Trust us, we get it. You’re trying to hold onto that wad of cash you brought on vacation for as long as you can. Lucky for you, you don’t have to make it rain. We’ve got a list of wallet-friendly must-dos for you to cross off the bucket list. Before you go on your dazzling vacation in the Caribbean or Mexico, take a look at these exciting top 5 bucket list things you can actually afford.
Sunset over Rick's Cafe, Jamaica (Photo by: @kobrien2891)1. Cliff Diving - Rick’s Café in Negril, Jamaica. Calling all adrenaline junkies: this one is for you. We know this is definitely on your bucket list. Instead of spending an exorbitant amount of money at a theme park (overrated), you can find the same thrill here, for free. Unless you plan on buying food or drinks, visiting this world-famous café in Negril, Jamaica won’t cost you a dime. Here you can dive or jump off cliffs as high as 30 ft. (or 10 ft. and 12 ft., if you’re a beginner), and you can jump as many times as you want. If you’re too chicken, don’t worry - Rick’s Café is also known as the best vantage point in the Caribbean to watch a sunset. So even if you don’t dive, you’ll still get a priceless view. Talk about one of the very best of our top 5 bucket list things to do.
2. Hiking – Virgin Islands National Park, St. John USVI. Hiking on a beach vacay… is it possible? It sounds a bit unusual, which is exactly why you should do it: it's a super affordable bucket list item. Get up, get out and get exploring at Virgin Islands National Park’s astonishing beaches, coral reefs and hiking trails for…wait for it…no charge. Virgin Islands National Park is over 7,000 acres, covering more than half of the island of St. John, and is home to more than 50 species of tropical birds, including three types of Caribbean hummingbirds. Sounds like quite a remarkable and vast place for you to start adventuring. Biggest treat of all, no passport is required to get to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Is this one of the coolest top 5 bucket list things, or what?
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico (Photo by: L. Mitchell)3. Explore an Ancient City – Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. You sure can’t put a price on this bucket list item. If you feel like saving your pennies and getting an exceptional historic experience, the city of Old San Juan is an official National Historic Site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In other words, this means that you can explore this ancient city with guided tours offered by the U.S. National Park Service for the big goose egg. Guided tours of both Castillo San Felipe del Morro and San Cristobal are available by the hour when forts are open. Plus, you’ll get official tour maps that detail several other historic buildings in this legendary old city, leaving you with precious memories. Talk about affordable bucket list item!
4. Whale Watching – Los Cabos, Mexico. If you’re in northern Los Cabos, take some time out of your day, perhaps a Wednesday if you want to celebrate Hump Day the right way, and watch humpback whales right from the beach. That’s right, from January through March you can keep that delish drink in hand while you gaze out at the breath-stealing site of ginormous whales out doin’ their thang right from your tanning chair for nada. Not even a single peso. The sea floor around Los Cabos drops off very quickly, so the water gets deep close to shore. Ideal weather, excellent waters and abundant sea life make the bays north of Los Cabos the perfect place for whales to migrate and the perfect place for you to mark off another of our top 5 bucket list things that are very affordable.
Sea turtle, Luxury Bahia Principe Akumal, Riviera Maya, Mexico (Photo by: @aubolio)5. Snorkel with Sea Turtles - Akumal Bay, Mexico. It’s no secret that Crush and his son Squirt from Finding Nemo stole our hearts years ago and enticed us to put snorkeling with sea turtles on our bucket list; right, dude? At Akumal Bay Beach, south of Playa Del Carmen and north of Tulum, it’s super easy (and super free) to go snorkeling with our most beloved underwater critter: the sea turtle. With their sea grass feeding grounds just off Akumal Bay’s shore, green sea turtles can be found with just a brief swim. Unless you’re a die-hard snorkeler and brought your own gear, the only cost would be renting snorkel gear (you can rent it at the bay), which is incredibly cheap and incredibly worth your snorkel experience of a lifetime.
You’re already looking for flights to one of these locations to check out these affordable bucket list items, aren’t you? We don’t blame you. For assistance in planning the trip of a lifetime that is (of course) one of our top 5 bucket list things, it’s simple: pick up the phone and dial 1-800-915-2322 and one of our super sea-sophisticated Beachologists will set up your real-life fantasy vacay for you. Or if you want to check this out for yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming, just go here. You’ll need to pinch yourself when it’s all booked. Don’t worry, you’ll be chillin’ out, maxin’ and relaxin’ in paradise in no time.
You know, they do say the best things in life are free – and all of these aahh-mazing things nearly are. So we have to ask you: is there really anything better than being in the Caribbean or Mexico, crossing off unforgettable bucket list items and not breaking the bank all at the same time? We think not.
