If your travel taste leans toward “all-inclusive island resort” but your budget demands “overcrowded seaside motel,” there might be a middle ground.
Destination dupes are affordable alternatives to those Instagrammable, yet often overpriced, locales. Many welcoming vacation spots fly under the radar, overshadowed by flashy images from the same scenic overlook that has tourists lining up for a photo. But what if you didn’t have to knock elbows for a view? What if you didn’t have to bleed your wallet dry for your next trip?
Bankrate’s 2025 Summer Travel Survey reports that more than 3 in 5 Americans not traveling this summer (65 percent) say they can’t afford it. Among those who do plan to travel, 1 in 3 (29 percent) say they’ll go into debt for it.
That doesn’t have to be you. You can have your caviar and eat it, too. I asked four travel influencers and planners for their favorite budget-friendly destinations to visit in 2025.
Sahara Rose De Vore, founder and CEO of The Travel Coach Network
As someone who trains other travel coaches, Sahara Rose De Vore draws from her decade spent solo traveling to 84 countries. To afford traveling that often, she had to get creative with her budget — from picking affordable destinations and lodging to cooking her own food. Nowadays, people come to her with questions about creating a travel lifestyle and finding good deals. Here are her destination dupes for 2025.
I’m a big believer that you can travel anywhere that you want to, even if it seems out of your budget. Just get creative when it comes to how [you] are able to get there and afford it.
— Sahara Rose De Vore, founder and CEO of The Travel Coach Network
Santander, Spain
Skip bustling, pricey Barcelona and head north to Santander, Spain. The small port city offers eye-catching architecture along with a deep history and natural beauty. De Vore recommends visiting the Magdalena Peninsula, which is free, home to a royal palace and spotted with animals like penguins and sea lions.
Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
“Rather than getting caught up in the bustle of the busy big city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, fly into there but then hop on a ferry (I paid only $25 USD) and head to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay,” De Vore says.
Uruguay is underrated and saturated with beaches, surfing, dining and plenty to do. The colorful buildings and cobblestone streets might make you never want to leave. But when you do, you can take a bus to travel down the coast.
Old Phuket Town, Thailand
A dupe for Thailand’s Bangkok or Patong Beach is Old Phuket Town, located an easy bus ride from the Phuket airport. The colorful town boasts shops, restaurants and markets. De Vore suggests hopping on a tuk-tuk — a commonly used rickshaw — to get to nearby beaches and back. The town is also walkable on foot, making it affordable and easy to navigate.
Shanna Miller, flight attendant and social media influencer
Shanna Miller knows flight deals, thanks to her frequent personal travel and experience as a United Airlines flight attendant. She shares the latest sales, hacks and vacation packages with her thousands of TikTok followers. Here are Miller’s recommendations for must-visit spots in 2025.
If it’s beyond your budget, but you still want to go, my advice would be to save.
— Shanna Miller, flight attendant
Bimini, Bahamas
A Saint Martin/Sint Maarten dupe, Bimini is known for its affordable vacation rentals, food and drinks. You can also get there by taking a ferry from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which might save you a flight. Fish, snorkel or soak up the sun on the beach of this under-the-radar island.
Arizona Balloon Classic in Phoenix, Arizona
As an alternative for aspiring attendees of the Hot Air Balloon Festival in Cappadocia, Turkey, Miller says you could save around $1,500 on flights by heading to a balloon festival just outside of Phoenix instead. Plus, the Arizona Balloon Classic is a free event that launches around the same number of hot air balloons. And you’ll still be immersed in a striking desert climate.
Samantha Thompson, travel advisor
Thanks to her experience planning trips for others, Samantha Thompson knows there isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to travel. Everyone has different preferences, hobbies and budgets. But she says there’s something every traveler has in common — they want to feel the value for the money they spent, whether taking a luxury cruise or staying at a simple hotel. Here are the places she has her sights set on this year.
I believe there’s a way to see any destination in the world on whatever budget you have.
— Samantha Thompson, travel advisor
Taipei, Taiwan
A dupe for Japan, Taipei offers much of what aspiring travelers seek — ancient temples, ample greenery and night markets of local delicacies and Japanese-inspired dishes.
“I’ve got a close eye on Taiwan,” Thompson says. It’s less crowded and more affordable than places like Tokyo and Kyoto. And thanks to the expanding network of international flights, you can get there from around the world.
Istria, Croatia
Istria is a European peninsula primarily in the country of Croatia, but also parceled out to Slovenia and Italy. It’s a dupe for crowded and expensive Tuscany, but with rolling hills of vineyards, olive groves and medieval hilltop towns, you’ll feel like you’re in central Italy. The truffles, olive oil and wine rival the Tuscan food scene, with lower prices you can stomach.
Catalina Island, California
Instead of jetting to the Amalfi Coast, why don’t you check out Santa Catalina Island in America’s own backyard? You can take a ferry from a California port city and find Mediterranean-like charm. The island doesn’t allow cars, so you’ll only see pedestrians and golf carts. Enjoy fine seafood dining, swim in the Pacific Ocean and even hop on a sunset cruise.
Linda Ta Yonemoto, CFEI and points and miles traveler
Linda Ta Yonemoto is a Certified Financial Education Instructor and self-described points and miles traveler. She helps everyday people manage money in a way that aligns with their values, and she’s a pro at traveling on a budget. If you have your heart set on a location, she poses the questions: Why do you want to go there? Do you want to sit on a beach or take a certain photo? What’s your idea of an ideal vacation? Here are a couple of her favorite swaps.
I’d rather [have] local experiences and figure out what we like to do personally versus what is hot and trending on Instagram.
— Linda Ta Yonemoto, CFEI and points and miles traveler
Da Nang, Vietnam
An alternative to Vietnamese cities Hanoi and Saigon, Da Nang is a smaller coastal city known for its calm beaches, tasty street food and religious icons. It’s popular among digital nomads, and American travelers can hop on a flight from the East or West Coast. Plus, Yonemoto says you can’t miss the coffee shop scene.
Las Vegas, Nevada
“There’s everything you can possibly think of,” Yonemoto says affectionately about her hometown of Las Vegas. With diverse cuisine, epic entertainment and picturesque state parks, it combines the best of cities like San Diego and Chicago. You can even get a picture in front of an imitation Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty or Egyptian pyramid.
How to make your budget as beautiful as your travel photos
If you’re ready to cross travel off your 2025 bucket list but don’t want to blow your budget, start by choosing a more affordable destination — or dupe — than the ones you see on social media. Do your research and ask friends and family for their best-kept secrets. In addition, tools like Google Flights, Hopper and Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar can help you search for locations based on prices, instead of the other way around.
You can also try traveling during the off-season. “You aren’t getting the ideal weather, but you’re also not getting the high prices and huge crowds,” Thompson says.
It also helps if you can choose more affordable options for parts of the trip you don’t value as much. For example, you might prioritize dining on local cuisine but skip the resort for a hostel instead. Or, you can cook budget-friendly meals in the kitchen of the Airbnb you splurge on.
De Vore says when she traveled on a tight budget, she often stayed with friends or slept in the airport if she had an early flight. She also “shopped at local markets for food to buy or to cook for myself at my accommodations, took ground transportation like buses and trains often, walk[ed] a lot (to save on taxis), and usually traveled to countries that were more off-the-beaten-path or less touristy to save money on touristy-driven prices,” she explains.
Tap into travel credit card perks
The best travel rewards cards let you earn points and miles on travel and everyday spending to cover your next trip. Yonemoto says she’s saved more than $10,000 by using her travel rewards. If you already have a travel card, make sure you’re maximizing your earning potential by swiping the card for the right categories.
Don’t pay fees you can avoid
Skip the foreign transaction fees. One way to save during your trip abroad is to ensure you aren’t paying fees you could easily avoid. Bring along a no-foreign-transaction-fee card so you aren’t on the hook for a 3 to 5 percent fee each time you sample a local delicacy or shop for the perfect souvenir.
If you’re in the market for a new travel card, look at the welcome bonuses. That stash of points or miles could buy your next international flight. Some card issuers offer boosted offers seasonally, so check out the most recent welcome offer on the card you’re eyeing and time your application accordingly.
Also note that transferring your rewards to a partner airline or hotel can make them worth even more. Learn how to maximize a transfer bonus based on your issuer.
Even though a rewards card can be a great tool for your travel kit, I wouldn’t suggest going into debt to pay for a vacation. If you can’t afford that trip just yet, set up a sinking fund that you add money to monthly until you’ve hit your trip budget goal.
The bottom line
The world is full of beautiful nooks and crannies waiting to be discovered, and the ideas above are just a start. Skip the overpriced itinerary and splurge on an under-the-radar experience, instead. Before you go, learn how to travel the world with credit card points.
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