Finding an affordable place to vacation is an annual task for many families. Affordable vacations can be hard to come by if you are not a little bit creative and a little bit savvy. Some affordable vacations are right under your nose however and might be getting overlooked. We will try to help you find some family vacation options in both of the aforementioned categories.

An option that is sitting right under your nose is Disney World. Disney World can be either affordable or expensive. It all depends on how you plan your trip. Disney World is in and of itself kind of a bargain because you can get access to multiple theme parks all in once bundle. Disney offers the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Not to mention some of their high end resorts are much like theme parks themselves. If you decide to stay at a Disney resort you might end up feeling that the vacation is a bit expensive but if you take into account the perks that Disney resorts offer the expense starts to look smaller. Still it is possible to decrease the cost of a vacation to Disney World significantly by searching diligently for off site lodging and biting the bullet on not being able to indulge in perks like entering the parks earlier than others. The further away the hotels you look at are from the park; the lighter they will be on your wallet. An affordable vacation is possible at Disney World if you balance distance from the park with the additional costs being far away might incur on you. You can also make a cheaper vacation by selecting which parks at Disney you most want to see and then only buying passes for those particular parks.

Another option for an affordable vacation is the Grand Canyon. You can also select from a variety of other National Parks. Finding a national park close to your home that interests you and your family can make for a very affordable family vacation. Many National Parks charge a fee for each vehicle that enters the park. This fee is often around 25 dollars. You can buy annual passes for some parks that are in the 80 dollar range. Heading out to the Grand Canyon for a week from the east coast will cost you about 400 dollars per person. Choosing a national park closer to you that can cut out any potential air fare costs will make for even more affordable trips.

Affordable vacations can also be found at state parks. Many state parks offer a variety of camp grounds to choose from and a slew of recreational activities. Spending a week camping at a cabin in a picturesque state park can be very therapeutic. I would recommend such trips for families, couples, and individuals alike. Taking in the scenery and being with nature for a week can be spiritually enlightening as well as a very cheap vacation! Do some research and see if your state has any parks with cabin camping that appeal to you. Finding affordable vacations sometimes requires research and determination.

Las Vegas is another inexpensive vacation spot that might be right under your nose. Vegas can turn pretty expensive really quick if you decide to stay on the strip but if you opt for lodging off of the strip you can save a lot of money. If you stay at area hotels instead of themed casinos you can buy a cheap pass to use public transportation to get around. You might also find that you save yourself a few bucks by not gambling as much! The Fremont Street Experience is a popular area to stay at off the strip. A week staying in this area can be had for about 300 dollars per person.

The Outer Banks are also an affordable option for a family getaway. The Outer Banks boast over 100 miles of sandy beaches. In addition to beach going there are also a lot of points of historical interest in the Outer Banks. These are good for filling time spend out of the sun. When staying in the Outer Banks it is important to do a lot of research beforehand so that you can acquire the best deal possible on a rental home or cottage in the area. Take your time to research well but don’t wait too long because houses will fill up quickly as the beach going season approaches. As far as beaches go the Outer Banks is one of the most affordable beach vacations available especially for larger groups.

Other ideas for affordable vacations include cruises, highway tours, and trips to cities of interest in your region. A good way to learn about more affordable destinations to visit for vacation is to network with friends and ask about where they’ve been and if they can recommend affordable lodging.