Family of 5 here. Florida is ridiculously expensive. We've been focusing on cities we can drive to - Philly, NY, etc.

We're also a family of 5 and also feeling the high cost of travel.

The last 2 spring breaks, we've gone to Florida. I've been able to buy 2 of our 5 flights on points to offset the cost using my SW credit card points. We stay in an AirBnb or rent someone's timeshare on a timeshare exchange site and just go to Disney or another theme park for 1 day during the trip.

We've also gone to Philadelphia and Richmond/Williamsburg for past spring breaks. Both were fun and didn't break the bank. We're going to New York city this year for 3 days and then spending the remaining 2 days of the week doing fun things here.

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I rarely travel due to the cost - we have three kids and even to go to Florida for spring break flights and lodging are expensive. Anyone recommend a fun spring break place that is family friendly for families on a budget? Is anyone else feeling the high cost of travel and vacations etc?

Check out Bandera, it’s in the Hill Country outside of Austin and they have some fun dude ranches

Hi OP! We have 4 kids and had a very limited travel budget when they were young.

I agree with the poster that said camping at national parks.
We had excellent experiences at Mammoth Cave, the Everglades, and Acadia.
If you don't already have the "America the Beautiful" pass, it's a great deal-an $80 annual pass to all the national parks. Also, if one of your kids is in 4th grade, they have a program for every 4th grader (and family) to receive a pass each year. https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/every-kid-outdoors-program-provides-fourth-grade-students-with-free-entrance-to-public-lands.htm

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williamsburg
Philly
Va beach
Richmond
Baltimore
Basically places you can drive to

I banned VA Beach from my destinations. Why? People smoke pot all along the beach and the boardwalk. If you care about your kids and yourself, avoid these places.

We always get an Airbnb in North Virginia Beach and weed smells and crowds are absolutely not issues. Aside from the beach, we’ve liked the state parks and the aquarium. You could potentially pop out to Williamsburg or Jamestown.

Also, if any of your kids are 4th graders you can get the national park pass.

For us, investing in some decent camping gear has really paid off in saving us money on travel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williamsburg
Philly
Va beach
Richmond
Baltimore
Basically places you can drive to

I banned VA Beach from my destinations. Why? People smoke pot all along the beach and the boardwalk. If you care about your kids and yourself, avoid these places.

If you live in DC, that's your reality already, so, not really a reason to avoid Virginia Beach.

I’m not OP, and disagree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williamsburg
Philly
Va beach
Richmond
Baltimore
Basically places you can drive to

I banned VA Beach from my destinations. Why? People smoke pot all along the beach and the boardwalk. If you care about your kids and yourself, avoid these places.

If you live in DC, that's your reality already, so, not really a reason to avoid Virginia Beach.

I know— I was going to tell her that her list of banned places must be pretty long.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Williamsburg
Philly
Va beach
Richmond
Baltimore
Basically places you can drive to

I banned VA Beach from my destinations. Why? People smoke pot all along the beach and the boardwalk. If you care about your kids and yourself, avoid these places.

If you live in DC, that's your reality already, so, not really a reason to avoid Virginia Beach.

Do a National Parks vacation and camp. Cook all your own food, wherever you go.

And, yes, if you're on a budget, don't fly.

Go North (or West to the mountains) in the summer and drive south in the winter. If you live in the DMV it doesn't take long to get to a place where the weather is more pleasant.

Anonymous wrote:Williamsburg
Philly
Va beach
Richmond
Baltimore
Basically places you can drive to

I banned VA Beach from my destinations. Why? People smoke pot all along the beach and the boardwalk. If you care about your kids and yourself, avoid these places.

You can also drive lots of places. Vermont might be colder but there's the Ben & Jerry's factory, Burlington, and even just driving up to Montreal for a day of night to get a really different experience. Usually if you find like a Residence Inn just outside of town it'll be cheaper with plenty of space.

Williamsburg
Philly
Va beach
Richmond
Baltimore
Basically places you can drive to

Anonymous wrote:Focus on where you can drive. That will reduce the cost. We liked cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Nashville ……. Get a hotel that has “free” breakfast and a mini kitchen and you can do a few meals there. Eating out for lunch is cheaper than dinner and you can do sandwiches for dinners.

My family visited Nashville a few years back. We used the hop on hop off bus. Also did same for New Orleans.
I am originally from Pittsburgh. There are fun things to do there as well. Look for free and low cost things that your kids may like at each city. Kids don't factor cost into their enjoyment of anything.

Seeing the outsides of things is cheap. Fo example, in Chicago, people really like the large mirrored sculpture nicknamed "The Bean". Completely free to see it. In NYC, you can get a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry and see Manhattan from the water and the Statue of Liberty from afar. Gateway Arch in St. Louis is free to walk around (costs $ to ride around).

A lot of places have free photo ops. At Wall Drug in Wall, SD you can take your picture on a Jackalope. I remember someplace in Wyoming having a fiberglass bucking mustang setup that you can sit on

National Park passes are a good deal and Ranger talks and programs are excellent and free.

Kitchenettes and mini-fridges are helpful. I like to buy cereal and bananas and have breakfast in the hotel room.

If your family is good/safe with bikes, you might look for cities that have rental bikes and plan a route.

Focus on where you can drive. That will reduce the cost. We liked cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Nashville ……. Get a hotel that has “free” breakfast and a mini kitchen and you can do a few meals there. Eating out for lunch is cheaper than dinner and you can do sandwiches for dinners.

My husband and I rarely travel due to the cost - we have three kids and even to go to Florida for spring break flights and lodging are expensive. Anyone recommend a fun spring break place that is family friendly for families on a budget? Is anyone else feeling the high cost of travel and vacations etc?