Top Five Bargain Destinations for Summer 2010

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.

Email Christine Sarkis at editor@smartertravel.com.

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Summer means vacation, but it’s also the season of high prices and big crowds. Choose wisely and shop smart, though, and you’ll be able to take advantage of deals and discounts that put even popular destinations on the budget travel radar.

I’ve monitored trends, industry news, and sale patterns to point you in the direction of places that offer the best bargain value for the coming season. Below you’ll find examples of deals presently available for summer trips. Like all deals, these are sure to expire; however, a little research on your part can yield similar results when you’re ready to book.

California

Turn that California dreamin’ into a real vacation this summer with new low-cost carrier air service, hotel discounts up and down the state, and Disneyland offers.

California has some of the busiest airports in the country, and getting there will be even easier this summer with new service from low-cost carriers Allegiant and Virgin America. Allegiant begins service between Tennessee’s Tri-Cities Airport and LAX, and Eugene, Oregon, and LAX on June 3. And Virgin America kicks off service between Toronto and both Los Angeles and San Francisco starting June 23.{{{SmarterBuddy|align=left}}}Hotels around the state are offering summer deals that are worth a look. More than 30 Joie de Vivre hotel properties in California are offering the Road Trippin’ California promotion, with savings of up to 50 percent, through mid-September. Package rates start at $99 per night and include add-ons such as free parking, quirky amenities, or activities. The Breakfast in Beverly Hills promotion offers visitors who book two- or three-night stays an additional night’s stay and daily breakfast for no additional cost. The deal is available at 12 Beverly Hills hotels through August 31. San Diego’s Choose Happy promotion highlights ways to stretch your vacation dollars, and includes a list of 50 free things to do in the area and trips under $100 a day.

You can also find deals in Los Angeles, Mendocino County, Napa, and Santa Barbara. Even Disneyland has summer discounts on accommodations and park packages.

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