Vacations don't have to be big and pricey to be memorable. There are many 'day trips' or overnight destinations you can do. Pretend you are visiting your area for the very first time, visit your city's and surrounding area websites. Most list 'points of interest' or 'things to do while here'. If they don't have a website, call the town hall and ask if they can send you the info (most have at least pamphlets available). Sometimes we get so caught up in 'going' we forget to enjoy what we see everyday.

We have a yearly membership at an area zoo (cost $94 per year) so we've been there many times. And it seems we're always in a hurry to get through it all before the day is over. Sound familiar? So now we go to the library, grab some books on two or three animals and do a bit of reading. My kids are older so we make a game of who can find the most unusual facts or stories about the animal. Then it's off to the zoo for some serious 'anmial' watching. Normally people spend an average of 5 minutes watching any one animal. Usually they are doing nothing but laying around, no fun there. Figure on an hour or so per animal. Talk about what you learned from the books, where they come from, how they live in the wild, are they endangered, what they eat and when they are most active. (Favorites like lions are most active at night in the wild). Zoo personal are always eager to talk with visitors about their charges and they have lots of stories about them and their personalities (yes animals do have them), like and dislikes.

 Have a budding Policemen, Firemen or Nurse/Doctor ?  Call your local Police/Fire Department or Hospital and ask if they give tours. 

In many areas indoor Water Parks are becoming popular, making a day at the pool possible rain or shine anytime of the year.

State Parks make great places to visit.  Resident rates are very low for the day or overnight (if camping is available)  Some State Parks also have cabins you can rent at reasonable prices if sleeping 'under the stars' isn't your thing.  Ask what activities they have available.  I went once to a very nice park in Wisconsin where Bald Eagles nested during the Summer and they also had a sand beach for swimming. 

Camping is also a low cost alternative to Hotel rooms for overnight trips.  There are places that you can rent a trailer if using a tent isn't your style.  A word of advice here, if you've never put up a tent before practice at home before you go.  It will help things go smoother when you get to the campground.  And if there is a possibility of rain, get a tarp that will cover your tent completely (extra tent stakes work well for holding the tarp down) to keep any leaks to a minimum.