When you say "spring break," the thing that comes to mind is college students vacationing on tropical beaches. However, spring break is not just a student's right, and there are always other ways to take a vacation other than the beach. Whoever you are, follow some of these tips for cheap fun at the beach, at home or on the road.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Going to the Beach Cheap
Step 1. Find student discounts
For students, services like STA Travel offer discounts on hotels, trains, and flights.
Step 2. Go out with friends
Many airlines and hotels offer discounts if you are traveling with 10 or more people. In addition, if you share a room, your accommodation costs will be cut in half.
Step 3. Go on a weekday
Flights and hotels are cheaper if you go on the weekends.
Step 4. Consider renting a house instead of a hotel
If you're traveling with friends or family, renting a house is usually much cheaper than staying at a hotel, and you can also save on food costs by cooking. Try doing a search on Vrbo.com or Craigslist to find cheap rental homes.
Step 5. If you're staying at a hotel, find a refrigerator and microwave
Meals are one of the biggest expenses when traveling, and bringing leftovers from restaurants and cooking simple meals can greatly save travel costs.
Step 6. Buy a vacation package
Staying in a hotel that provides lodging and meals for one rate can be a cost-effective option, especially in popular locations such as Cancun, Ixtapa, the Bahamas and Jamaica. You can buy vacation packages through most travel sites.
Step 7. Find a beach you can get to by car
Airfare can be the biggest expense of your trip, so take friends or family along for a car ride. In America, many beaches can be visited by car. Here are some beautiful beaches in the US with warm weather, fun activities, cheap accommodation, and affordable food:
- Daytona Beach, Florida. Although the area is best known for NASCAR, Daytona has beautiful beaches and cheap lodging.
- Panama City Beach, Florida. This beach is the eastern end of 112km of white sandy beach, from the Gulf of Mexico to Destin.
- South Padre Island, Texas. Easily accessible from Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio, this beach offers cheap nightlife and beach entertainment.
- Savannah, Georgia. This 18th-century southern US town is the gateway to the cheap islands of Hilton Head, Tybee, Jekyll, and Saint Simons.
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The beach, which is the center of the South Carolina waters along 96 km, offers hundreds of golf courses and various amusement parks, making it perfect for a family vacation.
- San Diego, California. This area has several kilometers of beach, Gaslamp Quarter, Sea World and Fiesta Island Park for children's entertainment. San Diego offers vacations for everyone at affordable prices.
Step 8. Choose a less well-known overseas beach location
Cancun and Jamaica may be cool, but expensive. Therefore, try visiting other less expensive beach areas, such as the following:
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. This less expensive area of Punta Cana offers casinos, lively nightlife and the white sand beaches of Boca Chica and Caribe.
- Puerto Rico. Here, you can visit white sandy beaches, enjoy nightlife, adventure in the jungle, and stop by the remote islands of Vieques and Culebra, at an affordable cost.
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This area, which is a paradise for US expats, is quite affordable, you know.
- Costa Rica. Beaches in Costa Rica are now gaining popularity, so there are areas that are quite expensive. But in the Pacific region, you can still vacation cheaply, as long as you don't visit the tourist center.
Method 2 of 4: Vacation Off the Beach
Step 1. Try skiing
Most ski resorts in Colorado are open until mid-April. For cheaper skiing, try visiting ski resorts in the East Coast area. Generally, resorts in the area offer end-of-season discounts.
Step 2. Visit Florida or Arizona to exercise
Spring isn't complete if you haven't practiced baseball'. Florida and Arizona are warm, and you can watch sports for cheap tickets. Your family vacation will be even more complete.
Step 3. Test your luck in Las Vegas
To enjoy the warm weather, water and nightlife, you don't need to go to the beach. Las Vegas offers spectacular hotels at group rates, pools for sunbathing, and for those of you who are 21 and over, you can gamble at the casino. Everything you can do at lower rates than beach resorts.
Step 4. Go without a specific goal
Take friends or family on a trip in your car. Small and large cities will be interesting to visit by car. You can save money by staying in a cheap motel, or even pitching a tent if your budget is really tight.
Step 5. Take a vacation outdoors
No matter where you live, there are generally easy-to-reach outdoor accommodation locations. For only the cost of renting a tent, stove, purchasing food, and park admission worth a night at a beach resort, you can enjoy a week's vacation.
- Most lodging locations are usually located in large cities, such as New Orleans and Los Angeles.
- Make sure you book a place in advance to be able to stay.
Step 6. Visit a big city
Flights to major US cities are usually quite cheap, or you could try taking the bus to visit the nearest major city. You can also usually stay cheaply in big cities. While you generally won't find beaches, you can find nightlife, museums and sports activities for kids, cinemas and music shows, and more. Try visiting New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, New Orleans, Nashville, and Austin.
Step 7. Volunteer
Volunteering is a good thing, and it lets you walk around. You can build homes for the poor, work in conservation, or help in the medical field. Find volunteer opportunities for the whole family through schools, houses of worship, or the internet.
Method 3 of 4: Living in the City
Step 1. Stay at the hotel
Vacationing doesn't mean you have to go out of town. Stay at a hotel with your friends and explore the city like a tourist.
Step 2. Take your friends to an amusement park
During spring break, amusement parks are usually open longer.
Step 3. Create your own film festival
Bring friends and family, then pick a few movies to watch at home. Don't forget to provide popcorn!
Step 4. Enjoy an outdoor vacation with friends and family, for example by visiting a nearby beach, mountains, lake, or taking a walk in the spring weather
Step 5. Go for a walk all day
Even if you're not going to an exotic location, you can still go out of town. Plan a day out of town, or visit historical sites. On that day, you can do anything.
Step 6. Read a book that is not related to the subject, such as a novel that you have been wanting to read for a long time
Reading a good book is a vacation in itself.
Step 7. Catch up on TV shows
If you really missed watching a certain series because of college matters, now is the time to watch it to your heart's content.
Method 4 of 4: Entertaining Children at Home
Step 1. Register your child for spring classes
Most city museums have art classes in the spring. Community centers also often offer classes for things outside of school, such as scrapbooking, leather art, traditional fairy tales, genealogy, to golf for beginners.
Step 2. Start the puzzle
Putting together a puzzle of 500 to 1000 pieces can be a fun vacation option.
Step 3. Take a vacation in the backyard
With a little creativity, a backyard vacation can be fun for the kids. Try the following activities:
- Camping.
- Play in the water with the spray. Also take out plastic pools and water toys to create a water park.
- Gardening.
- Treasure hunt.
Step 4. Take a vacation in a park or playground around the house
With a little planning, you can make a trip to the park an adventure. Bring bread to feed the ducks, fly a kite, sail a paper boat, build a rocket, or do new things. Kids will love new adventures.
Step 5. Make everyday work an adventure
You may feel lazy to do daily work, but for children, helping to complete the work that is considered "adult" work is fun.
- Let your little one cook, for example making pizza or pastries.
- Invite your child to clean the house. Their jobs may be less effective, but they may enjoy jobs like cleaning carpets or packing and unpacking boxes.
Step 6. Plan a day trip to a pleasant location
The tips in the "Staying in the City" section also work for families. Take the kids outdoors this spring break opportunity.
- Take your kids on vacations outside, such as canoeing and fishing.
- Visit a farm that allows children to touch animals.
- Visit the zoo in your area.
