Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch? With a bit of advance planning, you can also make clever use of free resources while traveling.
Free Bicycles:
In cities such as Copenhagen, Zurich, Bonn, and Helsinki, visitors can borrow a bicycle from designated locations around the city and explore various neighborhoods. All you need to do is pay a symbolic deposit of $3 to $20, which will be refunded once you return the bike and lock it up. In cities like Paris, Vienna, Rome, and Lyon, however, only the first half hour is free, after which you’ll need to pay a rental fee.
Free Transportation:
In 27 intercity hotels in Germany and 1 in Vienna, guests can enjoy free city bus services provided by the hotel. In some cities, you can even ride the train from the city center to the airport for free. Guests receive a voucher upon check-in, valid until midnight on the day of checkout.
In New York, the Staten Island Ferry primarily offers free transport for tourists traveling from Manhattan to Staten Island for sightseeing, but during the 25-minute ride, you can also enjoy stunning views of skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty, and New York Harbor.
In Denver and Buffalo in the U.S., as well as in some cities in Colorado, Portland, Oregon, and Florida, visitors can also ride buses, light rail, and trolleybuses for free.
Free Accommodation:
Accommodation costs can be one of the biggest expenses during a trip. But home exchanging can make a big difference. You can list your property or apartment on some travel exchange websites—some are free, though exchanges are limited to the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean countries. International exchange websites cover almost any corner of the seven continents, but they usually require an annual fee. There are also websites offering hosting exchanges, where guests stay at your place and you host them, and then you stay with them on their trip next time.
Free Skiing:
In Colorado, some free skiing programs are designed to reward volunteers. For example, at Winter Park Ski Resort, every 4 hours of volunteer work can earn you a full day of free skiing plus free ski lift tickets.
At Quebec’s Le Massif resort in Canada, visitors dressed as Santa Claus can ski for free on Santa Claus Day during the Christmas season.
Free Movies and Concerts:
In places like South Africa, France, Montreal in Canada, and Santa Cruz in California, U.S., there are annual music festivals that you can attend for free. Paris’s ultra-modern Parc de la Villette hosts an open-air film festival every summer, attracting numerous cinema enthusiasts with its giant outdoor movie screen.