Family vacations are a yearly event for most families across North America, and while many are watching their spending a little more closely these days, there are still plenty of ways to have a vacation without breaking the bank. Rather than fly to an exotic resort out of the country or leave the state, many are taking vacations that are within driving distance. With a little planning and creative thinking a cheap family vacation can be every bit as much fun as the large family vacation to a theme park far away.
Instead of saving up all year for the single big ticket trip abroad, consider breaking up your time and money into a series of long weekends or even day trips. You can reacquaint yourself with the marvels that are not too far away from your back yard and experience nature. You can also visit friends or family that you haven’t seen in a long time with the bonus of saving money on accommodations at the same time.
Camping makes for a great vacation, even if it’s not too far away from where you live. Chances are you already have most of what you need to camp with, or can pick it up at the store for less than you think. You can rent a cabin, a camping trailer or bring your own tent. Many camp grounds have amenities like swimming pools that you and the kids can enjoy along with the natural attraction of hiking trails for walking or cycling. Bring along some fishing gear and you could have the chance to catch your own dinner.
While camping may not be the first idea that comes to mind if you’re going on a family vacation for toddlers, it can go surprisingly well. Many cabin grounds have cabins that you can rent for a night that have electricity and plumbing so that you can look after small children or even babies with more comfort than sleeping in a tent. These tend to get booked up quickly however, especially around holiday long weekends, so you may have to make your reservations six months or more in advance. Once you find a spot you like it’s often a good idea to make your reservation for next year before you leave.
Many of the top 10 family vacation spots each year are scenic areas like Jellystone and Yellowstone national park. So it’s possible to have a great family vacation without going all out at a luxury resort.
