Raising four kids is expensive. We did take some trips while the kids were growing up, like Disney, Six Flags, camping trips and such, but we also planned mini-vacations in leaner times. We would go out to the lake and and spend the entire day swimming, playing, etc. We'd bring food from home and cook on the grill. We'd go home at night but return the next day, so it was almost as good as a weekend getaway. I have many fond and fun memories of those times, and even though sometimes we couldn't really "go on vacation" it was still a fun and relaxing time. Have you ever tried things like this?
Yes, in fact our family preferred trips like this, where we went camping, hiking, fishing etc. over vacations, since we could do things in our own time and we could enjoy greater privacy. It's actually more fulfilling then being herded around on a tour bus in my opinion.
I am a huge fan of the great 'stay' cation. When my oldest daughter was a baby and we lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, we would find killer deals on time share rentals for a night or two and have a blast. One of our favorites had two pools, including a salt water pool and water slides. There were hammocks in the shade and little man made caves that had really nice Jacuzzi's in them. The time shares were actually pretty inexpensive when the owners are not in town. They have all the amenities of home like full kitchens and I was able to get them for $30-$60 per night.
We often go mountain hiking or trekking. It is fun and inexpensive as we only need some food and water to last until the end of the day. For an inexpensive vacation, we just go to the other cities close to where we live. The longest that we stayed was 3 days. It was fun since we were on our own and it was our first time to be in that city. We mainly relied on a map and GPS to get through the city. It was like an adventure but thankfully we made it home safe and sound.
That sounds fantastic, Kjones. I bet you had some great times. Those are the kinds of deals I love to get. A "stay-cation," I like that. May, that is a great idea as well. My husband and I used to spend our "date nights" (or date days.. whenever we could get some time together) exploring nearby surroundings. He'd say, "Let's go out and get lost." It was really a lot of fun, and we found some cool places and things that we didn't even know were around. Once, we just pulled over and went hiking. We found a little waterfall, which was really neat. We probably would never be able to find it again, but it's a nice memory.
I think the concept of vacation has become somewhat distorted over the years with the media trying to inject into our brains that a holiday must involve a stay in a hotel in some exotic place. I have long learnt to have holidays all year round. I go almost every weekend on a day and sometimes overnight trip to the mountains or the beach. Either we go by bike with our tents, or we share a car and drive to some National Park. I feel really balanced and happy, staying healthy and relaxed without spending much money at all.
I am also a big fan of the time share deals. Sometimes you can get some really good deals on them. Many cities also have free museums and exhibits to see. Sometimes I like to drive to a nearby city and visit some of the free exhibits. We also enjoy packing a lunch and going to a nearby beach to spend the day. When my husband and I were dating we would sometimes pack a lunch, grab the portable DVD player and spend the day in a park watching movies.
Las Vegas is always offering cheap plane tickets and hotel rooms because they anticipate that you will blow a bunch of money gambling. If you refrain from gambling, you can have a blast on a budget. They have hotel room deals for as low as $20 a night and there are tons of buffets for a great price all over the Las Vegas strip. If you have never been there, walking up and down the strip is an adventure in itself.
I believe that is kind of vacations are great fun. I totally love them i feel that these vacations should be spent more often so that the family can have a great time together. The memories of these vacations to not go away so easily and spending a quality time with your family is one of the most important things that can be achieved through these vacations.
