Whenever the warm summer season rolls around, I always notice people’s dispositions changing. All of the sudden, their stresses leave them and a sense of excitement and adventure swoops in to replace their once-negative emotions. Many people look forward to the end of the cold fall and winter months so they can finally experience their much-anticipated summer vacations. I should know; I’m one of them!
When I was growing up, my family would take summer vacations together every year. At the time, I had no idea know how fortunate I was to travel so often. The privilege of being able to visit different states and different countries every year was something I didn’t appreciate until much later in life. As I became an adult and had a family of my own, I quickly discovered we wouldn’t be able to afford to take luxurious vacations that often. However, I never let that affect my intentions to have fun with my family during the summer season. For those of you who are looking for cheap vacation plans for this summer, perhaps you should consider one of these four suggestions below.
Camping
Camping is a great way to relax with your family without shelling out too much cash. Most camp sites or national parks cost less than $20 to camp out on each day, and as long as you pack efficiently, you shouldn’t have to spend extra money on anything else except food. My family typically hikes and fishes during the day and cooks together at night whenever we all go camping together. It’s the perfect way to get everyone together without putting too much pressure on our finances. To find some of the best camping grounds or reserves near you, I recommend checking out Reserve America.
Hometown Vacation
A lot of people spend a lifetime living in one town without really knowing that much about it. Especially for those of you who live in a metropolitan area, taking a vacation where you live is a great way to have some cheap fun. You won’t have to splurge on a plane ticket and you’ll be exposed to things you didn’t even know existed right around you. For those of you who don’t know where to begin in planning your home vacation, try looking up parks, drive-in theaters, historic buildings, museums, hiking grounds, popular shops, concerts, comedy shows, and numerous other things in your town that you normally wouldn’t have time to check out.
Culinary Road Trips
Growing up in Central Texas was amazing. Every summer, my father would pack up our small mini-van and we’d drive to the best barbecue restaurants within an hour or two from our town. Though it was glutinous and unglamorous, we had the time of our lives eating brisket, beef ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, and other meaty dishes. Search through apps like Urban Spoon or Yelp to find out which areas around you have the best-rated restaurants you can check out for a day.
Home Swap
Although I’ve never tried it, I have friends who swear by home swapping. There are a handful of services you can sign up for that will match you with safe individuals you can switch homes with for a designated period of time, and it only costs a very small fee. Home swapping will provide you with a home away from home, and it’s the best option for people who want to leave the country or travel for an extended period of time without putting a huge dent in their wallet.
One of the greatest excitements of summertime is the opportunity to take a vacation or two. Living on a budget can make it difficult to get away, but with alternatives like these, you’ll be able to bask in all the summer fun without going broke in the process.
Nadia Jones is an education blogger for an online education website and a freelance writer on all things academia. Nadia uses the written word to share her knowledge on accredited online college education and the latest news in the educational world. Though Nadia’s mind is always preoccupied with topics of education, she spends her downtime volunteering with middle school students and pitching for her adult softball team. She can be reached at nadia.jones5@gmail.com.