Traveling is a great way to spend quality time with your family. Traveling strengthens bonds and brings you closer together, as well as allows you to create shared memories you can cherish for years to come.
But travel can also be very costly, especially when traveling in a big group. Here’s how you can save money while on family vacation:
Plan Ahead
Start planning your trip well in advance so you can take advantage of early bird discounts and offers. Many airlines and establishments offer good deals if you book your flight and accommodations in advance.
Something else you should definitely book in advance is an airport parking space. You can do this with an online service like ParkON. Booking a parking space online and in advance will not only save you money, it can also save you precious time and maybe even your sanity.
Airport parking can be notoriously difficult to find, which leads to a lot of stress and frustration. ParkON makes finding a parking space a breeze, with its easy to navigate website. It offers parking spaces in more than 200 parking lots across the country, all located close to major and important airports.
All their parking lots are safe, secure and well-lit, so you won’t have to worry about leaving your car for an extended period of time.
Choose Non-Hotel Accommodations
Since you will be traveling with family, it might be more economical to rent an apartment or small home on Airbnb instead of booking multiple hotel rooms. You can find plenty of beautiful, comfortable homes at affordable rates on the website or app.
If you plan to spend most of your time sightseeing and eating out, you won’t really need fancy accommodations anyway. As long as you have a clean, comfortable place to clean up in and sleep at the end of the day, you can do away with extra amenities like a gym or pool.
Cook Your Own Food
Cooking your own food when you travel is a great way to taste the local produce in the area you’re visiting. You might even have the chance to sample a native fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried before. You can save a ton of money if you just do groceries and cook your own food instead of dining out.
If cooking is not an option, or if you feel you will be too tired to prep and cook food after long days of sightseeing, you can opt to eat out, but choose authentic local cuisine instead of heading out to the fancy restaurants. This is the best way to really experience the local cuisine and discover new flavors and dishes.
Look for Free Attractions
You don’t have to spend a lot to thoroughly enjoy an unfamiliar location. Sometimes just walking around a new city will allow you to explore and discover it to the fullest. There are plenty of free attractions you can enjoy almost anywhere you go, whether it’s a free walking tour, watching street performers, or enjoying a day at the public beach.
These are some of the most practical ways you can save money while traveling with your family. Remember that the most important thing is to enjoy your vacation and create lasting memories together.
This might mean that you can do without splurging on fancy accommodations or food, as long as you make the most of your travel experience.