At the best of times, it can be difficult for families to budget the funds to get away for some R&R, but that task proves to be even more difficult in today’s economic conditions. Fortunately, it is not impossible. The following list of travel tips offers affordable vacation ideas for families who want to escape the rat race this year and enjoy some time together without breaking the bank.
Take a Stay-Cation
It used to be that family vacations meant packing mom, dad, and the kids in the family van or boarding a plane for a long cross-country drive, but with the tough economic times of recent years, families are finding plenty of opportunities. to get a day’s drive away from their own backyards.
From state parks and theme parks to regional resort towns around lakes, beaches or mountains, budget travelers find plenty of opportunities to kick back and kick back with just a tank or two of gas away from home.
Talking to friends and relatives who have taken similar trips or searching the internet for nearby family vacation destinations can help you discover some of these nearby places for family fun.
Take advantage of discounts and special offers
Like the vacationers who visit them, hotel and attraction owners are well aware of the recession and offer special deals and discounts to entice vacationers to spend their hard-earned money with them.
To find these special offers, visit the websites of the destinations, hotels and attractions you want to visit and look for a link to the page containing their current discounts and promotions. In addition, placing a call to the destination may uncover recently announced special offers that may not have been published on the website.
be spontaneous
Although not always possible, the ability to drop everything and leave with a few days’ notice can save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. While this may not be feasible for a family that only has a small window of opportunity to get away, families with young or homeschooled children and parents with flexible work schedules can take advantage of these last-minute opportunities.
Although it takes some diligence, and the ability to make a quick decision, the Internet makes it easier than ever to find these deals. Travel comparison sites like FareCompare.com and Orbitz track the latest deals and pass them on to their readers. Airlines such as Southwest Airlines frequently post last-minute airfares and hotel packages online.
To be among the first to know when these deals will be available, keep track of the sites that track vacation deals and sign up for their newsletters or deal alerts. If you don’t like giving out your email information, you can also follow them on Twitter or Facebook. Just be sure to regularly check back on their posts and updates to take advantage of any hot deals.
Off-Season Trips
In good times or bad, vacationers can save money and avoid the crowds by traveling in the off-season. Peak times for family vacation destinations vary by location, but most are from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Vacationers visiting outside of these dates can avoid fighting the crowds and paying peak rates associated with peak season.
If off-season vacations are not an option, consider traveling on weekdays during peak season. Many tourist towns fill up at the end of the week until Saturday night, but are quieter on Sunday until the middle of the week and may even offer discounts on rooms and attractions for these days off of the week.
A word of caution, though: when traveling in the off-season, some of the attractions may be offered on a more limited basis or not at all. Be sure to call ahead to check which locations will be open and what their hours will be.
Don’t eat your budget
Finally, one of the easiest ways to save while traveling is to avoid paying inflated tourist prices for food. Booking a hotel room with a kitchenette or even a small refrigerator can help you preserve and prepare food for simple meals or packed lunches.
Even theme parks offer in and out privileges. Getting your hand stamped and leaving the site for a picnic or even going to a fast food restaurant off the attraction can dramatically reduce the costs associated with visiting the park.