Affordable Family Vacation Ideas: Camping

If you want to get away from home, camping is usually the most cost effective way to do it if you already have the gear. Even if you don't, buying camping gear that you can use again and again might make more economic sense than booking a hotel. Big box stores such as Target will usually sell the basics for a reasonable price. Big 5 is also a good place shop for camping gear, and it frequently has good sales. REI and Bass Pro are also fun stores with everything under the sun, but be aware that they are quite pricey. Renting some gear can also be done through REI or borrowing from a from a friend might be an option. If you already have a truck or SUV and are lucky enough to have managed to save up a few thousand dollars for a vacation, consider this. A small pop up trailer can be equivalent to the cost of a short trip or cruise, but you will get years of use out of it.

Finding Camping Spots

One of the great things about camping is that there are so many places to do it. Campgrounds are everywhere, and if you look around, you can probably find several within a few hours driving distance. If you are a member of AAA, just stop in and ask for a camp book and map for your geographic area of interest. These books list pertinent information about selected public and private campgrounds. There are also guides to campgrounds all over the internet, and you will find links to some of my favorite sites below.

State and National Parks

I have been camping all over the United States and have discovered that State and National Parks are, by far, the best places to camp. They usually charge in the neighborhood of $20.00 per night and have the best scenery. They have numerous programs and activities that are fun and free. One thing to keep in mind is that there is some variation as to the number of amenities offered, especially in California. Some of these campgrounds have stores, shower, and laundry facilities while others may have nothing more than a pit toilet, spigot, and fire ring. The trade off is that the more rugged camping is frequently cheaper and located in some of the more beautiful spots. There are also some county park systems that have campgrounds. There are two very good websites that list most of the public campgrounds around the country. Go to Reserve America for both State and National Parks or Recreation.gov for National Parks. You can also make reservations using these sites if the campground takes them. Reserve America charges an additional reservation fee. Recreation.gov does not. Some campgrounds only have first come, first served policies. If you plan to camp in California and your campground takes reservations, I would recommend doing so because they can get full quickly. This is also true of the more popular campgrounds such as Yellowstone in other parts of the country. Finding a camp site in Yosemite is almost in possible unless you book it several months in advance.

Forest Campgrounds

National Forest or State Forest Campgrounds are another option. They are typically even less expensive per night, anywhere from free to about $10. They are often located in beautiful and wild settings. However, they are typically of the more rugged variety. They usually have only pit toilets and may or may not have a water source. They rarely accept reservations. Forest camping lists information about all the campgrounds operated by the U.S. Forest Service. Look up the individual state to find state forest campgrounds.

Private Campgrounds and RV Parks

There are also many beautiful private campgrounds to be found. Typically the have more amenities available. Sometimes they are more oriented toward RV campers but plenty of them also have spaces for tent campers. KOA is one example of this type or campground and these are widely available. Go Camping America is also a good site for finding private campgrounds. While I have stayed in some beautiful private campgrounds, I usually don't recommend RV parks even if you have an RV. I have only stayed at them in a pinch. I don't think they deliver a very good camping experience and they usually cost two to four times more than a public campground. There are some that are not bad though if you don't mind the parking lot style camping experience. I like this little site called RV Park Hunter because it includes a lot of pictures.

Dry Camping

If you are really adventurous, on a very tight budget, or both of these, you can try dry camping. Dry camping or boondocking refers to camping that has no facility at all. Either you hike into the wilderness and pitch a tent or stop off the side of the road someplace and set up camp. For this you have to have your own water and dig a hole to deposit your unmentionables. Obviously, there is no nightly fee for this, but I don't recommend it unless you know what you are doing. Also, you have to be careful that you are not camping on private land or public land that prohibits dry camping. There are many spots in forests where it is legal to do this. See boondocking.org for some advice on free camping spots.

Camping as a Base

You don't necessarily have to think of camping as your primary activity. Let's say you want to visit a given location, but you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a hotel. A campground is a great alternative as a place to sleep. It can get a little tricky finding nice campgrounds close to some points of interest, so you might need to do a little research. It is best to do this in the summertime, but winter is also an option if you live in a warmer climate and you don't mind a little overnight chill. Also, as I learned on a trip across the U.S., it is best to carry a weather band radio with you and be aware that in some places you might need to get a last minute hotel room if you want to avoid being carried off by a tornado.

If you have any questions about camping, feel free to ask. I have camped numerous times in many types of locations and conditions. Also, this post is specifically about camping and not backpacking. Backpacking can also make a great money saving vacation, but it is an entirely different type of camping that I have not done in a very long time.

Affordable Family Vacation Ideas: Staying Home

One thing that often gets postponed or cancelled altogether when times are tight is the family vacation. Plane tickets, gasoline, restaurants, hotels.....all of these things can be quite expensive and can quickly add up to a vacation costing several hundred if not thousands of dollars. With careful planning you can cut the cost of a vacation substantially.

Staying Home is the first in a series of posts that presents a few ideas and tools to assist in planning a fun vacation that fits your budget. Subsequent posts will discuss such topics as camping, hotels, air travel, and vacation packages. Please keep in mind that the posts pertain primarily to travel within the U.S. There may also be a special emphasis on places in California since they are the most familiar to me. I will try to embed links wherever I have found a website that is helpful for a particular topic.

Staying Home

When kids get out of school for the summer they call that summer vacation whether or not they go on a family trip. It is a vacation because they are not in school, and they now have free time. You do not have to leave home to take a vacation, especially if you are on a very tight budget. You can stay home but do things you don't typically do. Here is a list of just some activities and outings you might be able to do while staying local. They range from free or almost free to moderate in price depending on the size of your family.

Picnic/ Sports at the Local Park
Find a park that you like and bring food from home. You can have a quick picnic for a small family or make it an all day event for a larger group by having a potluck or barbeque. Organize a basketball, soccer, baseball or volleyball game depending on the equipment you can bring or the facilities at your park.

Cost: Free (other than food or sports equipment if you need to buy it)


Hiking
You can take a simple walk around your neighborhood, but you might be surprised at the number of hiking trails that are within a short driving distance of where you live. Gorp is a good place to start for all kinds of information related to hiking. LocalHikes is another site that lists local hiking opportunities near several metropolitan areas.

Cost: Free (with the possible exception of traveling to a hiking spot)


Biking
Choose a destination such as a park, movie theatre, or library and take a bike trek there. For a longer bike ride contact your local Parks and Recreation Office to find out where the nearest bike trails begin. Try Gorp:Biking for a great regional list of biking trails.

Cost: Free (with the possible exception of traveling to a biking spot)

Nature Center
Nature centers usually combine a small museum or collection of animals with a variety of outdoor activities. Some have special educational programs designed for families or school groups. Check out this list of nature centers across the U.S.

Cost: Nominal (usually a few dollars per person or a small parking fee)


Recreation Area or Lake
These are typically areas that allow swimming, boating, fishing, recreational vehicles, and a variety of other activities. Recreation.gov gives a complete listing by state or type of activity.

Cost: Nominal (typically a few dollars for parking)


Zoos
A lot of cities maintain zoos. Most of us are aware of the large, famous zoos, but many cities also maintain smaller ones. USA Zoos is a fairly comprehensive annotated listing of zoos across the U.S.

Cost: About $8-10 admission for smaller zoos. Between $15-$25 for larger ones.


Museums
If you look hard enough, you can find a museum housing just about any kind of artifact you can think of. Science, history, art, trains, miniatures, cars.....the list goes on. There is even a museum in Los Angeles that spoofs museums called The Museum of Jurassic Technology. Here is a fairly diverse list of museums by state that includes links to individual museum websites.

Cost: Varies (A lot of small museums are free. Some cost up to $15 or $20 for admission)


Movie Theatre or Drive-in movie
Always go to a matinee (usually the first two or three shows of the day) for the best value. You probably already know where the movie theaters in your area are, but if not, you can check your telephone directory. Here is a list of theater chains in the U.S, but don't forget about your small, independent theaters. Drive-in theaters are not as prevalent as they once were, but if you can find one, they are great for an old fashioned theater experience. Drive-in theater lists several that are still operating and includes phone numbers.

Cost: Varies (Typically $6-9 for an adult matinee ticket and somewhat less for a child's) Drive-in theater prices might be somewhat less or charge by the car.


Local Pool or Water Park
The best place to check for the pubic pool or water park nearest you is your Parks and Recreation Department. In this case I am not referring to the big "Raging Waters" style water parks. Many cities have nice, small water parks with slides and fountains that charge very reasonable admission.

Cost: Varies (About $5-7 per person for a few hours)


Professional/ Local Sports Game
A trip to the baseball stadium or basketball arena can be quite a fun outing. It can also get expensive, especially if you have several in your family, so you might want to plan in advance. You also might want to consider attending a minor league game. The tickets can be considerably less expensive. The easiest way to get tickets is to search Google for your particular sports team. They all have websites through which you can purchase tickets. Keep your eye out for discount tickets. Sometimes grocery stores will sell these. Food inside sports stadiums is typically quite expensive. Consider eating before or after the game or limiting your purchase to a small snack.

Cost: Varies greatly ($7-$500 dollars per seat depending on where you sit)


Amusement Park
This is one of the more expensive options, but there are ways to considerably lower the cost and get more value out of your visit. If you leave within a reasonable driving distance from a large amusement park, you can buy a season pass and visit the park several times in a year. You may also be able to buy a parking pass that is good for the entire year. Amusement park season passes frequently come with other benefits such as discounts on merchandise and food as well as a few coupons or free passes for friends.

Another great way to reduce the cost of your visit is to bring food from home. Food inside a park is often a poor value. You can end up paying a lot for a small quantity or for food that is not very tasty. Most parks do not allow outside food other than water, but you can leave a cooler in your car and return to it in the middle of the day. Be sure to get your hand stamped so that you can return to the park after lunch. Another option is to buy one of the refillable drink cups or ice cream bowls that are offered by some parks. The refills can be used on multiple visits, cost considerably less and can save you some money even when you factor in the cost of the cup. If you want to eat dinner at a restaurant, consider leaving the park to do so. You are sure to have better choices and receive better value.

Another way to reduce the cost of a trip to an amusement park is to avoid buying souvenirs. Pictures are the best souvenirs. Most of what is sold in gift shops is expensive junk. Consider avoiding the shop altogether. If you want to buy your child a souvenir, give them a small budget, and stick to it. Another option is to steer them toward something useful such as a shirt or hat. Look for clearance items. They will get more value and memories out of something they can wear in the future.

Themeparkcity.com lists links to a wide variety of large and small theme parks by state.

Cost: Varies greatly by park. At least $35 for a single ticket. Season passes range from $50 to $400 depending on the park. With some parks you can save substantially by buying the season pass early.


Local Festival or Fair
Artichokes, Garlic, Salmon, The Wild West, Strawberries. These are just a few of the themes of festivals that occur annually in my local area. High schools, chambers of commerce, local governments, and other groups may all sponsor festivals for the community as fundraisers. While holiday festivals are very common, local celebrations can be found at any time of year. They might involve contests, art and crafts, music, rides, or any number of fun activities for the family.

County fairs are also good, old-fashioned way to treat the family to some fun. Renaissance and other fairs with historical themes can be found in many locales.

Check your local newspaper for these events. Many grocery stores also offer free magazines that include a schedule of all of the nearby, upcoming festivals. Festivals.com allows you to browse events by location and date. Check out renfaire.com for a list of Renaissance faires by state. Be aware that this site is not up to date but is worth browsing for the links it provides.

Cost: Varies depending on the festival. Many festivals charge no admission and charge various prices for food or activities. Typical costs for those that charge admission range between $5 and $15. Admission for county fairs is usually about $5-$9 depending on the size of the venue. Larger theme fairs can cost as much as
$30 or $40 per person. Many offer multiple day passes.


Frisbee Golf
If you have never played frisbee golf, you must try it at least once. This was a game I played a lot as a child and is quite fun. It is basically the game of golf using frisbees as golf clubs and metal baskets as holes. There are frisbee golf courses scattered throughout the country, and many are located in scenic areas. There is even a professional association for those with a serious interest in the sport. Go to PDGA for a complete directory of frisbee golf courses.

Cost: Free (a few dollars for a frisbee) at the vast majority of courses. There are a few courses located on private resorts that might charge a membership fee.


Local Library Program
Call or visit your nearest library to find out what programs are available. Libraries regularly offer story times, game nights, arts and crafts, music, movies, and various other programs that are of interest to their patrons. Publiclibraries.com is a very nice website with comprehensive listing of libraries and their websites by state. While you are at the library, browsing the shelves and checking out books can be an additional activity for the entire family.

Cost: Free for most programs. Occasionally, there is a nominal fee for certain programs or workshops.


Beach
Obviously this works best if you live near an ocean, but many cities that are inland also have rivers and lakes with sand beaches. You can spend an entire day picnicking, swimming, playing volleyball or frisbee, creating sand art, and biking or roller skating if the beach has a bike path. Colder, rocky beaches are great for examining tide pools, hiking, and climbing. I have not found a good list of public beaches. If you know of one, please let me know, so I can add a link.

Cost: Free for public beaches (often a nominal fee for parking)


Miniature Golf / Entertainment Center
Most cities are near at least one family fun center that offer a variety of activities. Bowling, arcade games, miniature golf, pool or billiards, and laser tag are just a few of the options that might be available. There are so many different things to do at these places that a visit to one can get quite expensive. One way to reduce cost is to limit yourself to one or two activities. Another way is to go at the right time. Many entertainment centers offer specials certain days or hours of the week. Discounts can be as much as half the regular rate during these times. Some centers also offer the same kind of season passes sold by amusement parks. The best way to find family fun centers near you is to look in the yellow pages under "Amusement Parks" or "Bowling." I have yet to find a great web directory for these.

Cost: Varies depending on the activity and whether you take advantage of a special discount day. Some rough estimates of regular, peak hour prices are $8.00 per person for miniature golf, $5-8 per person per game, and $5-7 per person per game plus $3.00 for shoe rental.


Historical Site
If you are lucky enough to live near an area that has a rich historical background and has preserved much of it's past, you will have many choices of places to visit. However, you might be surprised to find that even small cities and many newer suburbs have monuments to what came before. Become familiar with your local history, and find out what there is to see. A good place to start is your public library. You might also want to take a look at this list of National Historic landmarks.

Cost: Varies by place but usually the fee is free or no more than $5 per person.


Roller or Ice Skating
Skating is fun and a great way to get exercise. If you already have roller skates, you can simply skate on the street, bike path or at the beach, but there are also plenty of great indoor rinks for roller and ice skating where you can rent skates. Many of them have extra games and activities as part of the skating session. Admission to skating rinks is relatively modest compared to that of many types of amusement parks or centers. Most rinks also have special discounts and offer coupons in local newspapers and magazines. Rinktime.com has a fairly complete list of roller and ice rinks around the country.

Cost: $6-$10 per person depending on the time of day plus $2.00 for skate rental.


A few other considerations when planning a stay-at-home vacation

* Plan your vacation just as you would if you were going away. Instead of deciding that a particular activity is too expensive, decide what you would like to do and then see if there is a way to afford it. Look carefully at discounts and ways to reduce costs.

* Remember that transportation is part of the package. If you are on a very tight budget, you may want to plan activities that are very close to home. Think about the possibility of walking, riding your bike, or taking public transportation to a given location.

* You don't necessarily have to go anywhere. You can always stay at home on some days, and still plan fun activities. If you do this though, consider disconnecting from the rest of the world for the duration of your vacation. Unplug your phone. Turn off your computer and television or limit their use. You will have a more enriching experience if you take a break from the things that are part of your usual routine.

Family Fun

It is no secret that we are in a serious economic downturn. Families in neighborhoods across the country have been affected by the downward spiral that we are now told officially began in December of 2007. Some of the worst cases scenarios involve families who have lost their jobs, their homes, or who have become buried so deep in credit card debt that they have been forced into bankruptcy. Even if you are someone who is faring a little better, chances are you have been affected in some way. Maybe you have been told you are not going to get that yearly raise you have come to depend on. Perhaps you are unable to secure a loan to replace that car that has become unreliable as of late. Whatever your individual circumstances are practically everyone has been forced to do some serious belt tightening.

So if you are struggling to make ends meet most months, that means that all those little extras have been thrown completely out the window, right? For the foreseeable future there will be no more trips to the amusement park, no new video games for the kids, and those regular trips to Chili’s have become a thing of the past. Essentially all of the things you used to do for fun and entertainment have come to a screeching halt.

If any of this sounds familiar to you, there is something important that you need to know right now. Just because you have to cut costs doesn’t mean you need to stop having fun. Fun and leisure pursuits are probably more important now than ever because they help to relieve stress. Having fun is what keeps us all sane. Maybe you can’t go on those big family vacations or go out to the entertainment center very frequently anymore, but there are still ways to create fun experiences for the whole family. Here is one idea for each day of the week. Some of them work best in summer

Family Game Night
It’s time to dig out all of those dusty old board games that have been sitting in the closet for years. Remember how much fun you used to have with old classics like Monopoly, Life, and Twister? Do you need a new game or two? Keep your eye out for sales. It is not uncommon to find board games for $15.00 or less while the average video game will usually run you three times that amount with less interaction between players. Games sold at yard sales may only cost you a couple of dollars. The same is true with a standard pack of cards, and simply typing the words “Card Games” into a search engine will bring up enough games that you could play a different one each day of the year.

Family Movie Night
This is another classic idea that can be quite inexpensive, especially if you have a large family. If you have a DVD player, you can turn your movie watching into a night of fun and relaxation. If you already have a subscription to Netflix or one of the other rental outlets that deliver by mail, you are already on your way. If not, a subscription that allows you to have 4 movies at a time will run you about $25.00 per month. If you want fewer movies, it will cost even less. Return a movie and they send you a new one from your list of selections. Many grocery stores also have movie rental kiosks where you can rent movies for $1.00.

Another option is to buy a DVD. The growing popularity or the Blue-ray player has caused regular DVD’s to plummet significantly in price. Target, Best-Buy and other big box stores sell these for $7-$20 each. Add some popcorn and drinks, turn off the lights, and a family of four can have a delightful movie watching experience for $5-25 dollars. Compare this to going out to a movie. You’ll pay double or triple that amount by the time you buy your tickets and snacks. You might have to wait a little longer for those new releases, but it will be well worth it.

Family Reading Night
The advancement of computers, cell phones, ipods, and the daily arrival of new technology is not a reason to abandon that tried and true, old source of knowledge and entertainment. All you need is a library card. Find a book you think the whole family will enjoy. Gather around the fire if it is winter or perhaps on the back porch in the summertime. Choose the most expressive reader, or take turns reading the story. A variation is to have everyone read their own book and then talk about what they read. Even the most reluctant readers will probably enjoy this when it is made into a family activity, and it might even help school performance.

Community Events
Fun community events are everywhere if you look for them. Most of them take place on the weekends, but many can also be found on weekday evenings, especially during the summer months. The cost of admission to these events can arrange anywhere from nothing to a few dollars. Libraries are a great place to find such activities. Call your local parks and recreation department to see if they have a publication listing upcoming events. Look in the supermarket for free family fun guides that list the dates and locations of a variety of activities. Private businesses such as grocery stores and bookstores sometimes hold community events as well. Look for these in the local newspaper or on bulletin boards.

Bike Ride or Walk
If your have bicycles, plan an excursion around your community. If not, go for a hike. Think about places that interest you, and choose several of those spots to visit. Parks, wildlife preserves, bike paths and even an unexplored neighborhood can all be interesting places to ride a bike or take a stroll. You can go for a short trip or pack a lunch in a backpack and make a day of it. This activity might best be left for the spring and summer, but even in the colder months you can enjoy it by bundling up. You might even discover some new places you didn’t know about before.

Volunteer
In our current economy there are a lot of people who are desperately in need. The new administration is calling on citizens to serve. Why not help to expand the volunteer effort by turning it into a fun family activity. Sign up to help clean your neighborhood park or creek. Help with special events at your school or church. Enter a walk-a-thon that makes contributions to your favorite charity. It might sound like extra work, but it can be a fun and rewarding experience if you involve the whole family. Besides, it’s a great opportunity to teach the kids an important lesson about citizenship. Another good place to look for opportunities is your local community center.

Backyard Campout
Why not set up a tent and go camping in your own yard, or just get those sleeping bags and lay them out under the stars? Grab some hot dogs and marshmallows, pull out the barbeque, and have a campfire. Play card games, throw a Frisbee, or have a sack race. Tell the kids some scary stories, or sing camp songs. Think of things that you would do if you were camping away from home. It might not be the same experience you would have camping out in the woods, but it works great for a night’s entertainment.