Going Back to School … for Your Vacation

This is the time of year when many of us grow impatient to end our winter hibernations and start daydreaming of our upcoming summer vacations.

If, like many people these days, you’re reining in your spending, there’s a low-cost vacation option you may not have considered before. For those who have a hankering for fine art, historical architecture, prestigious rare-book collections and other culture, but on a shoestring budget, the New York Times has turned the spotlight on an intriguing vacation destination – college campuses.

In many college towns, culture and community life revolve around a vibrant university campus. Colleges offer a wealth of low- or no-cost recreational, sightseeing and entertainment options, including:

• Self-guided or guided walking tours on manicured, park-like grounds
• World-class museums and exhibitions
• Theatrical performances
• Lectures on the arts, humanities and sciences
• The use of athletic facilities and the ability to walk or bike on scenic paths
• Well-stocked libraries
• Sporting events
• Movie screenings
• Concerts
• Religious services
• Classes for the public
• Volunteer opportunities
• University-sponsored day trips
• An opportunity to mingle with students by enjoying a meal in a dining hall

There are some, according to the Times story, who have made a hobby out of visiting college campuses whenever they have an opportunity, making sure to partake in offerings at the dining hall and visiting the bookstore to soak up the ambience.

Here are a few of the schools praised for what they offer visitors, according to the Times story:

• Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut
• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge
• Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts
• Stanford University in Palo Alto, California
• The Museum of Art at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence

There are surely other schools worthy of a visit. Can you recommend your alma mater to visitors? What sorts of low-cost or free activities can they do there?

Tags: best ways to save money, Personal Finances

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