When spring rolls around it’s tempting to want to get out and make the most of the warmer weather. However, if you don’t want to spend thousands of dollars taking a vacation, it’s important to know the available alternatives. From road trips to gardening, local events, and sports, here is what you need to know before heading out this spring.

Road Trips and Spring Break

We’re all familiar with the stereotypical picture of spring break: beaches, Mai Tais, and bikinis. However, unless you live near the coast, a trip like this can get expensive. To combat this, consider local road trips and weekend getaways that fall closer to home. On average a car will rack up 13,500 miles per year driving along the 2.2 million miles of asphalt paved roads that criss-cross America. Road trips are not only less costly than flying, but they can offer a unique experience that you can’t get any other way.

• Living in the Moment
  When flying you can’t pull over and take in the sights. Likewise, you miss the opportunity to stop at some amazing locations. Driving gives you the freedom to stop at sites that interest you. You can also visit cities and towns that you might have passed up otherwise. Taking a weekend road trip lets you live in the moment and have a spontaneous get-away that few other methods allow.
• Travel How You Want
  Road trips also allow you to skip long security lines and bringing along the things you want. Want to throw a cooler filled with sodas and snacks in the backseat head out? You can do that. You can stop whenever you want, eat at whatever restaurants you like, and blast the music you want along the way. Road trips put the choice back in travelers’ hands without forcing you to empty your bank account.
• Memorable Locations
  While you can always fly to interesting locations, popular locations are often crowded with tourists during the spring and summer months. This can mean that you’ll end up spending more time standing in line than actually enjoying yourself. Road trips allow you to discover alternative sites that are off the beaten track but just as memorable as hot-ticket tourist spots. One of the best parts of road tripping is stopping in new towns and experiencing the local sites and sounds without worrying about time constraints or other visitors.

Road trips are perfect for rolling down the windows and taking in the scenery during the spring. The perfect alternative to a standard spring break vacation, there’s nothing quite like loading up your car and experiencing the magic of the open road.

Spring Activities for the Whole Family

While some kids do well during road trips, those kids are usually few and far between. If you’re looking for spring activities to do with the whole family, staying local is key.

If your child is interested in sports, local sports teams can allow your child to get outside and have fun. Baseball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, and golf offer fun sports activities for a variety of children. They can also help teach them the value of teamwork.

Gardening is another option that can allow the whole family to get engaged outdoors. Planting flowers around your property or starting a vegetable garden can help teach kids practical skills. At the same time, these activities keep them away from indoor videogames and TV. Landscaping can also boost home’s resale value by up to 14%, allowing you to improve your home while improving yourself!

Additional activities can include fishing, hiking, cycling, and camping. All of these give you the chance to enjoy the warmer weather while also staying active and having fun! The exact activities you choose will depend on your location and your unique interests. However, if you’ve never been fishing or camping before it’s worth experiencing at least once. You never know, you may end up falling in love with the activity and becoming an avid camper or fisherman!

Taking Advantage of Free Local Activities

Parks, libraries, museums, and recreation centers can also offer free activity days that you can take advantage of. Even on rainy days, museums and libraries can provide a great way to get out of the house. Most of these locations will offer free days or discounts to locals, allowing you to make the most of the experience without breaking the bank.

If you’re looking for activities to do with kids, free museum days can be both educational and entertaining. This is especially true if you have a children’s museum in your area (which we do!). Likewise, libraries can offer fun games, crafts, and readings to keep kids engaged and entertained. Take a minute to check and see what your events your local area has planned and mark the calendar so that you can take advantage of them this spring.

Local Festivals and Fairs

No matter where you live there is likely to be a festival or fair going on this spring. Whether for music, art, crafts, food, or amusement, fairs and festivals like this can be fun for all ages. A quick search for festivals in your area can uncover a load of possibilities near you. Likewise, you can couple these festivals with a road trip by traveling across the state — or across the country — to experience bigger festivals and fairs. Whether you wish to stay local or drive a longer distance, destinations like this are perfect for ringing in the warmer weather.

If you are looking to make the most of springtime this year — without breaking the bank — keep in mind the advantages of road tripping and staying local. Sometimes the best memories are made a bit closer to home than you’d think.

Discounts

Of course, here in Minnesota, you can save on many fun activities with my Twin Cities Discount Guide for Families!

Twin Cities Discount Guide for Families