OT: Frustrated over vacation options

Connie1

Connie1

Cathlete
I am posting this question here because I am impressed by how everyone here handles most other things.

I wish to create family vacation memories. The problem is, we have one income and three family members. Also, one is in school (12-y-o son) and one works (me).

My husband is a hausmann (house-husband!) so he has noscheduling conflicts.

Our budget is tight and we would rather stay home than camp. We live in California and I would love to see Colorado. John (my DH) grew up there and would be glad to show us around.

Planning it has become a nightmare of fares, rates, and fear on my part. The last time we took a vacation, just John and me, not our son, it cost 5 times as much as we had planned and took 3 years to pay off. (The accommodations with a family member took an abrupt change with a heated discussion over childhood issues-- we ended up staying at Motel 6 for 5 nights. The rates are no longer 6 bucks).

What do families do for fun that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? We'd like to drive to CO and stay over in Utah one night on the way. Then sight-see for a week or so, and drive home. Or, something similar, without missing (too much) school or work, yet not going at peak season and paying peak rates.

Any well-kept secrets, hints for planning, attitude adjustments, etc? Please share.

Connie
 
Why don't you try to be a "tourist in your own town?" My family does this and we have the best time. We live in Florida so it is easy. I have even created a little scrapbook with the title Tourist in Our Own Town. We go out on day trips, about once a month. It could be to the Ponce Inlet light house and the beach, or a beach that is about an hour or two away. We have lunch, ice cream, explore, and take pictures. We have gone for long weekends down to the Florida Keys. We go to our local museums and do touristy stuff right around us.

You live in California, so the possiblities are endless. Memories aren't created from big, fancy, expensive vacations. I am sure there are beautiful beaches, meuseums, and gardens right around you. What about local theater productions or an art festival? Little day trips are great, and you still get to sleep in your own bed at night. Maybe every few years you can go on a big vacation. If your kids are older maybe you could start a vacation fund and all contribute to it.

Have a wonderful time!
Lori
 
Hi, Connie,
We have done VERY cheap and VERY expensive vacations and I will tell you that the amount of money spent does not buy you a more quality family event. It's about everyone having a good attitude and being cheerful. :) Several years ago, we went to Disneyworld on an $800 budget that we raised on 2 garage sales and more recently, we have gone on an $8k budget, treating all the grandparents and staying in the best places. I honestly can say that our cheap trip was just as fun in its own way. We have great memories of them both.
On our ultra-budget trip, we had a mini crock pot in our room to save on food and we got all our snacks at the grocery store, not at restaurants. We went to the parks for only one day and we did free things most of the time.
That said, you could drive somewhere- like to Colorado. Keeping it short would keep the cost down. We are going there in June this year. There are a lot of fun nature-y things to see that cost nothing- waterfalls, rivers, mountains. You could get a lift pass for around $8 for a day at a ski resort like Breckenridge and enjoy the top of the mountain. We have always chosen one splurge (semi-expensive outing, dinner, night at a nicer place, etc.) on a vacation. As for budget ideas, you can research deals on the internet. I like expedia.com for bargain hunting.

Something else that is fun to do on cheap trips is make yourself a little scavenger hunt theme or a collecting theme for the trip or a narrated photo tour. For example; each person has to find and photograph a list of things and sometimes you have to be discreet about your photography. List might have things like- something that reminds me of home, the funniest shoes I've seen on the trip, some kind of animal that I don't normally see. There are all kinds of car games that you can find on the net. Little things like that make the "less exciting cheap diversions" seem more exciting. We make a prize for the winner- something little, of course, but fun.
It's nice to plan and spend a little money and do something special. Learning to enjoy simple things is important, too.
I also like the idea of day trips. We've done that lots of times. Think how many people save up to vacation right where you live?
 
Connie,
You mentioned Motel 6 from your last trip- would a few nights in a Motel 6 work within your budget now?
If not, you might have some things that you could sell on ebay to start a vacation fund. I used to do that. It is a lot of work, but it gets the job done.
I'm in the middle of planning a trip for our group of 18 people going to Colorado and another trip to New Mexico for 12- we have lots of extended family and they always like to go on vacations with us. In fact, we can hardly go anywhere by ourselves b/c other families always join us. I guess we have learned how to have fun.:p I post suggested activities and the price and then I usually research free things to do wherever we are going.
 
Hi Connie,

You might check out Frommer's Budget Travel magazine. It's online at www.frommers.com. They often run some good ideas for traveling on the cheap. There are a lot of other Internet sites out there geared towards cheap travel.

My husband did a hunting trip several years ago where he and his friends stayed at a KOA camp ground and rented a cabin there. I think it was fairly cheap and not much like "roughing it".

If I'm going to a particular tourist spot, I might stay at a motel/hotel/inn that's a little outside of it, but within driving distance, to keep the cost down.

Good luck with your plans!
 
Hi Connie,

I am not sure where abouts in Utah you are thinking of visiting (Salt Lake area, or Southern park area) but I live in Utah and will be willing to check some things out for you, or I may even know already.
Let me know!
There are lots of hiking trails that would be fun and inexpensive and lots of sights to see in Salt Lake that are free.

Beverly
 
I knew you guys would have some top-notch ideas! I'm saving this thread to look at more slowly this weekend.

:)
 
>What do families do for fun that doesn't cost an arm and a
>leg? We'd like to drive to CO and stay over in Utah one night
>on the way. Then sight-see for a week or so, and drive home.
>Or, something similar, without missing (too much) school or
>work, yet not going at peak season and paying peak rates.
>
Just be prepared, it's a LONG drive. Mind you, DH and I went from Northern CA to CO with 4 dogs in the back and were on a deadline to get our Nationals, but I'll never drive that far again myself. If you don't have a time deadline and enjoy driving, it might be nice. It's also a very boring drive tho.

Colleen
 
Does anyone that you know have a time-share and is an RCI member or are they in the military? The reason I ask is that RCI (the timeshare exchange place) and the Military Vacation network both offer these "extra vacations" which are basically weeks that resorts have that that haven't been filled. Now the amazing part is that the weeks are like 249.00 or 299.00 (some more expensive with RCI). If someone ANYONE you know has access they can just buy you a
certificate to use. Being in California you have SO many options for places that you could actually drive to.

Just a thought.



I LOVE THAT YOU HAVE A HOUSE HUSBAND I LITERALLY DREAM OF HAVING ONE EVERYDAY!!
 
Tee hee- yes it's great!
Yes I happen to know some Trendwest owners! They are partnered with RCI if I'm not mistaken. Great suggestion! Thank you!!
 
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