10 Cheap Vacation Splurges

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- Vacations can make us feel rich simply because what we're doing for a week or two is what we might actually be doing if we didn't have to work. But there are plenty of ways to feel decadent on vacation without spending a ton of money. Check out our 10 favorite ways to add to the ambiance of splurging. Remember, it's all about the little things.

1. Room service
Ordering room service is akin to having a personal cook deliver food right to your door. You don't have to order a full meal, however. Heather Larson, a frequent traveler and the blogger behind Discover Washington State, simply orders a pot of coffee every morning when she travels.

There are plenty of ways to feel decadent on vacation without spending a ton of money.

"Having coffee delivered to my hotel room makes me feel pampered," she says. "It's something that doesn't happen at home. Of course, I could make the in-room coffee, but it usually tastes terrible and doesn't make very much. I much prefer to indulge myself and get a feel good start to my day."

2. Frivolous trinkets
Baseball caps, key chains, magnets and T-shirts -- we all have something we love to buy to take us back to those fun-filled vacation days. Kathleen Winn, a seasoned traveler, says she prefers to buy holiday trinkets.

"Most touristy areas have at least one Christmas shop, or sometimes we would buy some little trinket that wasn't meant as a Christmas ornament, but we used it as one, like a sparkly prism to hang on the tree," she says. "I love seeing all of those ornaments that remind me of all of the places we took our kids over the years and the fun times we had on vacation."

3. Meals out
We all get tired of eating the same thing at home, and even our favorite hometown restaurants can get boring, so many travelers will splurge on meals out, even if it is only for one nice dinner. It might be lobster in Maine or steak in Kansas City, but at least in our minds it's worth it.

Casey Barber, who writes about food on her blog, Good.Food.Stories., makes sure to splurge on good meals, even if it means giving up something else.

"We specifically choose really low-budget hotels so we can spend more on food and drinks when we're on vacation," she says.

4. Spa treatments
For many, nothing screams indulgent more than a facial, pedicure and manicure and a nice, relaxing massage. The best part of a pedicure and manicure is that it can last for a couple of weeks even when the vacation is over.

"If it's a beach or warm weather vacation, I get a pedicure in a really fun color," says Allie Johnson, a frequent traveler. "Then I feel vacation-y whenever I look at my toes."

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