Barb Dearing offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print. Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum. ----------- PUBLICATION GUIDELINES - You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety. - Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity. - Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only. - If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links. - Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to [email protected] - Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article. ----------- Article Title: Planning a Family Vacation On a Budget Author: Barb Dearing Category: Family Word Count: 549 Keywords: Family vacation, family vacation tips, affordable family vacation Author's Email Address: [email protected] Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com ------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------
Are you about to give up on a family vacation this year? Don't! There are many ways you can build treasured vacation memories without breaking the family vacation budget. 1. Start a new vacation tradition. Have your kids memorized each of the parks at Disney? Have they been on enough cruises to captain the ship? Then it's time to break out of your vacation mold and find someplace new. It is also possible to save up to 70% off those popular vacation destinations just by vacationing off the beaten path. You may want to consider Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, which has been called the best amusement park in the world by Amusement World magazine. For the very best value, treat the family to a pass that also includes the Soak City water park, located right next door to Cedar Point. 2. Don't worry, be flexible. If you can find it in your heart to cast away schedules and departure dates, you may find yourself picking up the last-minute bargain of a lifetime. Stay tuned into upcoming travel deals by signing up at Airfarewathcdog.com -- they will send you emails with the best airfares in your area. At Site59.com, you can find extreme last minute deals, with some flights leaving in as little as three hours. Your kids will love the adventure of a last minute trip! 3. Rally the troops for a road trip. If even last-minute airfare is out of reach, it's time to jump in the family mini-van for a summer road trip. But don't be fooled into thinking that a trip cross country in an SUV is going to be affordable. If you really want to pare the budget, stay within a few hours drive of home. This may be the year to attend your State Fair for the first time, and take in a few of the local sights while you're there. 4. Sleep under the stars. It won't do you any good to drive to your vacation destination if you blow the grocery budget on a 3-star hotel. Camping is a very affordable alternative -- it also brings the added bonus of limited electronic access to video games and television for a week. If you haven't camped before and don't want to invest in the equipment, consider sending your entire family to a family camp for the week. You can check online with the American Camp Association to find a list of camps in your budget and location. 5. Enjoy a summer vacation in the fall. OK, so this won't work so well for families with school-aged children, but if your kids are still young enough, you can find plenty of travel bargains after Labor Day. Some amusements parks will offer discounted entrance fees during the week and hotel rates may be as much as 40% less than during peak summer months. You might want to consider a quick fall trip to the Caribbean or Mexico where resort rates are much less expensive in the fall. While it may take a bit of creativity on your part, there is undoubtedly a vacation to fit every family budget. After all, childhood memories don't come with a price tag. It is simply the time spent together as a family that will be remembered. Barb Dearing is an online writer specializing in family topics. She recommends http://www.portablebeachumbrella.com for summer beach fun. ------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
