Discounts down south

If you’re heading south and have a limited budget, a little research online can go a long way. There are a number of  discounts and coupons available to Canadians traveling in the United States.  Here are some sites that offer the best kind of southern hospitality – a price break.

Texas lures Canadians with Buckaroo Bucks
If you’re thinking of making Texas your sunshine destination, there’s still time to make use of a unique savings program for Canadian visitors.  Since its inception five years ago, Texas Buckaroo Bucks has offered discounts on a wide range of services and products: golf courses and resorts, accommodation including RV parks and campgrounds, museums, restaurants and numerous other attractions.

Discounts vary but some businesses offer savings of as much as 50 per cent to Canadians. This season, Buckaroo Bucks are valid until March 31, 2003.  For a free copy of the coupon booklet and a free Texas state travel guide, call 1-800-8888-TEX or download the coupons by visiting the Texas Tourism website at www.TravelTex.com.  You can also order a free, interactive CD-Rom ide to the state to help plan your trip. 

Florida discounts
Florida may not offer state-wide discounts for Canadians, but there are still a number of deals to be found.  If you’re thinking of heading for the Daytona Beach area be sure to check out their Sand Dollar program at http://www.daytonabeach.com/canadiansanddollarsonline.asp or by calling 1-800-854-1234.  About 100 different discount offers are available on accommodations, attractions, restaurants, and golf courses from 5% off to up to 30% off.  These discounts are available right through until August 31, 2003.

You can also save on exchange rates by taking advantage of at-par programs throughout the Orlando and Kissimmee-St. Cloud areas.  For a list of hotels and attractions that will accept Canadian dollars at par (most until March 31, 2003) just visit: http://www.orlandokissimmee.com/ – you can either fill out the form, or click on the link at the bottom of the form for an online list of at-par offers. 

Louisiana hot deals
If you’re considering a trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras – or a quieter time – be sure to visit http://www.neworleansonline.com/ and click on “internet specials” for printable coupons and discount offers – up to $2,000 in savings.  While you’re at the site, you might want to request their free Good Times Guide which not online outlines areas of interest but provides a guide to New Orleans lingo (“It’s called a streetcar, not a trolley.”)

If you’re vacationing in other areas of the state visit http://www.louisianatravel.com/ and click on “coupons” for more of the same – this latter site even allows you to choose which coupons you’d like to print.

Still deals to be found in Arizona
Unfortunately the Cactus Days discounts in Arizona are no longer available.  But there are still some deals to be found. If you’re heading to Arizona, have a look at Arizona Vacation Values at http://www.arizonavacationvalues.com/ for a variety of discounts. You can also sign up for deal alerts so that you hear about further offers as they grow.