About 162.07 million people made up the U.S. civilian labor force in 2018, yet the majority of these workers left a significant portion of their vacation days unused. If you’re reluctant to take a family trip due to money concerns, you can find ways to cut back on the costs of a vacation. Here are eight tips for saving money on your next family adventure.

1. Select Your Destination with Care

When you’re trying to decide where you’ll travel, remember that some destinations cost far more than others. For instance, instead of setting your heart on visiting a large city, consider booking a hotel in a less-expensive suburb that’s under an hour away by car. A trip to another state or even another country could save you money, even with airfare factored in, as compared to a visit to a popular amusement park resort. In any city, avoiding the major tourist draws may cut your costs dramatically, since places and events designed to attract tourists typically inflate prices on basic expenses such as food and admission. Be sure to conduct thorough research and take your time in comparing the prices of different destinations on your list.

2. Consider a Road Trip

Total sales for new cars and trucks exceeded $1 trillion in 2017. If you’re one of the many Americans with a new vehicle, you can use this asset to save money on a family vacation. Driving instead of flying can cut your travel costs by as much as half. Get a good map of the U.S. and think about how far you can comfortably drive. If you can get family or friends to put your family up for a night or two, you can save on a hotel and extend the length of your trip.

3. Time Your Vacation Wisely

If possible, try to book flights when airports are less busy, like the middle of the week or early in the morning. If you’re buying plane tickets online, use the flexible travel date search feature, which allows you to look at prices for a range of days before and after your target departure and return dates. Be sure to research the busy season associated with your destination and time your trip to coincide with slower months in order to save. While it might be more convenient to travel during holiday breaks, your family may be able to save a lot of money by scheduling your vacation during other times of the year.

4. Find Low-Cost and Free Activities

Even big cities offer free attractions if you’re willing to put in the effort to find them. Look at the tourism website for your destination, which will probably offer a long list of free (or almost free) family-friendly activities. Many parks and museums have free or low-cost admission days, and just strolling through colorful neighborhoods can be entertaining. Find out if the city you’re traveling to offers passes that will let you into a number of different attractions for one flat rate. And of course, with cities by the water, there’s always the option of going to the beach, a fun and free activity enjoyed by almost 60 million Americans in 2010.

5. Look for Travel Deals

Search for ways to save online by visiting websites such as Priceline or using apps like HotelTonight. Sign up with your email address for alerts from a particular hotel or from travel planning websites so that you’ll know immediately when deals become available. If you buy plane tickets online, you’re likely to save money on admission to your destination’s attractions. When you’re booking lodging, choose the least expensive room that will accommodate your family in the nicest hotel that’s within your budget. You might even find news of lower prices by checking out posts from hotels on social media. Don’t forget to sign up for flight alerts, which will send you a notification when airfare drops.

6. Consider Renting or Sharing a House

The increasing popularity of online housing rentals is a boon for vacationing families. It can be a challenge to share hotel rooms with children, so it’s nice to have an entire house to spread out in. Visit sites like Airbnb or homeaway.com to see how much more space you can get for the same amount you’d spend on a hotel. Larger families can save significantly by renting a house instead of booking several rooms in a hotel. You’ll also cut costs by having a full kitchen available to prepare food, as opposed to eating in restaurants at every meal. What’s more, you’ll have a free place to park. Just make sure to do your due diligence and avoid obvious scams.

You can save even more money by renting a house with friends or family. The price per family is typically less if the rental house is shared, so you could end up spending even less than you’d pay for a hotel. If you rent a house with another family, your kids will have other kids to spend time with and they’ll likely have a more enjoyable experience.

7. Sign Up for Tours or All-Inclusive Packages

For some tourists, planning a family vacation can be stressful and time-consuming, so booking a tour is an attractive alternative. Choose a family-friendly company, like Intrepid Travel or Trafalgar, and they’ll take the planning from there. You and your family can enjoy a package that covers lodging, transportation, a number of meals, and a tour led by a seasoned guide. You may very well spend less on a guided tour than you would if you paid for each feature separately.

8. Go to the Grocery Store

You can use online mapping tools to choose a hotel near a sizable supermarket or health food store. Here, you can eat for less than you would spend in a restaurant and pick up emergency snacks for the kids. Large grocery stores typically offer salad bars and buffets with hot entrees with enough variety to please everyone in your family. Another plus is that dining with help from a grocery store will probably be much quicker than waiting to be served in a restaurant, leaving more time for sightseeing. If you have access to a kitchen, you’ll be able to spend quality time together and save money by cooking at your home base. That’ll leave funds left over for other fun activities!

A family vacation is a great way to create lasting memories and enjoy each other’s company away from the stresses of everyday life. By planning ahead, searching for price deals, and being creative with lodging and amenities, you can book a relaxing, fun-filled trip without breaking the bank.

The holidays are almost here, and you know what that means – it’s time to plan your winter and holiday vacations. With so many destinations to choose from, it can be hard to pick just one. Once you do have one in mind, you might not know what activities you want to fit into your vacation. One area you should definitely put on your vacation destination list for this holiday season is Denver, Colorado – here are just a few reasons why and what you should do while you’re there.

Holiday Shopping Spree

Have you been putting off your holiday gift shopping for the season? Luckily, Denver has plenty of stores big and small you can shop til you drop in. Look for all your new favorite fashions to start out the next decade in one of the many malls or small boutiques across the city. Just be ready to race against the holiday crowds, especially if you’re trying to purchase some new wardrobe essentials for 2020. The global clothing and textile industry is currently worth an estimated $2.560 trillion, meaning you might have to work through some crowded malls.

Adventure Away From The Cold

Not a fan of the cold weather that Denver gets during the winter season? There are still plenty of adventurous activity options available for you and your family. Check out one of the many escape rooms Denver has to offer while you’re traveling, especially if the weather outdoors doesn’t cooperate with your other plans. Make sure you bring a few extra friends or family members – in order for all parts of an escape room to be utilized, you should bring a group of four to eight people. It’s just one more way to include as many people as possible in your travel plans!

Festive Nightlife

To really make the most of what the city has to offer, you have to experience some of Denver’s thriving nightlife. The entire state of Colorado is known for its high-quality beer and breweries; after all, there are over 180 breweries and brewpubs throughout the state of Colorado. However, the epicenter of Colorado’s brewing is in Denver. If you’re traveling with friends this holiday season, make sure you save time for a bar crawl so you can check out all the festive events going on in the city.

Delicious Seasonal Treats

Don’t forget to include meals when you’re planning your daily travel activities this holiday season. There are countless restaurants and dining experiences waiting for you in Denver, from fun and casual to high-end class. Save room for dessert as well – with the holiday season in full swing, plenty of places will be offering seasonal desserts and other treats that are sure to get you in the spirit of the season. If you need a last-minute stocking stuffer for someone on your list, maybe pick up some festive chocolates. After all, 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate are consumed in America each year, which is over 11 pounds per person; your gift is sure to be a hit.

With all the options for travel destinations this holiday season, one of the places that absolutely has to be on your list is Denver. This town has plenty to see and do, especially during the winter holiday season. What activities are you including on your to-do list to get you in the holiday spirit?

Traveling is a lot of fun and can help relieve all kinds of stress. Not only is going somewhere new fun and exciting, it can actually boost your professional productivity. In fact, professional services from Ernst & Young conducted an internal study of its employees and found that for each additional 10 hours of vacation time employees took, their year-end performance ratings improved 8%.

Though traveling is a lot of fun, no matter where you’re going, it can be quite stressful — especially if you have pets. While there are roughly 9,000 boarding kennels in the U.S. and Canada, many pet parents choose to bring their furry friends along for the trip.

According to Forbes Magazine, 92% of pet owners spent the same or more on their pets during the most recent recession period. When traveling with a dog or pet, you have to budget for all the same expenses as everyone else on top of the costs tied to pet care and travel.

Pet owners could choose to just leave their pets at home during their trip, sure, but opting for a kennel or a sitter can be just as — if not more — expensive. Let’s take a look at the extra expenses pet owners need to budget for while vacationing or traveling:

• Pet-friendly airlines — It’s imperative that you find an airline that allows pets to ride in the cabin, even if they have to stay in a carrier under the seat — it’s better than running around the airport in a panic not knowing what to do. Some airlines can charge around $100 for pet travel.
• Hotel surcharges — Before booking your hotel room, make sure to ask if there is a pet surcharge. Most places will likely accommodate your furry friend, but not every hotel will accept pets. It’s best to budget an extra few bucks for possible pet surcharges.
• Pet beach fees — If you’re vacationing at a beach destination, some time playing in the sand can be a lot of fun for the whole family. It’s important to note, however, there are some beaches across the country that charge non-refundable pet fees upon admittance.

Whether you’re traveling to Florida for a week at the beach, going on a business trip, or even moving across the country, you need to carefully plan for extra pet-related expenses. Statistics show that Fridays are the busiest days in the moving industry, with 19.45% of moves occurring on Fridays in 2016. If your pet doesn’t handle busy airports or large crowds very well, you might want to opt for a different day to book your flight.

If you’re traveling by car, there are a few important things to keep in mind to ensure a fun and stress-free trip for all — including your dog or cat:

• Keep your pet in the back seat of the car to avoid injuries. If your pet is in the passenger seat and the airbag deploys, it could cause serious damage.
• Make sure you’re stopping frequently to allow your pet to go to the bathroom, stretch, and get a little exercise in.
• Don’t ever leave your pet inside the car alone. Even during quick pit stops, either make sure someone stays in the car with your pet or let them get out with you.

Above all, it’s important to not stress out too much and have fun during your trip. As long as you’re properly budgeting and planning things carefully, your trip, whether it’s for business, leisure, or relocation, will be a success. Enjoy!

Charleston is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States. The city attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and for good reason; with mild temperatures, endless coastlines, and more than 300 years of history, Charles Town offers a little something for everybody.

That fact is a boon for families with different tastes; it can be hard to meet the needs and interests of mom, dad, and a gaggle of kids, yet Charleston, SC, manages to get the job done. Let’s take a look at three unforgettable family activities you can do on your trip down south.

A Tour Through Time

Charleston was founded in 1670, an entire century before the U.S. was officially established. Its ideal location on the coast allowed it to prosper in those early years, and it ended up playing a crucial role in the Civil War. As a result, the whole city is attached to a little piece of history; whether you want to take a ghost tour through the Old Jail, a horse carriage ride through the historic district, or just marvel at the classic architecture, you’ll have plenty of options. If you’re looking for timeless beauty, check out the region’s stunning plantations; you may be used to metal barns and modern agricultural metal buildings, but you’ll find only original structures when you walk the grounds of Middleton Place or Boone Hall Plantation.

Explore Your Wild Side

For those looking for something a little more active, you can step outside the bounds of the city and hop on the back of an ATV. The state of South Carolina boasts a wide variety of stunning natural terrain; you can explore mountainous roads, swamplands, coastal regions, and a multitude of wooded areas — nearly any environment you can imagine is available as on an off-road course. And due to the fact that the demand for sport ATVs was around 180,000 units in 2016, there will be no shortage of vehicles!

Walking In The Wilderness

Although the city of Charleston is charming in its own right, not everyone wants to spend their entire trip within its walls. If you’re looking to find a balance between the bustle of downtown and the adrenaline rush of off-roading in an ATV, there are plenty of gorgeous hiking trails close by: for example, I’on Swamp Trail, located in the Francis Marion National Forest, is an easy two-mile loop that promises views of alligators and a multitude of migrating songbirds. The Audubon Swamp Garden kills two birds with one stone; this 60-acre swampland is located on Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, allowing you to sees a bit of history and a bit of nature all at once. Considering the fact that only one in three adults receive the recommended amount of physical activity each week, making time in your vacation for a hike (or leisurely walk) is well worth it.

Planning a family vacation that satisfies everyone’s interests can be difficult, but Charleston makes the job a piece of cake! When you visit this beautiful and historic city, you’ll find that no one wants to come home.

Road trips are becoming more and more popular, especially in the summer months. And they’re expected to only become more popular with a PwC forecast showing that about 107 million vehicles will be produced in 2020. If you’re planning on taking a road trip with your family this summer, you need to plan ahead. Traveling of any kind can be expensive so we’ve compiled a few simple tips to help you save some money on your summer road trip! Here’s 3 easy ways to save money on your summer road trip:

Get your Car Tuned

Unexpected breakdowns and repairs are a common road trip expense. Fortunately, this can be avoided by taking your vehicle in for a tune-up before your trip. While you will be spending some money at the shop, it’s worth it in the long run. Rotating your tires at least every 6,000 miles can help prevent uneven wear and damage, which can result in blowouts. A quick oil change and checking of fluid levels can make a big difference in the performance of your vehicle, which can ultimately allow you to use less gas and spend less money overall. And taking your car in to be looked at by a mechanic can also give you peace of mind — with motor vehicle accidents accounting for 52% of personal injury cases, you want to ensure your car is in good working condition.

Bring Food With You

When you’re on the road, it’s really convenient to just pull off at a rest stop and buy food — there’s a reason why there are so many restaurants and fast food places near the highways. And while it may be convenient, spending money on food can quickly get out of hand. So instead of eating out for every meal, bring some food with you from the start. Pack snacks like chips, pretzels, granola bars, and trail mix that you can put in containers to bring along. And as for drinks, put a case of water bottles in the trunk or bring a reusable water bottle that you can fill up at rest stops. Packing food and drinks ahead of time will help you save money on the trip.

Choose Reasonable Accommodations

Road trips often involve crashing at a hotel or other accomodations along the way. But if you rent a hotel room every time, you may end up spending a lot of money just on that. So consider alternative accommodations. Depending on where you’re headed, camping could be a great option. All you have to do is pay a small fee for the campsite and bring your own tent. This is a great option if you want to stay somewhere for a few days. Additionally, you can consider renting an Airbnb or even staying with family or friends along the way. When you have multiple people, it can be difficult to find reasonable accommodations but there are certainly several options you can explore.

Planning a road trip takes a lot of effort, especially when you’re trying to save money. But keep these simple tips in mind to make sure you’re staying under your summer road trip budget.

As many as 37% of families say that vacations make them happy, making a vacation together the activity that makes families most happy. While many families have fully set up their ideal vacations from packing to travel to itinerary, not everyone is quite so well-organized. If your kids have been pestering you about your vacation plans and you’ve realized you’ve been procrastinating on them, here are a few unique and creative vacation ideas you can use to pull off a trip at the last-minute.

Check Out Local Natural Attractions

Every area across the country, whether you’re in the middle of the desert or up in the mountains, has their own local natural landmark. They might not be nationally known – Cumberland Caverns is the second longest cave in Tennessee, for example. Do some research to find a local landmark near you that you and your family can take some time to go explore. This can be a great option for more adventurous families looking to immerse themselves in nature without traveling too far from home.

Wonderful Time On The Water

Nothing says “summer” quite like a fun and relaxing trip to the beach to make the most of the sunny, warm weather. Nearly 60 million people in The United States visited beaches in 2010 according to the US Census Bureau, meaning this is a fairly popular option for summer fun. While this might not necessarily be the easiest option everywhere in the country, you don’t have to be along the coast to enjoy some time out on the water. Look for local lakes you can bring your family too for some fun boating, swimming, and other fun water-based activities. If you’re looking for a longer trip, feel free to drive or fly out to one of the more popular beaches in the nation, but be prepared to face the crowds.

Try Out Adventurous Accommodations

Most people associate vacation times with expensive hotels that offer more or less the same experience no matter where you’re staying for your trip. However, with the rise of the internet, more people have been able to offer unique (and often affordable) accommodations for your travel needs. Sites like AirBnB have been offering a wider variety of places to stay, including options from apartments, to cottages, even to tiny homes constructed of recycled shipping containers. Most shipping containers are 8 feet wide, 9.5 feet tall, and either 20 or 40 feet long, meaning they’re actually fairly decently sized for a temporary stay. Don’t limit yourself to standard travel options when looking for lodging; a bit of creativity can completely change the tone of your trip.

A Weekend In The Big City

In many areas across the country, there’s a good chance you’re within driving distance of a major metropolitan area. Whether you’re closer to New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, or any of the many other urban hubs across the United States, there’s sure to be something that you and your family will enjoy. Cities offer enough activities and options for every member of the family where even if you put off planning out your days, you’ll still be able to find something to do throughout your trip.

Whether you’re looking to plan a short weekend trip or a week-long vacation for the entire family, there are plenty of options that you’ll be able to book, even at the last minute. What vacation options can you see yourself booking for you and your family’s next trip?

From St. Paul to St. Louis with Kids!

My kids have had a ton of adventures while growing up here in the Twin Cities – so many adventures that they’ve hardly noticed they had actually never been outside of Minnesota and Wisconsin!

I had been to many states growing up, but there are actually many I have not been to myself right here in the midwest. So this summer we decided to take a family road trip to a place we had all never been to before: St. Louis, Missouri!

Why did we choose St. Louis? For a few reasons:

1) Its metro area is similar in size to the Twin Cities: 2.8 million vs. 3.3 million.

2) It’s rich in history – especially the Gateway Arch, of course, which was built as the “gateway to the west” as it is located near the beginning of the famous Lewis & Clark Expedition (1804 – 1806).

3) And there are some super unique family attractions to visit, many of which are FREE!

Plus, driving to St. Louis from the Twin Cities meant we could be traveling through a total of 5 states (yay, more my kids could say they could see!).

We could just go directly south to Missouri through Iowa, but I decided to take a more interesting route. What we did was we made it a 5-day trip with a stop overnight in the Wisconsin Dells on the way there, and a stop in Iowa on the way back. Both ways were about the same distance, and overall, it worked out very well.

And fortunately there was an opportunity to visit St. Louis with some fellow bloggers this summer and explore some NEW attractions opening up this year, so we scheduled our trip for that weekend and I will tell you, I don’t know who was more excited, my kids or me!

To Drive or to Fly?

Recreational vehicles (known more commonly by their acronym RV) are incredibly popular in the United States; it’s estimated that there are as many as 30 million RV enthusiasts, including RV renters, in this country. That number makes sense when you consider the vast expanse of America — with 3.797 million square miles to explore by land, there is nowhere you can’t go in your RV.

As a result, RVs are a boon for families large and small; they increase bonding time while saving a remarkable amount of money on hotels and flights. However, if you’re planning on packing up the kids and hitting the road in a motorhome of your own, you shouldn’t just simply pick the first one you find. Let’s take a look at the three most important features your RV should possess.

Size Matters

Size is extremely important when it comes to family RVs. Though your family members may not face physical issues with space (which can be a problem for the 11.6 million people who use canes, walkers, and crutches), you’ll definitely have to deal with emotions running high; the tighter the quarters, the more likely you are to end up stepping on each other’s toes. To avoid this issue, bring the whole gang when you’re checking out your options. Though your kids may push for models with the latest technology and biggest televisions, you simply need to pay attention to how everybody navigates within the vehicle. If you’ve got enough room to move around without getting bursting someone’s personal space bubble, you’ve found a winner.

Unique (And Hidden!) Storage

Every inch of space on an RV matters. When you’re hauling a family of four (or more), you need to capitalize on that space and ensure you have enough storage options to store food, games, and everybody’s personal items. As a result, you’re going to want to choose a vehicle that offers storage in every little nook and cranny. Pullout pantries can make a big difference here as it expands the capacity of your dry goods storage. When you’re examining various RV models, pop up the seat cushions and open every cupboard to see if there’s a sneaky yet effective way to maximize your onboard space.

Internet

If you’re traveling with teenagers and kids on the cusp of teenagehood, Wi-Fi is an absolute must. Although your trips will be mostly focused around family interaction and fun, everybody needs their break; if your children don’t have access to the Internet, the family fun can transform into a family feud. Mobile devices are estimated to account for more than 63% of total Internet traffic by 2021, meaning your kids (and potentially you) are most likely already hooked on their phones and the multitude of things they can do for them. By ensuring your RV is Wi-Fi enabled or has cellular data, you can keep everyone happy during those much-needed breaks.

RVs can provide endless fun, entertainment, and vacation opportunities for families all across the nation. As long as you buy or rent the right one, you’ll be spending your summers happily cruising to America’s greatest sights and cities.