Giving back on your next vacation, and finding a tax deduction

October 12, 11:34 PMNY Budget Travel ExaminerSusan Finch

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Those of you battling your inner travel demons on whether to indulge yourself with a relaxing vacation or take a cue from Brangelina and save the world - you could do both. Instead of an all or nothing approach, consider a combination of the two. Spend five days relaxing and indulging in all your vacation splendor and then add a day to volunteer.


San Francisco

Instead of the usual Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and eating chowder out of a sourdough bowl on "the Wharf", try whale watching with Oceanic Society Expeditions on the 56ft Superfish from the SF Yacht Harbor and catch a glimpse of grey whales near the Farallon Islands. For something both on and off the beaten path, checkout The Presidio and the soldier's pet cemetery. If you've got kids who aren't into the military history of the Presidio, they'll dig checking out the pet tombstones.

Goth freaks might like the Vampire Tour of SF every Friday and Saturday at 8pm unless "it's raining really hard". For 25 bucks, you can hang out and meet Mina (on the corner of California and Taylor Streets just outside Huntington Park). The tour hits Grace Cathedral, The Nob Hill Cafe, Huntington Park, The Pacific-Union Club, The Fairmont Hotel, and The Mark Hopkins Hotel. Mina will tell you the history of each of these stops, and how Vampires played a role in that history. Go hunting for spicy, salty squid in Chinatown before heading over to City Lights Bookstore founded and still owned by beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti. If you want to get a little architecture into your trip, try the Sausalito Floating Homes Tour and see Sausalito’s colorful floating homes including "The Green Herron" Victorian cottage and the "Hippo" floating artist space.

After all this animal, art, historical, literary, food, unusual and... vampiric fun -- give back to the place you've taken so much joy from. Hook up with San Francisco Food Runners. You can help out for the day or even an hour or two by picking up excess food from restaurants and deliver to outreach organizations. You'll walk away feeling pretty good and might even be eligible to write off part of your trip.

Speak to your accountant in advance and inquire about possible tax decuctions involved in your charitable stay.