It can be so expensive to travel, especially if you have a large family. Our children are small so we really haven’t traveled much yet. We are looking forward to some family vacations in the future and keeping our eye out for ways we can save. Here are my 10 tips for getting away with great family travel deals.
- Travel mid week for the biggest discounts. Flights and hotel rates are higher on the weekends so if you are able to, schedule your trip during the week.
- Travel during the off season. Many hotels also offer an off season or winter rate. Places like Disneyland are less crowded during off season too- a bonus in my opinion!
- Visit family or friends to avoid paying for a hotel all together! Explore a new city while catching up with people you don’t get to see often. Win-win!
- Take a road trip– If you have time and are adventurous, travel by car. Research beforehand and plan a bunch of fun stops on the way to your final destination. Even with high gas prices, it’s cheaper for an entire family to travel by car than by plane in most cases.
- Use your Entertainment Book! There’s a travel section that often gets overlooked. Find discounts on car rentals, hotel stays and attractions.
- Get a hotel with a kitchen– Yeah, yeah…who wants to cook on vacation? Seriously though, this can save you hundreds of dollars on dinners. You could probably even save by utilizing a room with a refrigerator. Just make sandwiches and fruit for lunch while you refuel for more exploring.
- Free breakfast– Along the same lines, many hotels offer free breakfast. Take advantage of it!
- Avoid Gift Shops– everything is ridiculously over priced and it will be hard to tell your kids no. I saw a blog post recently where the family made their own Disney shirts with inexpensive tees from the craft store and printable iron-on paper of Disney characters. One for every day of their trip! Great idea!
- Price Compare– Do your research! Check online, with travel agencies, recommendations from friends etc. Make sure you get the best price on whatever you buy.
- Use Ebates– Mindy and I both purchases airline tickets recently and discovered that we could get cash back through many airlines when shopping through Ebates.
How do YOU save when traveling with family? We’d love to hear your ideas!
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.