Recession Friendly Summer Vacation Destinations

Summer time is rapidly approaching and that insatiable urge to tell your boss to kiss your ass because it's margarita time is almost here.

That's right - we've all been there. Worst part is when you get busted checking out a vacation website with a hot beach bunny on the home page sitting in your cramped, pathetic 3 and 1/2 walled cubicle when he sneaks up on you and gives you the Office Space "Hey Peter, What's Happening?" line.

The best medicine, aside from chopping him into little bitty Limberg parts, is hop a flight to a place where the beer is cold, the "scenery" is pleasing, and you can no longer remember your cell phone number.

Problem is, the U.S. Dollar is completely in the crapper. Checkout these ratios:

Compared to 5 years ago, your dollar is now worth:
50% less in Australia (Australian Dollar).
25% less in Great Britain (Great British Pound).
45% less in mainland Europe (Euro).

I know! What the hell???

Sadly, there is little sign of improvement because today was another historic day on Wall St. as the dollar hit an all time low compared to the Euro, which is currently trading at a 1.60 USD/Euro ratio. Or, for every $160 US dollars you have, you only get 100 Euros.

Then again, not all is lost because there are a few well known stand byes with a good exchange rate, and are always willing to give you a bargain for your tourism dollars.

Got your passport ready yet? Here are a few countries where your dollar will go that extra mile.

Argentina

If you haven't been to Buenos Aires, you're seriously missing out. All I can say is go, have fun, enjoy the Argentine style steak w/ Chimichurri Sauce and have a blast. The exchange rate has actually increased in the US Dollar's favor over the last 5 years, just try to control your spending if possible because the airfare isn't that cheap for such a long flight. If you like, go on a hike through the jungles or take a boat to the Galapagos Islands to swim with the freaky fishes.

Mexico

What's a summer without going to Mexico. I've been there so many times I welcome the gringo comments. Just be cautious of the overly expensive hotels as places like Cancun can be outrageously priced - clubs like Senior Frog's comes to mind.

China

I haven't been to the Asian continent, but if I could tolerate a 10+ hour plane trip, China would be my first destination. Aside from the cost of the flight, China is notoriously cheap for Americans to visit. If you can stomach the pollution in the major cities, it could be a nice trip especially with the Olympics just around the corner.

Puerto Rico

One of my favorite destinations. Old San Juan is an adventure in time and culture all on its own, but there are hundreds of quiet B&Bs owned by retired American's looking for a Jimmy Buffett lifestyle that can be found with a quick Google search.

Best part is you don't have to worry about a passport or an exchange rate because Puerto Rico is a U.S Territory that uses the US dollar. Oh, and if Mexico and Argentina scared you off because you aren't bilingual, I've encountered maybe 3 people on the entire island that didn't speak fluent English.

Got any other globe trotting ideas? If so, I'm all ears.