Not every family winter vacation has to be expensive! For the budget-conscious family, a little bit of planning and a few smart decisions, you can make cheap family vacations incredibly fun. We recommend looking into places that are usually targeted for summer trips like some of the states in the south, or adventure into trails that are still accessible with the snow. Want to escape the cold? Then hit destinations that are under the radar for winter breaks like the outer banks or nearby islands.
If your family is cravic for a memorable outdoor adventure this winter, check this list and plan the trip on a budget.
A family road trip to the Grand Canyon National Park is one of the classic American family vacations. This trip is filled with opportunity for free discoveries and perfect to enjoy in the winter instead of the summer heat. There are lots of areas along the way to stop for picnics, so you can save a lot of money on food too. Not all Grand Canyon’s trails are kid-friendly, families recommend to take a look at the “”trail of time” to hike with kids and to drop by the park’s visitor center.
General Information: Affordable hotels are not that commun in that area but Grand Canyon Inn room rates start at $79 and kids under 12 stay free. Grand Canyon averages 40F’s in January, perfect for day hikes.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Beat expensive gas prices during your road trip by downloading these apps for every major gas station.
Myrtle Beach is a families’ favourite in the summer and prices can run high, but it is a great affordable winter destination, with not-too-cold temperatures and lots of activities still open all-year around. The area is home to the famous Ripley’s aquarium, a huge skywheel on the boardwalk, and many more fun activities. While the ocean might be a little chilly for swimming, you can still enjoy walking on the beach, playing at the boardwalk, and much more.
General Information: Kids as young as 3 can enjoy riding at Horseback Riding of Myrtle Beach,it’s a perfect family activity.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Families on a budget recommend to stay at the Breaker Resort, with an indoor water park, suite style rooms for less than $100 / night
Beautiful in winter, the season is perfect to enjoy the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Having a home base in Gatlinburg is the popular choice in the Smoky Mountains. But Parents in the GoWhee community find it less affordable and more touristic than its counterpart Townsend, Tennessee offers a small town feel at a fraction of the cost. Families usually rent a cabin, to really relax and feel at home. Note that even in winter, there are lots of safe, beautiful hiking trails in the area.
General Information: Average temperatures in the winter are mild, around 50’s but make sure you prepare for snow and colder front higher up in the mountains.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Cabin rental starts at $57 per night when you use AirCabins – Virtually all cabins have kitchens, so you can cook your own food
Want to escape the cold and Travel to the beach for a week or a weekend? You don’t ave to break the bank in Florida. Check out our selection of alternatives for warm places to visit this winter.
Located in the south of Albama near the border of Florida, the Gulf Shores is a popular summer beach vacation destination, in the winter, this fun vacation spot is practically empty, and the hotel room rates reflect this. You can enjoy the warm weather and beautiful white sand beaches at a fraction of the cost. Local families recommend to hit GT’s on the bay in orange beach, for an affordable meal, feet in the sand, paired with semi-enclosed playground to keep kids entertained.
General Information: Members of the GoWhee community warns that the waters in those shores have sharks so make sure you get familiar with the flag system. There is also a shortage of hotels in the area, so parents recommend looking at this site to find an affordable vacation rental.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Located on one of the National Seashore, the town of Navarre is a sort drive from the Gulf Shores and offer a lot of family friendly attractions and is highly recommended by GoWee parents.
Have you ever thought about Puerto Rico as the ultimate destination for Christmas or New Year’s Eve Family trips? Well, time to put it on your radar! Tis U.S territory not only allows you to travel without a passport, offers great deals for flights from major cities and is a great spot for outdoor adventure seekers, but it also hosts holidays celebrations from Thanksgiving to mid January! Families on GoWhee recommend to stay there during the Three Kings day (January 6th) if you can, since it is truly spectacular.
General information: During December/January, temperatures ranges from 70s to 80s which makes it perfect to escape the cold. It is great for foodies too, since the average meal is around $5 to $10 per person when dining out and groceries are comparable with the U.S mainland.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: With tons opportunities to enjoy public parades, family friendly beaches, hiking in the rainforest, enjoying the rivers or discovering the mountains views around, Puerto Rico has lots to offer for free attractions. Families also recommend to look at family friendly airbnb and vacation rentals like this one in that area since you get the best options for your budget.
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City-escape always seem to be out of budget? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Here is a list of cities to visit this winter that are affordable.
Washington DC, usually visited in spring and summer, is little known for its fun winter activities. Yet, the capital city is easy to plan on a budget because many of those attractions are completely free to visit. Free activities in DC include all of the Smithsonian museums and their kids exhibits, the National Zoo, the various presidential and war memorials, several local parks, and the National Botanical Gardens. With all your activities covered, the only expenses you have to worry about are accommodation and food.
General Information: Here is a local families’ favorite: Bring a sled and go sledding on Capitol Hill. It is completely FREE and the experience is amazing. Washington DC helds major political and cultural events depending on the months and years (i.e Presidential innauguration in January or cherry blossom festivals in March) so make sure to stay away from those dates since everything will cost more during those dates.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Stay at the ARC Hotel for a luxury stay on a budget. Room rates start at $151 during winter months, and you can get cribs (free) and rollaway beds ($15) on request. We also recommend you to look into the town of Alexandria, located a few metro stops away and perfect to relax in the evening away from the city. Vacations rental are more affordable, sometimes have a back yard, lots more rooms and the town is filled with restaurants and historical spots too.
Usually not entertatined as a “family friendly” location, because of its infamous Mardi Gras parties. New Orlean in Lousianna is filled with gems for kids of all ages and Foodie families especially recommend to give a shot to this culture rich city. For a budget friendly trip to NOLA, make sure you keep away from Mardi Gras dates. And instead, experience some of it at the Mardi Gras World which is open all year long. Families also recommend to walk downtown and to enjoy the classic Jazz brunch at Court Of Two Sisters for $36 / adults.
General information: Wile summers are HOT in the south, winter months provide temperatures averaging 60s. There are tons of things to do with kids in New Orleans center, but some pretty unique attractions can be found outside of the city, like their famous swamp tours.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Mardi Gras World offers a free shuttle to pick you up, so you don’t have to pay for parking, take advantage! Families on a budget recommend to stay near St Charles for a quieter experience and easy access to the city center and to look at groupon for some deals on tours since there are tons of themed tours in the city.
Mix midwest hospitality, open air food court and sport fanatic’s fun, you get Omaha Nebraska! Little known by the mainstream travel industry, this is a best kept secret amongst GoWhee families. The whole city is easy to navigate, pretty affordable and great for kids, with an amazing zoo, an art and children museum and a massive aquarium.
General information: Nebraska is cold and snowy in the winter, perfect for a family holiday if you love snow. Make sure you pack efficiently for a winter trip with this packing list. You can also plan tons of indoor fun in the city to stay warm, but there are great outdoor attractions around like ice skating, or visit one of their adorable christmas markets, to enjoy.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Although the zoo in Omaha is a highly popular activity and pretty reknown, families on a budget can look at the wild safari instead for a more affordable option (located about 30 minutes from city center).
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Sometimes, you just want a good old family fun with theme parks and all. Here are some options that will not break the bank this winter.
San Diego California, is warm and sunny all year long! This means you can easily plan for your theme park trip in the winter without worrying about the weather. Best part is it will be at a fraction of the cost than a trip to Florida. Belmont Park a vintage style theme park in San Diego, offers a classic wooden roller coasters, coconut tree climbing competitions and is located right on the beach! It also allows for both a pay-per-ride pricing or all rides pass, to manage your budget (great for little kids or if you have non riders in your group).
General Information:The park offers free parking, and a discounted pass during sunset hours (starting at 7PM and finishes at 10PM) so take advantage, and get a new experience off your bucket-list! Local families mention that they also have discounted events during the holiday season, keep an eye out for them here.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: There are also tons of other things to do with kids in San Diego and lots of great hotels for all budgets to choose from. Local Families also suggest looking into the Go-City pass, since it includes entry fees like Legoland or Sea World, before you book your attractions.
We know what you’re thinking. Disney World? On a list of cheap family vacations? The GoWhee community gathered some great tips to make yout Disney trip as affordable as possible. The parks are also putting some great shows during the holidays and are open all year long. Start by looking at their latest offers before securing your dates. Parents recommend to also check out this list of Disney Alternatives, to keep the magic going at a fraction of the cost.
General Information: Accommodations and Food are another big expense during a trip to DisneyWorld, so consider options like staying away from the Disney resorts unless you can enjoy their benefits, make use of the monorail instead of paying for parking and eat at restaurants with family style dining since they are more affordable (i.e: Ohana, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Garden Grill, Liberty Tree Tavern).
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Disney souvenirs can be expensive and tip over your budget, instead of buying them in the park head over to this thrift store in Orlando and score mickey ears for $1! Another way to save money on shopping, is to look at receipts your receive when you eat at the quick service restaurants before shopping at Disney Springs. Receipts have discounts offers at the bottom.
Dreaming of enjoying the snows in the famous Colorado Rockies, but can’t afford Vail or Aspen prices? No worries GoWhee has your back. You can spend a snowy vacation in Colorado by staying in a lodge at YMCA of the Rockies. This little hidden gem is as good (if not better than any resort), with tons of activities included with your room at the lodge. You can enjoy cross country skiing, ice skating rink, a museum, archery, a pool and a miniature golf course.
General information: Rooms start at $169 for members and $189 for non-members per night, with rooms and cabins fitting 4-6 people. They come with kitchenette and include all activities. There are also a couple of dining options onsite or you can venture our to discover some things to do around colorado with kids. Note that the month of November in Colorado is a hit or miss with snow.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Estes Park city is a great option for apres-snow vibes and walking around. The town becomes a real snowglobes decor in the winter months while being much more affordable than the ski mountain towns.
If big cities are not for you, and you prefer the vibes of hallmark movies’ type towns, here is a list to get you started.
Bar Harbor, Maine, is popular in the summer but is as beautiful and much more affordable in the winter. Your family will love the charming seaside feel of the town and fun museums for children, like the Dorr Museum of Natural History. The town boasts an eclectic cuisine, and If you visit, parents recommend to stop at Ben and Bill’s Chocolate Emporium, the one and only place to try lobster-flavored ice cream!
General Information: While you have several hotel options, locals recommend the The Inn at Mount Desert, rooms start at around $150/night, they are spacious and can accommodate 4 people and keep that adorable inn charm.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Acadia National Park is open all year around and can be visited for a small fee or free if you have a national park pass. Make sure you bring spikes for your shoes and the children, since trails tend to be icy on coastal parks. Local Parents also recommend to look at the weather ahead since in case of heavy snow fall, roads are closed.
Come in the summer and the historical town of Williamsburg, Virginia starts to feel like a city. But in the winter you can enjoy all the historical landmarks like the famous Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and the Jamestown settlement as well as its museum. You can also turn the trip into something both educative and fun with the local theme parks like Busch Gardens’s Christmas events.
General Information: With Temperature ranging from high 40s to mid 50s and usually pretty sunny, Williamsburg rarely gets snow. Williamsburg can be pretty booked during the holiday season as well, so if you need to look at more affordable option for hotels, parents recommend to take a look at Richmond, bonus it has a great children museum.
Budget Tip For Your Family Vacation: Colonial Williamsburg is technically FREE to visit if you just want to walk around the town and stroll. Tickets need to be purchased to visit the buildings and enjoy the shows, and trades demonstrations. Also Check this cool coupon book for discounts.
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