Five places to spend your tax refund

By Genevieve S. Brown

updated 12:32 p.m. ET April 17, 2006

You know what they say about taxes - it's one of only two things in life you can be sure of. But for many, tax time isn't nearly as dismal as the other certainty in life - in fact, millions of Americans who overpaid the federal government last year will receive a tax refund this spring.

Forbes.com reports as of early April, the average tax refund is $2,480. If you're one of the lucky ones expecting a check in the mail from the government, we have some suggestions for where you can blow it all.

The trips below are priced based on airfare and hotel accommodations for two people traveling together. Prices were accurate as of press time but are subject to change without notice. Taxes are not included unless noted.

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Reykjavik, Iceland
Europe Bargains and Features
The problem with going somewhere exotic is that "somewhere exotic" is just so far away. Enter Reykjavik, the closest European capital to the East Coast, just a five-hour flight from New York City, Boston and Baltimore. If you don't have a lot of time to get away, three or four days is ample time to explore Reykjavik's thermal pools, museums and legendary nightlife plus take a trip out of the city to visit the Blue Lagoon and other natural wonders.

Iceland's popularity with travelers increases every year and prices are steep. Icelandair is offering sale fares for travel in April and May - $458 round-trip from Baltimore; $470 from Orlando; $508 from New York; $518 from Boston; $568 from Minneapolis; $568 from San Francisco - before the summer high season arrives. Combine any of those with a three-night stay at the centrally located CenterHotel Klopp - about $728, including taxes - and you have a mini vacation for less than $2,000. Even when you add airline taxes of $90 - $150 per person, you are still within your budget.

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Rockland, Maine
New England Bargains and Features
About a two-hour drive from Portland on the mid-coast is Rockland, the lobster capital of Maine - no small feat in a state famous for the crawling crustaceans. Rockland boasts 14 lighthouses within a short drive and 140 homes on the National Registry of Historic Places. If you want to see a lobsterman haul his catch, feast on lobster in all its forms or simply explore the stunning rocky shores, the picturesque New England town of Rockland is your destination.

Since we don't know where you're traveling from, it's tough to estimate how much airfare to Portland will run you. JetBlue will begin direct service from New York City to Portland in May, bringing prices way down on many carriers (about $150 round-trip including tax on a weekend in June). The Historic Inns of Rockland is offering a hotel package that includes two nights' accommodations, lighthouse tours, a lobster haul and much more from $385 - $505 per couple in June. If you fly to Portland, you'll have to rent a car, so factor in another $150 to be safe. That makes the price for a couple traveling from New York City approximately $950 - with plenty of money left over to add on a few extra nights.

Talk to other travelers about New England on our   message boards.

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