Let’s face it — vacations are expensive, especially if you’re traveling with the whole family. But no one wants to leave out the spouse or kids when they’re planning a family vacation, so we’re here to help. Here are a few family-friendly trips that you can take without breaking the bank.
Family Friendly Trips That Won’t Break the Bank
Budget Beach Camping
Staying on the beach can be prohibitively expensive if you rent a hotel. Even investing in a timeshare can be costly, especially if you don’t use it regularly. Instead of wasting your money, why not try beach camping? There are plenty of places where you can camp on or near the beach — Fort Desoto State Park in Central Florida, for instance, allows you to camp right along the intercostals waterways — often for free. Getting into the park to enjoy the beach and the historical fort only costs $5 a day at this location.
There are also campsites that can be reserved — ideal for the busy summer months — which range from $36 to $41 a night.
Tons of beach or beach adjacent campsites allow you to pitch a tent for a reasonable price — enjoy those sunny shores without emptying your bank account.
Budget Glamping
Glamping, or glamour camping, doesn’t seem like something that you can do without spending a ton of money. Glamping is, by its very nature, focused on bringing all the luxuries and comforts of home with you out into the wilderness. While these facts are true — a pair of adults can pay upwards of $8,500 for three nights at a luxury glamping resort — it doesn’t mean that glamping has to break the bank.
Glamping is all about comfort — so you can turn any regular campsite into a glampsite by bringing all the comforts of home with you. Load up with your favorite comfy blankets and pillows, find a plush air mattress and bring all your favorite snacks and adult beverages along (as long as they’re permitted at the campsite — make sure you check the rules first!) and voila, you’ve got a glampsite.
National Park Trips
There are more than 400 National Parks in the United States, and every single one of them is worth a visit. But with rising park prices, it can be difficult to make it to every single one. Instead of paying, why not sign up for one of the National Park Service’s volunteer programs?
These programs span weeks or even months. You work in the park a couple of days a week for a few hours here and there in exchange for your site fee. It’s a fantastic way to see all the amazing parks and learn to appreciate the natural beauty of the country.
Even if you’re not up to volunteering at a national park, there are still plenty of places where you can enjoy these parks without spending a ton of money. Many camps offer drive-through locations and even roadside campsites where you can just pop down for the night.
Your family trips don’t have to stop just because you’re on a budget. Just take a look around, and you’ll see tons of family-friendly options that don’t have to break the bank. Plan a big trip, and set yourself a challenge to see just how much money you can save.
Thanks for the awesome tips.