Top Five Bargain Destinations for Summer 2013

The Caribbean

Summer in the Caribbean comes with caveats—most notably that hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30—but there's no denying it's the time of year to go if you're looking for a great deal, especially on hotel stays.

Here are some of the many noteworthy deals coming out of the Caribbean right now: Club Med is running its semi-annual sale with seven-night all-inclusive vacations starting at $849 per person for bookings made by June 25. On Aruba between May 1 and September 30, the One Happy Family package offers free accommodations, breakfast, and more perks for kids at more than a dozen participating resorts. St. Lucia, which we recently featured as a great off-peak pick for summer, has deals for free nights and up to half off regular rates. American Airlines and Air Canada both have discounts on Caribbean beach vacations. Luxury is on sale, too: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has free-night offers through September 30 at three of its Caribbean properties, and CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa on Anguilla is offering the fifth night free on suite bookings or two nights free with any weeklong stay.

If you're considering a trip but are concerned about the chance of a major storm derailing your travel plans, read up on the dos and don'ts of travel insurance for hurricane season.

Utah

Utah is making it extra easy to enjoy its wealth of national parks with deals to the "Mighty 5" this summer. And with new air service from Denver boosting park accessibility, a visit to one (or more) of Utah's five national parks will be both cheaper and easier in the coming months. Throw in a fee-free national park day this summer, and it's hard to find a reason not to visit.

Starting June 6, SkyWest will be offering United Express flights between Denver and St. George, Utah. The airline has introductory fares from $99 each way for summer flights booked by June 20. St. George is located about 40 miles from Zion National Park, which makes it a convenient arrival airport for outdoors-oriented trips.

Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion are Utah's "Mighty 5," its brag-worthy list of national parks. This summer, "Mighty 5" packages from hotels and travel providers offer discounts and added value throughout the state. For instance, the Bryce Canyon Summer Savings Special at Ruby's Inn offers 30 percent off the second night and all subsequent nights plus a free Bryce Canyon auto and hiking guide for stays between June 16 and July 11. There are also plenty of chain-wide hotel deals good for stays in Utah, including Choice Hotels' summer hotel packages and deals. And don't forget that August 25 is one of this year's free entrance days at all national parks.

Boston

This summer, Boston is welcoming visitors with new air service from JetBlue; plenty of deals, discounts, and special events; and a not-to-be-missed restaurant week in late August.

Boston is already a well-connected destination with plenty of direct flights from cities around the country, but for traveling Texans, getting there will be even easier when JetBlue debuts service from Houston on July 25.

Once you're in Boston, take advantage of summer hotel specials such as those offered through the Freedom Trail Foundation, with nightly rates from $111 plus walking tours, history guides, and perks such as free breakfast or parking at 14 hotels around the city. BostonUSA.com keeps a current list of savings on hotels and attractions, and its Family-Friendly ValuePass can get visitors discounts on everything from museum entry to meals.

San Antonio

With more than 70 hotels, attractions, and shops offering serious summer discounts, you'd have to try hard to overspend in San Antonio this summer. In August, find even more ways to save during Kidcation Week and Texas' tax-free shopping weekend.

The city's SAVE (San Antonio Vacation Experience) program mixes hotel discounts and activity deals to offer visitors overall affordability. I found lodging deals for as little as $51 per night and attractions offers, including buy-one-get-one tickets at the San Antonio Museum of Art and free children's tickets with the purchase of a general-use ticket at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

During Kidcation Week from August 12 to 18, families can take advantage of even more discounts, including free admission for kids under 12 at the Witte Museum and free Alamo Trolley tours for kids with an accompanying adult with a paid ticket. And on Texas' tax-free shopping weekend from August 16 to 18, visitors can cut costs a bit more by skipping sales tax on many purchases.

Chile

Looking for something a little different this summer? How about a Chile ski vacation? From July 12 through 19 and August 23 through 30, Valle Nevado ski resort, an hour outside of Santiago, is offering a "third person free" deal that includes lodging, lift tickets, dinner, and breakfast. The resort also has deals for half off lodging for a second person and 20 percent off package rates. And the Portillo Ski Resort has free ski weeks for children in June and September.

Even if skiing is not your idea of summertime fun, there are still reasons to visit and deals to be had. Capital city Santiago came in sixth in TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice 2013 awards for the Top 25 Destinations in South America. And Expedia has a running list of discounted airfare and multi-night hotel vacation packages to Santiago.

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