How to Plan Cheap, Amazing, and Affordable Family Vacations

Planning affordable family vacations is tough! One of the best parts of parenting is planning memorable family vacations. There are so many wonderful places to visit and the learning opportunities of exploring places near and far is unmatched.

However, travel costs can be immense. How can you make sure your kids have the magic of travel as a big part of their lives, while also not sacrificing your bank account? 

I’m here for you! I am a master of planning affordable family vacations. I know exactly how to find family vacation trips that don’t break the bank. Here, I’m sharing my tips, in an easy step-by-step guide. Read on for my tried-and-true steps for planning affordable nearby road trips, week-long trips across the country, long weekend jumps to Europe, and more. 

Here’s how I start: I pop on to my favorite airline site, drop in the airport(s) I want to, or am willing to, depart out of. I usually have identified a block of time we can travel, but not always. Then, I enter random cities or countries that we’d be interested in visiting. When I find that right price point, I know I’ve found the destination of our next vacation!

Part of the adventure is being flexible about where we end up. My requirements are: going somewhere new, giving my kids a new experience, and having fun as a family (cheaply!). We can do that in most places.

Here’s my hottest tip: Look at the airlines you don’t normally use. Some airlines often offer reduced fares for kids, especially in off seasons. One year we ended up in Denmark in March because Scandinavian Airlines was running a “kids fly free” promotion. Denmark wasn’t on my list, but off we went!

Now, notice I didn’t say, “Buy the tickets.” That step actually comes later. Trust me.

Not flying? No problem. Skip the airfare search, and jump right to looking for hotels…

Step 2: Book an (Affordable) Hotel or Rental

You’ve priced out flights and you’re ready to make that purchase because the price is right, as Drew Carey would say. But don’t buy those tickets just yet! My number one rule when traveling is we must know where we will sleep every single night. I’m not a hostel-staying college kid anymore, I’m a mom.

This step is the only step where I never wing it. One year, I was all set to buy tickets to London only to discover I couldn’t find an affordable hotel anywhere near the city. We went to Phoenix instead. You do not want to be stuck with airline tickets and no hotel. If you travel to Phoenix, be sure to check out the Mommy Poppins guide to things to do in Phoenix with kids; it’s written by a local parent and has loads of inside tips!

Factors besides cost that I consider when booking a hotel or house rental include:

• Is there enough space for my family? My kids are teens now so we need more beds and often more rooms. Some hotels have family suites, especially in other countries. Be sure to fully check out the hotel before snagging the cheapest price.
• Do they have a restaurant or provide a free breakfast? I do not like having to find someplace to get breakfast every morning, especially if we are experiencing a time change. It also can be quite pricey. 
• Is the hotel located near public transportation or can we walk to things we want to do? You want to make sure you aren’t wasting valuable time trying to get around to do the things you want, or that you have to spend money on a car.

Step 3: Buy Cheap Airfare

Once the hotel is booked, now you buy the airline tickets. Half of your trip is now planned! 

When you buy your tickets, be sure to see if you can select your seats at the time of purchase. Some airlines charge for this privilege, others don’t. If the airline does charge, don’t simply accept that and pay the fee. Call the airline: often, a customer service representative can override the fee. This is especially important if your kids are younger or anyone is a nervous traveler and can’t sit alone.

Also, for flights that offer meals, you can request kid-friendly meals ahead of time. This saves time and money, as you won’t land with hangry kids who need a pricey airport snack the minute you land.

 

Visit the OG LEGOLAND in Denmark!

Step 4: Plan the Family Vacation (Loosely)

I’m a big believer in keeping our days pretty loose when traveling. First, this keeps the cost low because you haven’t invested in tickets. Second, and more importantly, I don’t want to miss out on something we discover when we get there. Wandering a new city is half the fun.

Usually, I select a handful of things we should do, and maybe plan one thing per day or just one thing on the first day. Each night, my husband (and the kids), will discuss what we want to do the next day. A great way to learn about the best things to do in cities in the US and abroad is in Mommy Poppins Travel Guides. We have parents who have traveled pretty much everywhere and have amazing insights and tips only parents would think of.

My biggest recommendation if you’re traveling where there is a time change, especially if you fly overnight, is to book a ticket on a city tour for your first day. These can be on a bus, a boat, a trolley, etc. Your family gets to check out some sites, no one is forced to walk a lot, and if someone falls asleep, it’s not a big deal.

However, if you are traveling during the tourist season for your destination, you do need to book tickets to anything you really don’t want to miss. Want to know how I learned this? We went to Paris one February. I didn’t realize it was the Lunar New Year holiday, which meant that large groups of Chinese tourists were in Paris. There were no tickets left for any of the major sites. Big parent fail: I took my kids to Paris and they couldn’t go up the Eiffel Tower. 

RELATED: 50 Fun Things To Do in Paris with Kids

A British Virgin Islands getaway under sunny skies? It can be an affordable family vacation!

Step 5: Be Open to Off-The-Beaten-Path Places

What I’ve learned in parenting is that kids are resilient, and they can handle trips that might demand a little more from them. Consider traveling to places that are a little outside your comfort zone. I promise you won’t be disappointed. And here’s the other benefit—these aren’t crowded destinations and can be cheaper to visit. 

Your kids also learn about a new culture, visit an unusual place, and learn what they are capable of.

Not all destinations have to be international. Look in your own state, region, or the whole United States. Every place has something magical to discover and explore, and taking a chance on something outside the norm might just be the best memory family vacation you ever take.

 

Hop a train in Dublin to see all of Ireland. Trains make seeing more places affordable.

Step 6: Go Crazy and Don’t Stay In One Place

I could write another entire post on the benefits of expanding the geographic borders of your trip. Pick two cities and look at what’s between them that you might be interested in seeing. Drive, or take a train, and stop along the way. This way you can see lots of things in one trip!

One January, we started in Las Vegas with the intention of driving to Phoenix over four days. We had plans to stop in Zion National Park and Grand Canyon National Park. (Side Note: We went off-season so it was empty, with easy access to all the best views and trails, and hotels were cheap!) 

Just after pulling out of Las Vegas, we saw a sign that said “Valley of Fire State Park.” It was a little out of the way, but that name called to us. Hands down, it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. My kids were little and that was much cooler to them than the Grand Canyon (which my daughter called a boring, giant hole).

In areas with great train systems, like Europe, you can fly into one city, which will serve as your base. And then look at local train stops and nearby cities that you can visit. In Europe, you can be in another city and country in just a couple of hours.

RELATED: 50 Awesome Things To Do in Vegas with Kids

 

Paris in the offseason is just as beautiful, and far less expensive.

Final Thoughts for Planning an Affordable Family Vacation:

There are some other things you can do that will make trips even easier and more enjoyable for everyone. It’s vacation after all.

• Invite your kids to suggest destinations or activities to do. Having some responsibility for the trip helps them feel like they have some control.
• Look at school breaks; those extra long weekends for professional development days fall in off-season for many places, and allow for cheaper travel.
• Always make sure your kids know your phone number and where you are staying. When traveling internationally, make a copy of their passport and write on the back of it: your phone number, the number of an emergency contact, and the place you’re staying. I used to tuck these in my kids’ pockets and told them if they ever got separated from us to hand it to any adult. 
• If you travel internationally, register your trip with the State Department’s Smart Traveler Program. If any thing happens in-country, the local US Embassy will be aware that your family is in the country; you’ll be signed up for any alerts coming from the US Embassy; and, if you need assistance, your information is already registered. 
• Sign up for Global Entry. Many credit cards will cover the cost of registration. Global Entry is good for five years, kids are eligible, and you also get TSA Pre-Check. There is nothing more daunting than getting off of a long overseas flight and seeing the crazy immigration line. Global Entry helps you bypass the large crowds when returning to the United States. Also, in other countries, travelers with minors frequently have the option to use a family security line as well as a family immigration line. Even if you can’t speak the language, keep your eyes open for these lines.

Bon voyage! Have a wonderful and affordable family adventure.

All photos by the author, Jennifer Swope