How to travel frugally

[marshwiggle]

Does anyone know what the restaurant/cafe situation is projected to be in the next month or two in Montreal? U.S.-Canada border checkpoints are closed until at least June 22 but I assume they will reopen at some point this summer. Traveling to a place like Montreal is pointless though unless there are eating options beyond buying supermarket food.

Quebec has reduced some lockdown restrictions earlier than other provinces, but it also has the highest rate of infections. And Montreal is the epicentre. (Of course, poorer neighbourhoods are much worse off than others.)

[Diogenes]

My college allows us to use AirBnB and it can save you a ton of dough. For the price of a standard hotel room I've gotten nice one bedroom condos to myself with full kitchens to cook and save money. And if the conference was close enough to drive have even been able to bring the pup along to save on petsitting.

My college is also super skimpy on the travel funds so if you don't mind sharing a household, renting just a bedroom for cheap from an AirBnB host can work out just fine, especially if you are just looking for a place to sleep and are out all day. Just stick with the ones who have high ratings and a lifestyle that fits yours. Then you get the local intel on food, nightlife, stuff to do.

[lightning]

One of the biggest savings for me is usually food. So many hotels have refrigerators, so I usually go to a grocery store when I get to town and stock for however long I'll be there.

This. And, if there is no frig, and I'm driving from my home, all the way to my destination, I pack a cooler. For one person, I can pack enough food (healthy food!) for 4 days/3 nights. Also, on these trips, I've been known to pack a boiler pot, a hot plate, and some basic utensils. During the Great Recession, when travel funding apart from grants was suspended, but I still had to publish/present or perish, this is exactly what I did.

[spork]

I found information that the Quebec provincial government will allow restaurants to reopen on June 22 with reduced seating capacity and other restrictions, and that this includes Montreal. To me Montreal is more attractive as a destination than New York City right now -- more walkable, less need to use the subway, etc.

To respond to other recent posters: yes, when traveling we often pack food to eat at our destinations, we buy groceries at local supermarkets, and we often eat out only once per day.

[Parasaurolophus]

The provincial government is not especially competent, and has changed its reopening plans at the last minute a number of times (to be clear: it has been far too eager to reopen things). And given the extent of the outbreak in Montréal, I wouldn't trust the government's timetable at all. Nor would I plan to go touristing there. I'm from there, and plan to stay away for some months yet.

If you're determined to go, however, I'd wait until August. Things will hopefully be in hand by then.

Judging from the way people from out of province are being treated here these days, your reception may well be a little frosty. Not least since much of the outbreak in this country seems to have begun with Americans crossing over.

[spork]

The provincial government is not especially competent, and has changed its reopening plans at the last minute a number of times (to be clear: it has been far too eager to reopen things). And given the extent of the outbreak in Montréal, I wouldn't trust the government's timetable at all. Nor would I plan to go touristing there. I'm from there, and plan to stay away for some months yet.

If you're determined to go, however, I'd wait until August. Things will hopefully be in hand by then.

Judging from the way people from out of province are being treated here these days, your reception may well be a little frosty. Not least since much of the outbreak in this country seems to have begun with Americans crossing over.

Thank you so much for this information. Extremely useful.

[mamselle]

I don't plan to do any extensive travel (i.e., to Europe) for at least a year.

I'm hoping by then that a) it will be safe(r) again, and b) my usual frugal-travel standbys, in the Hosteling International system, will be back up and running.

Having gone in late December, when it now appears that the virus may already have been surreptitiously afoot, I continue to count myself extremely lucky.

I don't plan on tempting fate. 

M.

[saramago]

Spork: the restaurants in the rest of Qc reopened today, and they will next Monday (6/22) in Montreal. With restrictions and all, of course.

[spork]

Thanks. I am hoping that safety precautions lead to an increase in terrasse and sidewalk dining both abroad and in the USA. Of course that won't work in the winter though. Are boulangeries open? Here nearly all the bakeries are still closed and there is nowhere near the  quality selection that exists in Montreal.

[spork]

This might all be for naught. Just learned that closure of the U.S.-Canadian border has been extended to at least July 21. Won't be doing a Montreal croissantathon until August at the earliest. 

[mamselle]

If it's croissant comparisons you want, you might be able to order several different ones to try them out.

I can furnish recipes if you get tired of unsalted butter and strawberry jam....

;--}

M.

[saramago]

This might all be for naught. Just learned that closure of the U.S.-Canadian border has been extended to at least July 21. Won't be doing a Montreal croissantathon until August at the earliest.

That's unfortunately right.... not to rub it in your face, but since you asked, yes, all stores including boulangeries have reopened a little while ago now. And everyone expects a lot of outdoors dining for a while.