International Airport (SAT) has flights from across the U.S. and Mexico. With proper planning, you can find flights for under $200 round trip.

Are you up for an adventure? If so, Yellowstone can be a surprisingly affordable destination.

While you typically have to pay an arm and a leg for cabins inside the park, you have the option to go camping in nearby KOA campgrounds. Depending on the time of year, you might pay in the $60s per night.

Actually getting to Yellowstone is another story, but there are some potential flight options into Bozeman and Idaho Falls.

Salt Lake City is an excellent base camp for exploring the outdoor wonders of Utah. You can get to Park City in less than an hour or head south to wander through multiple national parks.

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is a Delta hub but also services Southwest and JetBlue. It’s not uncommon to find roundtrip flights from the East Coast for around $200, while West Coast destinations can have even cheaper fares.

Even better, downtown Salt Lake City has a free fare zone where you don’t have to pay to ride certain buses and TRAX trains.

Peru has world-renowned food, including the best restaurant in the world, and loads of ancient historical sites. 

Depending on your budget, you might not be able to fit Cusco and Machu Picchu into your trip, but you can still take a culinary tour of Lima.

Both Spirit and JetBlue fly to Lima out of Fort Lauderdale, providing affordable options for getting there. Once you’re there, both lodging and food are generally much cheaper than in the U.S., thanks to a favorable exchange rate.

Compared to nearby cities like New York and Washington, D.C., Philadelphia might be a bargain.

There are easy ways to get downtown without needing a car and you can find sub-$100 prices on lodging per night.

Equally important, it’s not hard to fly into Philly from around the U.S. You can find roundtrip flights for around $200 on American, or less if you’re flying Spirit or Frontier.

Kansas City has multiple professional sports teams and plenty of restaurant options for foodies. It also doesn’t hurt that it can be quite cheap to visit.

Paying less than $100 per hotel night isn’t hard to do, which leaves you extra money to treat yourself to some delicious barbecued meats.

It’s also nice that Kansas City International Airport (MCI) has connections around the country on multiple airlines, including Southwest and Allegiant. A direct flight from New York could cost as little as $138 round trip.

Meals for around $4 or less. Lodging for as low as $20 or $30 per night. And roundtrip flights from the $300s (or less from Florida).

Bogota is beyond affordable and definitely worth a visit. Take in all the sights and sounds, including delicious street food and colonial-era architecture.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) offers flights all over the U.S. and worldwide. This makes it easy to find cheap roundtrip flights, including in the $200s or less from as far away as Seattle.

Once you arrive, you can take the 102 Bush IAH Express bus downtown for less than $2. That saves you some money to use on lodging, which can easily be under $100 per night.

New Orleans is a happening place, but that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. You can find lodging for under $100 per night in downtown locations. Flights can also be affordable, typically costing $200 or less if you find a good deal.

Where you might blow your budget is on all the tasty food New Orleans has to offer, or the fun attractions, like swamp tours through gator territory.

Vegas can be a huge money pit for multiple reasons, but you can save money if you do your research.

For example, staying on the Strip might seem expensive, but you can find cash prices for around $20 to $30 a night at multiple casino hotels. In some cases, even $10 or less per night is a thing.

The kicker is that you’re often on the hook for resort fees. But you can get those waived in certain situations if you have elite status with a loyalty program. For example, Diamond status with Caesars Rewards.

Mexico is a prime location for getting the best bang for your buck. Of course, you can visit Cancun, Cabo, or Puerto Vallarta, but for a diverse urban experience, check out Mexico City.

Lodging can easily run under $100 per night and even under $50 per night. And if you’re adventurous, you won’t have any problems finding cheap eats. 

We’re talking meals for easily under $10 per person, but probably even lower if you find less touristy spots.

Charlotte has quickly become a bustling city filled with big companies and professional sports teams. And it’s the perfect place to visit if you want to lower your financial stress and open up your budget.

Sub-$100 prices per night are fairly common for lodging and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is more than big enough to offer competitive prices. 

For example, roundtrip flights in the $100s can easily be found whether you’re flying from the East or West Coast.

Vacations are fun, but they can get expensive. With proper planning and research, however, you can find a way to enjoy a new area for a lot less than you think by making smart money moves.

It’s truly possible to take an enjoyable trip without breaking the bank. If you choose the right destination, you can enjoy it without worrying about overspending. 

You might even be able to leave the country on your budget!