The idea of Vacation is a relatively new one.  According to Cindy Aron in her book “Working at Play”[1], it wasn’t until the mid-1800’s when vacation became a middle-class activity.  Prior to that, vacations, holidays, or “taking the air” was purely an elite activity and focused more on health than on recreation.

Vacations have become mainstream in our age, but the costs can still prohibit many families from traveling.  Indeed, upscale vacation spots can run upwards of $20K for a week.  More conservatively, the experts at VacationKids estimate that family travel would cost ~5-10% of your annual income[2].  And American Express estimated in 2014 that a family of four spends roughly $4,500[3] on a vacation.

Does this mean that most people can’t travel in style?  Nah…we just have to be a bit more thoughtful, strategic, and creative to find those unique opportunities.

First and foremost, set a budget before you plan your travel.  Look over your personal finances and decide how much you are willing to spend.  From this, determine where you want to go and work out how many days of travel you can afford.

At Travelsprouts, we use a budget calculator tool like the one to the right. As you can see, you want to think about the range of costs, including getting to your destination, enjoying activities at your destination, and managing your home while you are gone.  If you are driving to your destination, remember to account for the days on the road.  Email me and I will send you a copy of our Budget Calculator.

As you’re thinking through cost specifics, consider the following suggestions on ways to travel well, without breaking the bank:

Destinations:

• Choose your cities strategically:  Many resources help identify great, less expensive destinations.  US News published a helpful listing of the 2018 Best Affordable Destinations in the USA (they also have international listings).  Published rates for 4- and 5-star hotels can run $500-900 in cities like New York and San Francisco.  Similar hotels will cost around $200-300 in places like Alexandria, VA and Portland, OR.

• Consider US national parks and historical gems:  Often people associate national parks with camping, but that’s not the case.  Places like Yosemite National Park have beautiful resorts with ready access to the park.  Check out places like The Majestic Yosemite Hotel, which runs specials based on the time of year.  Similarly, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, and others will leave an impression on your little ones, inspire you and won’t cost a fortune.

Similarly, there are some fun historical centers off the beaten path, which means that you can get great rates on hotels and lodging.  Consider, for instance, the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon, or California’s Highway 49 in the gold rush country.

• Be thoughtful about choosing international trips:  Consider the value of the dollar vs. local currency.  For example, while Western Europe is easier for US travelers from a language and culture perspective, the US Dollar is among the weakest there.  Also, while far-flung destinations may seem fun, remember that often the farther you go, the higher the costs; and if you cross multiple time zones, you and your kids will need downtime to adjust.  Consider destinations like Montenegro and Croatia which have deep history and multiple opportunities for outdoor adventure.  Thailand is a feast for the eyes and the soul – and some of the less visited islands offer an affordable wonderland.  Closer to home, Mexico is a good option.  It is fairly easy to get to from the US, the US Dollar is strong there, and Mexico has many family-friendly options.

 

Transportation:

• Plan airfare far in advance:  Not surprisingly, domestic flights are often less expensive, ranging $200-600 per ticket for economy seating depending on the season.  International destinations range from $800-1,500 per ticket for economy.  That said, you may want to splurge for business class if you fly overseas depending on distance (sleeping upright on a 10-hour flight will make day 1 of your trip a bummer).

We all know that booking airfare early reduces cost.  But just how early?  Researchers at CheapAir.com published its 2018 Airfare Study which reviewed 917 million airfares across 8,000 markets.  They found that the ideal time to buy your ticket is 70 days in advance of your trip – later and, paradoxically, earlier than this will likely cost more.  CheapAir.com also frequently publishes ideal booking windows for main holidays so it’s worth doing your research.

• Car travel can be a viable option:  For many families, driving is more affordable than air travel.  The price for an average 3-day, 1,200 mile road trip will run you ~$200 in gas costs, plus tolls and wear-and-tear on your car.  You also have to add in costs of lodging and food along the way – OutdoorBluePrint.com has a great Road Trip Cost Calculator for reference.  However, if you make the road trip part of your vacation (and can stand being in the car that long!) it is a wonderful way to see the countryside.

 

Hotels and resorts:

• Try a 3- or 4-star hotel:  It is nice to spend a little extra so that the vacation feels luxurious, relaxing, and easy.  However, you can make a few trade-offs that will save you a ton without compromising too much.  If you choose a 4-star hotel over a 5-star hotel, you’re likely to save 40-50% – the savings are closer to 65% for lower rated lodging.  Often the 3- and 4-star hotels are located very centrally to give you access to activities and events.
• Go off-season:  Many destinations have an off-season when prices that can save you a ton.  A favorite of ours is going to mountain resorts in the summer time.  Places like Park City, Breckenridge, Tahoe, etc. have great summer activities like fishing, hiking, and biking in addition to fun summer festivals and museums.  Plus, you can save 60-80% or more on lodging as well as good savings on airfare and activity costs.
• Consider a vacation rental vs. hotel:  Time.com recently did a Study of 300 US cities comparing hotel rates to AirBNB rates and found that there were many cities (Santa Monica, CA and New York City among them), where booking a vacation rental is a cheaper option.  Beyond the luxury of not making your own bed, deciding which option to choose comes down to your desired location (vacation rentals tend to be in more residential areas, but nearer to some of the better activities) and how long you are going to stay (longer trips are cheaper for a vacation rental).

 

Activities and entertainment:

• Get creative:  There are many fun activities for families outside of the main tourist spots.  Resources like Red Tricycle cover nine main destinations in the US and have calendars with fun family festivals, performances, and museum exhibits.  On a recent trip to Washington DC, I used them to find a children’s theatre performance at Glen Echo Park just outside DC in Maryland.  We were blown away at the quality of the performance and tickets were only $20!
• Check museum reciprocity:  If you have memberships at your local children’s museum, zoo/aquarium, or science museum, flip the card over and look at the back for a network logo.  Many of the larger institutions belong to a network where members can get free or greatly reduce admissions fees to others in the group.  Main reciprocity networks include:
  • ACM (Association of Children’s Museums) – https://findachildrensmuseum.org/reciprocal-network/
  • ASTC (Association of Science-Technology Centers) – http://www.astc.org/passport/
  • AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) – https://www.aza.org/reciprocity
  • NARM (North America Reciprocal Museums) – https://narmassociation.org/
  • ROAM (Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums) – https://sites.google.com/site/roammuseums/home/list-of-roam-museums

• Visit larger theme parks and venues at less popular times:  Even large theme parks have deep discounts if you plan to on value days.  For example, Disneyland value days are 30% lower than peak days and Disney World is 15-20% lower.  Check out their websites for special offers and local resident discounts as well.  Also be sure to buy your tickets for parks and events well in advance if you’re getting from the venue – that said, if you are buying tickets on a resale site (e.g., StubHub), you can often get the best deals within a week of the event.

• Build in free events and activities by researching local festivals and parks:  Remember that you don’t need to have an action-packed, expensive vacation.  You can often find self-guided walking tours of historic districts.  Following the Broadway hit, Hamilton, self-guided (as well as paid) walking tours of New York and Washington DC sprang up.  In the same vein, you can do walking tours in London that follow Harry Potter’s journeys.

You can also find great local festivals around holidays or summer months, such as kite festivals and hot air balloon festivals.  All you need is a blanket and picnic lunch to enjoy.  Small county fairs can be inexpensive or free in some areas.  And don’t overlook local parks, hiking trails, and beaches which often require limited gear and have kid-oriented areas and activities.

So, go and explore with your little ones.  Be present and watch them absorb everything around them – and know that it costs absolutely nothing to make a memory with your child.

Travel well!

-Hanna

P.S. If you have any tips or tricks to share with the community, please leave them below in the comments!

 

[1] Aron, Cindy, Working at Play, Oxford University Press, 1989

[2] Black, Sally, “How Much Does a Family Vacation Cost?” VacationKids.com, July 2013

[3] Phillips, Kelly Erb, “The Real Cost of Summer Vacation: Don’t Get Buried In Taxes”, Forbes, July 2014