Save Money on Your Summer Vacation
Stay Close to Home for a Fun-Filled, Memorable Trip
By Jennifer Roland
In tight financial times, many families are considering canceling the summer vacation. This step may be a little too drastic. Instead, rethink the trip and see what low-cost local attractions will work just as well.
Play a Role
Pretend a good friend is coming to visit. She has never been to the area, and she asks to see some of the tourist attractions. Plan her visit. Use those ideas to plan a staycation full of fun events and sights. Typically, most people rarely visit their area's most famous attractions, but
they can be a lot of fun.
Surf the Web
The local convention and visitor's bureau website will list all of the tourist attractions in your hometown. Use it to plan day trips and fun outings — playing tourist in your own town. Also visit the website of the local free weekly newspaper. It usually has the biggest listing of free and low-cost events, from concerts in the park to local plant sales. Depending on the area and family interests, the web could be a gold mine of low-cost local activities.
Plan Vacation Activities at Home
Imagine a dream vacation? What is it? A beach getaway? A cycling adventure? A tour of the California wine country? Chances are, these activities can be replicated locally.
- If the beach is the winner, look for a local river or beach that a lot of people hang out at. Slather on the sunscreen and visit a pretend tropical paradise.
- If cycling (or some other activity) is the more exciting choice, look for nearby places to ride. National and regional associations list trails and events on their websites — a quick web search can reveal a wealth of local trails.
- Finally, dedicated oenophile can look for local wineries. Tour one or visit a cluster, sampling new wines and learning about special local vintages.
Get Active
Take advantage of free fitness resources. Most areas have tennis courts and parks with hiking and biking trails, and some even have community gyms and swimming pools. A little outdoors exercise breaks up the monotony of staying home, and it tires out the kids.
Don't Forget the Fair
Why waste time and money on a trip to a big theme park? The kids will probably have just as much fun with the rides at the county or state fair, and they can learn about local agriculture and art by touring the exhibit halls and animal displays.
A little creativity is all it takes to plan a great staycation that will leave the whole family rested, rejuvenated, and exhilarated.