Last Minute Getaways-Best Website

I was swamped at work this week and found myself daydreaming of far away places. Being the penny pincher I am, I wanted a travel service that offered great deals on last minute vacations. After hours searching the web, I found some great website:

• Last Minute Travel - nicely organized by travel preference, but the destinations page is very limited in information. Besides, I don't want to navigate a bunch of other websites to figure out what I'm going to do in Montreal for 3 days.
• Travelocity's Last Minute Deals - I didn't find that many great deals, but the interface is easy to use. I also don't like the long list of destinations. When looking for a last minute trip, I want a limited selection of really great value vacations. This is more of a watered down list of tons of vacations of dubious value.
• Cheap Tickets Last Minute - Absolutely pathetic. You have to pick the destination and then it tells you how much it costs.
• Expedia Last Minute - This is the best of the "major" travel sites. You choose your departure city (like Travelocity's) and it gives you a list of good travel packages (albeit limited). You also can choose flights, hotels, cruises and other options. It even gives you tips on booking last minute travel (e.g., cheap weekend flights are released on Tuesday).

The best website ever for last minute trips is also the site that specializes in last minute vacation packages, I am referring to Site 59. If you have never been, you must check it out. Before long, you will be chasing your Monday blues away with thoughts of a long weekend in Paris or a quick retreat to the Bahamas. Here are some great features of Site 59:

• You can book up to 3 hours before take off. This is perfect for the spontaneous vacation (my favorite).
• Email alerts on great deals.
• The ability to book Flight + Hotel in one place. You can even add a car rental to your reservation.
• Flexibility to choose departures by dates or range of dates of the next week or two.
• Allows you to choose two different departure cities for those exciting "meet me in..." rendezvous.
• They even offer gift certificates!
• They even have a great little feature that categorizes the vacations (e.g., beach, romantic, luxury, international, food & wine, etc.)

Here are some great tips offered by Site 59 on last minute travel:

"Site59.com, the recognized leader in last-minute online travel, is sharing its top 10 tips, so everyone can be "in the know" on how to book the most convenient weekend escape. Getting away on a whim doesn't have to tax your wallet or your time, so keep these top 10 tips handy before you lock-in that last-minute trip.

1. TRUST THE EXPERTS: Find a website that caters to last-minute travelers.
Site59 is all about last-minute weekend travel. While some websites say they "do" last-minute travel, Site59 pioneered it. Focusing solely on travel at the 59th minute allows us to develop partnerships and technology to serve the last-minute leisure customer better than anyone else.

2. FLEXIBILITY IS KEY: The more flexible you are with your travel dates and destinations, the sweeter the deals! Site59 not only offers customers a wide array of date pairs at various price points, but also prides itself in serving up flexible price comparisons based on similar destinations and interests to help travelers get the best possible deal.

3. FIND THE MOST LAST-MINUTE: Booking windows vary between sites, so it is important to understand just how spontaneous you can be with your travel plans.
Site59 has the shortest booking window of all the packaging options on the Internet. Deals are available from over 150 North America cities to over 170 destinations–spanning the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America, and Europe–starting 14 days in advance, up to three hours before departure for domestic getaways, and up to five hours for international escapes. Should you decide this morning that you would rather be on a beach in Mexico, with Site59 you could be there tonight with plenty of pesos left over for margaritas!

4. THE DEAL IS IN THE PACKAGE: Travel providers offer the best deals when their inventory is sold in a package. Everyone's a winner–you get a great deal on a hassle-free weekend experience and suppliers don't have to let the seat, room, or car go empty or unused.
Site59 sells a variety of travel packages up to 70% off when compared with published rates for air and hotel reservations booked within 7 days of departure. Get everything you need for a great weekend in a single transaction by choosing from Flight + Hotel (add a car if you like), Flight + Car, and Hotel + Car packages.

5. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Make sure you can choose from trusted travel brands and are not kept in the dark about your trip details (airport details, flight times, hotel property information, and rental car options, just to name a few). Site59 gives you all your trip details upfront–no surprises. We work closely with some of the top travel providers in the industry, negotiating the best prices available on unsold inventory. You'll select from brand-name airline, hotel, and rental car suppliers and be provided with details about your trip so you'll always know when you're leaving, where you're staying, the cost of your trip, (including Taxes & Fees) and all the other important details before you commit!

6. HAVE YOUR DEAL AND EARN MILES TOO: Make sure you get frequent flyer miles with your last-minute travel booking–you've earned them! With Site59, you get a great travel deal AND you earn miles on most flights.

7. SEEK OFF-SEASON SAVINGS: Off-season destinations can be where the best deals are found, so head to the beach in August or go skiing in March. Site59 offers counter-seasonal deals to amazing destinations at a fraction of what it would cost in high season. Our luxury packages are a particularly strong value during this time, resulting in a four- or five-star experience on a two-star budget!

8. FLIP YOUR PERSPECTIVE: Similarly, leisure destinations are often wide open during the week and business destinations are empty on weekends, so great deals can be had. Site59 offers international travel from Wednesday to Wednesday so you can lounge around on less-crowded days. And weekends are the perfect time to visit a big city with popular museum exhibits and exclusive restaurants that empty out when business travelers head back home.

9. SPEND YOUR TIME TRAVELING, NOT SEARCHING: Don't waste what little free time you have surfing websites to put together an unforgettable travel experience. Find a website that conveniently does it for you. Site59 has already sweated the small stuff for you by planning exciting weekend getaway packages. Our travel team researches every destination offered on Site59 and writes up whimsical, spontaneous trip ideas so you can see the possibilities by trying someplace new–even cities you may never have thought about before. And with our free Top Picks e-mail newsletter, Site59 travel guru Patty Griffin uncovers hidden getaway gems and weekly site specials.

10. SEE A DEAL YOU LIKE? GRAB IT AND GO: Inventory moves fast at the last-minute, with pricing and availability that can change in an instant. Remember to act quickly when you find that incredible deal! Site59's premier packaging technology constantly searches for unsold airline seats, hotel rooms, rental cars, and other travel extras and bundles them together into dynamic, real-time packages. These deals are fun, affordable, and best of all, only available at the spur of the moment. Remember–he who hesitates stays home!"