Poors-tell me about your fun and low budget summer vacations

[Anonymous]

We've done long weekend trips to Bethany beach after Labor Day and used VRBO and Sea Colony for a fraction of the cost of summer rentals. Also, after 8/23, NC schools are back in session so the rentals are a lot cheaper that week and most of the kids in the D.C. area are still out so we've gotten some better deals after 8/23. Also, stay 2 or 3 rows off the ocean and you'll save a ton of $$.

We've also been to some of the WV ski resorts in the off season for dirt cheap. There's hiking, swimming, lake activities, etc. We did Snowshoe, WV last year and rented a 2 BR condo for less than $100/nt and we had a blast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait - was the original title of this thread that everyone is so offended by?

The thread title hasn't changed, I guess people were offended by "poors".

[Anonymous]

My fiancé and I usually go on vacation with two other couples and rent a 3 bedroom condo or house. We've done Ocean City, and this year South Carolina. They're both driveable distances (though SC is at the upper limit of driveable!) and we book through either cbvacations.com for OC and HomeAway for SC. Splitting the cost of a house keeps it under $400 per person (actually under $300 this year) and then we try to save a total of $1000 for meals, cabs, and groceries to take with us from now until vacation time. The $1000 has always been more than enough--we come home with some left over--but I like to have a comfortable amount. It definitely helps if you have another couple or two you wouldn't mind traveling with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's what we do: staycation but hire a nanny for part of the week. That way DH also get time to ourselves while the nanny takes the kids to fun events. Best thing ever!!

A vacation should be with your kids. That sounds pretty selfish.

Oh, spare me, martyr.

[Anonymous]

With the economy tanking in Atlantic City, I would suggest finding an expensive hotel, maybe around Egg Harbor, near the mall. If you have little kids, go to https://storybookland.com/ and then go to the beach (I can't remember if you have to pay to park in AC if you park at one of the casinos). And there are a few free things or low cost to do on the boardwalk.

While I think camping can be cheap, you still have to buy the stuff to camp with so I'd suggest doing a cabin at a KOA campground, like the one in Harper's Ferry. There are activities at the campground plus you could tube or raft the rapids and do picnics at Harper's Ferry. You could do something similar at Hershey.

[Anonymous]

I am a poor and most of the suggestions on this post are outside my poor person budget of $500 for a couple of days.

Staycations - once you have exhausted the free museums which if you live in this area long term you will do in a couple of vacation periods - everything else is expensive.
Examples:
*go to a trampoline place and then get lunch - $75 (admission for one kid and adult, then lunch)

*local amusement park - very easy to spend $200 for tickets, food and gas for just 2 people.

So when you are poor, doing a staycation has to mean basically doing the free stuff you do all the time anyway because you are poor and already know where and how to do free stuff so your kids aren't that into it anymore after the first few times.

Camping - camping is not cheap. Most camp grounds that you want to stay at have minimums and if you don't actually have the camping equipment that's an issue as well. So let's say you borrow a tent, stay at a camp ground for $30 a night, then you need food, there is always a few extras that you need to pick up. So it can easily creep upwards to $300 for a few nights, it takes a lot of work on the adults part so no relaxing and in the end the kids do get somewhat bored as do the adults. Cabin camping is just as expensive as a lower end hotel these days.

So what does work?

Picking a drive-able destination and staying for one night and picking one activity or place to visit.

going to the beach for just 2 nights, picking a lower end hotel with a pool so we get a break from the ocean and going on the off weeks at the beginning or end of the season, buying desserts only instead of eating out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a poor and most of the suggestions on this post are outside my poor person budget of $500 for a couple of days.

Staycations - once you have exhausted the free museums which if you live in this area long term you will do in a couple of vacation periods - everything else is expensive.
Examples:
*go to a trampoline place and then get lunch - $75 (admission for one kid and adult, then lunch)

*local amusement park - very easy to spend $200 for tickets, food and gas for just 2 people.

So when you are poor, doing a staycation has to mean basically doing the free stuff you do all the time anyway because you are poor and already know where and how to do free stuff so your kids aren't that into it anymore after the first few times.

Camping - camping is not cheap. Most camp grounds that you want to stay at have minimums and if you don't actually have the camping equipment that's an issue as well. So let's say you borrow a tent, stay at a camp ground for $30 a night, then you need food, there is always a few extras that you need to pick up. So it can easily creep upwards to $300 for a few nights, it takes a lot of work on the adults part so no relaxing and in the end the kids do get somewhat bored as do the adults. Cabin camping is just as expensive as a lower end hotel these days.

So what does work?

Picking a drive-able destination and staying for one night and picking one activity or place to visit.

going to the beach for just 2 nights, picking a lower end hotel with a pool so we get a break from the ocean and going on the off weeks at the beginning or end of the season, buying desserts only instead of eating out

These reasons above are why for most of America their vacation is spent visiting family and then going to a movie, visiting parks, swimming together. Also, a lot of middle class people and below spend their vacation days on kids' sick days etc, so don't always have a whole week off, or they are hourly, so being away means not getting paid.

[Anonymous]

We did DW when kids were little. We've also stayed at a friend's place when friend was away. And more recently, we stayed in a cabin in a state park and then drove to the city nearby and stayed at a Hilton with points. It was awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm actually poor. We don't go on vacation. I think OP must have meant "where do lower middle class/blue collar workers go for vacation?" Real poor people just don't.

Not true. Camping is cheap. You can get inexpensive hotel rooms and explore a nice area for very cheap - pack food, even a bottle of wine to bring along.

You can ride the metro in to visit the museums in DC.

Just try to put a little away each month and plan for it.

WTF? Go back to your bubble, clueless.
There are a lot of people in this world who can't even take time off.

[Anonymous]

Leach off of relatives.

[Anonymous]

If you're really poor, you can pitch a borrowed tent in your backyard, and tell your kids to pretend they're on an expedition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're really poor, you can pitch a borrowed tent in your backyard, and tell your kids to pretend they're on an expedition.

The travel will all be in your mind, imaginary. And free!

[Anonymous]

Poconos can be inexpensive. If you're amenable to driving, North Conway / white mountains in NH or old orchard beach in Maine.

[Anonymous]

Parks with cabins or a lodge in west Virginia. Ocean city after labor day, look for hotel deals. If you can travel after school starts either here, at your desired location, or both, prices go down. Berkeley springs. West va,is a cute little town. Kids can play in the springs, you can get a,less expensive no frills massage at the park, and sometimes the nearby hotel has deals, or try the lodge at the local state park.

[Anonymous]

Day trips that don't involve a hotel. Pack a picnic if you want to cut costs. Think: amusement parks, beaches, lakes, mountains, etc.

Inexpensive overnights are possible if you stay outside of the city or destination (i.e.: don't stay at the Hershey lodge; stay at the courtyard Marriott closer to Harrisburg (20 mins away)).

For bigger trips, look for air and hotel packages. I found a 4 night trip to London (air and hotel plus free breakfast) for $900pp.

Lastly, cruises can be quite affordable and give you a lot of bang for your buck since meals are included.