By Betsy Pray
Staff Writer
If you’re looking for a cheap weekend getaway – whether it be to a big city, another country or a football game – St. Bonaventure’s Campus Activities Board (CAB) has the answer.
CAB has planned three bus trips for fall 2013: to New York City on Sept. 21, Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Oct. 26 and a Buffalo Bills game on Nov. 3, open to all students.
The New York City trip, which has been running for at least five years, remains popular among students. So popular, in fact, that the trip this spring sent two buses of students instead of just one. Tickets are $40.
“It was just a great opportunity to get away from the stress of school for the day and to hang out with friends,” said senior sociology major Molly Schaefer, who went on the trip last spring. “There are so many places and things there that we don’t have around here.”
Abby Cohen, associate director of club sports, intramurals and student engagement, said she believes cost and convenience are contributing factors to the popularity of the New York City trip.
“If we added in hotel or additional expenses, it might be too much for a student to afford,” Cohen said. “$40 is certainly something that’s reasonable for an entire round trip, and it allows you the opportunity to not have to worry about driving or taking your own car.”
In October, the second trip will take students over the border to Clifton Hill, a tourist strip located on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Cohen explained how this time of year offers students a wide variety of activities to engage in.
“Around Halloween, they do a lot of stuff with haunted houses, but you’re also right near the falls,” Cohen said. “There’s definitely a lot to do.”
The last trip of the semester is to a Buffalo Bills game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Nov. 3. This particular trip has also proved to be popular, selling out in the past few years.
Cohen said while CAB plans to continue the New York City and Buffalo Bills trips for upcoming years, they’re looking to add new trips in the future to keep it interesting for students.
Tickets for the New York City trip are still available online. Students can sign up on MySBU under the “Student Services” tab. Details for the other two trips will be released in the coming weeks.
“You can just grab your friends and everyone can sign up online,” Cohen said. “It’s like taking a college road trip.”
