| Cheap family vacations? Is that even possible | | | | tolerate just walking and taking in the view. |
| anymore with the price of gasoline and everything | | | | 4. Amusement Parks |
| else going up? Yes, relatively speaking. There are a | | | | They may want to go to Disneyland or Six Flags, but |
| number of ways to cut the costs. Here are six | | | | they'll be happy with anyplace that has exciting rides |
| examples to get you thinking. | | | | if that is all you can afford. There are many |
| 1. Vacation With Family Or Friends | | | | amusement parks that have both roller coasters and |
| If you have any family or friends in nice places, this | | | | water parks but don't cost as much as the more |
| may be the time to visit, especially if they are within | | | | famous ones. Find one that is within a couple hours |
| driving distance. Apart from the costs to drive there, | | | | of you and buy a weekend pass for the family. |
| most of the other expenses will be for things that | | | | Check hotel rates first to be sure that you don't lose |
| you would be spending money on in any case. If you | | | | in accommodations what you gained in proximity and |
| and a friend both live in an interesting place, you | | | | cheap gate prices. |
| might even swap houses for a week. If a friend has | | | | 5. National Parks |
| a cabin on a lake that you can borrow, that works as | | | | National parks charge by the vehicle, not by the |
| well. | | | | person, and The Great Smoky Mountains National |
| 2. Camping Vacations | | | | Park is free to enter. List the three national parks |
| If your kids like a bit of adventure and outdoor living, | | | | nearest you, and look to see what they offer. Then |
| a camping trip can still be an affordable vacation. Just | | | | look at the hotel rates in the towns within an hour's |
| keep it closer to home to keep the travel costs | | | | drive of the entrances to choose the most |
| down. There are beaches on the great lakes where | | | | economical family vacation destination. |
| you can camp for free, for example. The kids can | | | | 6. Family Vacations At the Beach |
| swim and explore the woods every day. National | | | | You can camp on the ocean in Florida for $24 per |
| forests are often free to camp in for up to two | | | | night. You can camp on some beaches of the Great |
| weeks. Find one with interesting sights and activities | | | | Lakes for free. The hotels along Highway 2 in |
| nearby. Borrow the tents and other equipment from | | | | Michigan's Upper Peninsula are as cheap as $50 in |
| friends if you can only afford a really cheap vacation. | | | | September (and that's when Lake Michigan is actually |
| Bring your laptop computer and a few movies for | | | | at its warmest). Take a metal detector, so when the |
| rainy nights. | | | | kids get tired of swimming and building sand castles |
| 3. Hiking Vacations | | | | they can hunt for treasure. There are also numerous |
| Equipping you, your spouse and all the kids for a | | | | cheap campgrounds on the beaches of Lakes |
| backpacking trip may not be practical. On the other | | | | Michigan, Superior, and Huron. You'll find these in |
| hand there are many areas of the country where | | | | Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and in Ontario, |
| hotels are cheap and near hiking trails. One of them | | | | Canada. Family vacations at the beach will usually be |
| may be near you. Plan for interesting destinations, like | | | | enjoyed and remembered by all. |
| waterfalls, caves and lakes. The kids probably won't | | | | |