I know some people feel that family travel isn’t an option due to limited funds. However, if you plan frugally, you can still enjoy a few days away from home with your loved ones. The trick is to cut corners and save money everywhere you can.
Here are six frugal tips for family travel so you can enjoy time away without breaking the bank.
1. Utilize travel deal websites such as Expedia, Orbitz, or Travelocity etc. These websites can usually give you the best deals on flights, hotels, and rental cars. They also offer information on booking cruises or inclusive resorts. You can set your searches from lowest to highest to compare prices that will work for your family’s budget.
2. Opt for lodging that allows kids to stay free. Yes, there are a lot of hotels that do not charge extra for children under the age of 17. Take advantage of this perk, especially if you have lots of kids going on vacation with you!
3. Browse amenities before making your reservation. Some hotels will offer more benefits for the price of your room, including continental breakfast, free wireless internet, and free parking. Because these fees can quickly add up, the more complementary perks you can get with your hotel, the better. Also, a swimming pool can provide a lot of free entertainment for most kiddos!
4. Check with the visitor’s bureau for exclusive deals and discounts on lodging, restaurants, and attractions. Many cities that thrive on tourism will offer coupons for a few dollars off your meals or entertainment. These booklets may also be found in your hotel, so grab a few and keep them with you every time you leave.
5. Vacation during the off-peak season. You can save $20+ every night when you book a hotel during the off-season. Some attractions may be closed, depending on the weather when you visit, but you can still find things to do in most cities – and what you end up doing may be much cheaper than the high-priced theme parks anyways.
6. Get accommodations that offer a kitchen so you can prepare your own food a few days. Breakfasts can always be eaten before going out for the day. A couple of quick and easy dinners planned throughout the vacation may lighten the load on your wallet as well. Snacks and beverages should always be brought, to avoid paying more at an attraction.
Traveling with a family can be pricey, but it does not have to be.
How do you save money on family travel?
Great tips! I'm a big fan of priceline. We've gotten rooms in 4-5 star hotels for really affordable prices. ~$50. It cost less than going to a hostal!
I like getting a place that has a kitchen since I eat a special diet. Sometimes when we go out to a restaurant, they can't make my food like I want it.
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Excellent information….but what about pets?
Travel deal websites are awesome. I booked our recent trip to California on Expedia and we ended up saving a bundle. It was actually the 3rd vacation we booked on there.
Travel websites are the only way we book travel anymore. We save a ton that way. These are all great travel tips though!! – alice chase
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Wait a minute…. Hotels charge for children? I must be getting lucky! I love these tips! Great list.
The off-peak season travel is the best idea to avoid crowds and save time in line-ups especially for popular tourist attractions.
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We love vacationing during the off season. Not only are hotels cheaper, it's less crowded and a lot of the attractions are cheaper too!
These are great tips! My grandma and grandpa do a condo rental program and if we go off season its usually like $30 to rent a condo instead of over $100!
We do all 6 of those tips! Plus we also bring a lot of snacks with us. We often make sure the hotel has at least a mini fridge and microwave; so we can do our own snacks, microwave popcorn and cereals and drinks to cut down how much we have to go out to eat.
Great tips! It's sometimes pricey to travel even as a couple – I wonder how some large families afford it! This explains some of that, thank you!
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I always look for vacation spots that allow the kids to stay for free. This saves us a lot of money.
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I love all the tips except for the room with a kitchen – I love that part of a vacation not having to cook and getting to try new foods.
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Taking vacations is very necessary for our overall well being and getting away is even better than stay cations. We should all budget for travel, and with these tips we can definitely do it without breaking the bank
I wasn't aware that sometimes kids are free. I have four children, so on our next vacation, I will definitely making sure we stay at a hotel that offers free stays for children.
I pack lots of snacks too. It saves a lot of money and trip to concession. That can drive you to the poor house if you loose control.
#3, #3, #3, #3. Best tip ever. Too many people lose focus and get hit with huge parking fees at some hotels. So many offer continental breakfast also and not just a pile of donuts, either. Research is key! Great tips!
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We do our abroad traveling on Spring Break (usually). It is off season, no crowds, and we get a more genuine feel for the place we're visiting. I like your tips!
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I love vacationing during off-peak. Prices are lower and if you are going to theme parks, lines are virtually non-existent.
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These are all great tips, especially traveling off-season if you can. Not only do you save money, but the attractions are less crowded.
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These are all great tips. I really appreciate all of these. I am looking to take my boys on a summer vacation shortly. All great things.
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I loved these tips! Traveling is something I wanna do more of & this will help 🙂
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I love traveling during the off-peak season. You can save so much money that way!
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I love vacationing during the off-peak season. I am not sure which I like better: the money I save, or less people being there.
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Thanks for sharing this Frugal Tips for Family Travel next month my Family and i decide visit condor hotel in brooklyn and for this visit this tips really useful
Another tip is vacation rentals. You can often rent a nice 2-bedroom condo to rent for a week for the same price as a hotel room, they always have kitchens, and often a 2nd bathroom. This is especially important if you have more than 2 kids, because hotels often limit the # of guests to 4 in a room.
Excellent information,thanks for sharing