Traveling with children is a memorable experience – here are a few tips to help your family travels stay budget-friendly and relatively stress-free.
Traveling with kids in tow is an awesome way to see the world AND spend time together as a family. As a family of 5, traveling can also be very expensive (plane tickets – check, 3 meals/day – check, and on and on). Seeing the world and exposing your kids to the excitement of seeing new places, being immersed in new cultures and bringing school textbooks to life is a valued opportunity for both parents and children alike. But, its not all frolicking the hillsides in matching outfits and perfectly pitched harmonies. Here, we are breaking down some family travel hacks that will help you spend less and see more – whether your children are elementary-age or “16 going on 17” (see how we did that?).
Accommodations with Kitchens
On a recent visit to Seattle, Washington, we scored a gorgeous apartment complete with separate bedrooms, a full kitchen/dining space, rooftop grilling area AND workout/game room. The Oakwood Seattle South Lake Union was the perfect home-away-from-home leaving us with more time and money to go catch a flying salmon, contribute to the “gum wall” in Pike Place Market and high five the Freemont troll (all free things, guys!) after having breakfast at home and actually tag-teaming workout time and a mean game of pool.
Saddle Up The Station Wagon
Plane tickets are EXPENSIVE. No matter where you are going, driving is generally a cheaper option when traveling as a family. We are lucky enough here in New England to be within driving distance of so many fantastic destinations, including the incredible Niagara Falls. This is an awesome family trip and offers multiple ways to explore the Falls both in the US and Canada (a great reason to get passports for your kids!).
Destinations That Jump Off The Textbook Pages
As the kids get older and “social studies” and “history” play an increasingly important role in their scholastic journey, seeing the Wonders of the World and notable US and worldwide landmarks is a mind-blowing way to infuse a vacation with a little historical and natural exploration. Seeing the Grand Canyon (Arizona) in real life is pretty amazing for both the 7 year old and the 37 year old.
Walk, Frolic and Save On Transportation
Visiting cities that are “walkable”, or have a user-friendly public transportation system (mind the gap!), are another great way to save money on expensive taxis and rental cars. Teaching your children how to navigate public transportation systems and how to read a map (a what??) are also valuable life-lessons, even if Alexa and Siri can do all of that for you.
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