Travel: 5 Places to Spend Your 2012 Tax Refund
The average 2012 tax refund is about $3,000. Five vacations to blow it all.
April 11, 2012— -- The average 2012 tax refund is nearly $3,000 according to the IRS. That's about $100 less than last year, but still plenty of money to take a vacation. Here are five vacations under 3k to blow that tax refund. There are countless others, of course, but these should get you dreaming of all the places that refund can take you.
Angkor Wat and Singapore: Eight-Day Trip $1,999
From LivingSocial.com comes this trip for one that includes airfare, ground transportation, guided sightseeing tours and hotel stays. The trip begins in Siem Reap, Cambodia, with three nights at the Tara Angkor Hotel. Explore the ancient city, tour ruins and of course visit the famous temple of Angkor Wat. Then jet to Singapore where you stay at the Furama RiverFront Hotel. Take a guided tour of the city and then explore on your own. Keep in mind that although this is an eight-day trip, there's actually only five days of seeing the sights (due to long flights and time changes). The price of $1,999 is for travelers originating at Houston's IAH. Trips with flights from Los Angeles LAX or San Francisco's SFO are $2,199 and the cost is $2,299 from New York's JFK.
Trip must be booked by April 15, 2012.
Cuba: Eight Days $2,799
So close and yet so far away, until now. FriendlyPlanet.com's "Colors of Cuba" package includes, most importantly, a U.S. Treasury Department license and letter of authorization plus a Cuba entrance visa. Also included are round-trip flights from Miami to Havana; seven nights' accommodations, all land transfers, 21 meals, a Friendly Planet escort; an English-speaking local guide, health insurance, and nearly all taxes and fees. Travel select dates June – December.
Trip must be booked by April 25.
Disney Cruise: Four-Night for Family of Four: $2,600
Found on Travelocity, this four-night cruise on the Disney Magic departs Monday, April 30 from Port Canaveral, Fla., and calls on Nassau and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. There's also one sea day. Accommodations are in a Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom. Price includes taxes, but not airfare.
Departs April 30, book ASAP.
Ireland Vacation: Six-nights $975
From Sceptre Tours, a six-night Emerald Isle vacation including flight, B&B stays, a night in a castle and car rental. Travel through May 31. Price is per person based on two people traveling together and includes tax. The trip begins in Shannon with one night at a three-star hotel. Then hop into your rental car and select from hundreds of B&Bs at which to spend the next four nights. The final night is spent at the 16th-century Dromoland Castle.
Trip must be booked by April 13.
Pinehurst, N.C.: Golf Buddy Trip of a Lifetime: $2300
It's only three nights, but it's the golf vacation to end all golf vacations. From Pinehurst.com, the world-famous golf Mecca in North Carolina comes this trip that includes villa accommodations; wet bar stocked with beer and wine; unlimited golf; round on No. 2 (the premier course) with caddies wearing your name on their bibs; private session with Pinehurst pro on how to play No. 2; breakfast and dinner daily; private in-villa chef for a steak and lobster dinner; courtesy car; $50 gift card and more. What's not included? Airfare. Price is per person.
Ongoing, book at will.