We live in West Fort Worth and would like to take a nice but not ridiculously expensive vacation. Something that feels different and special from everyday life. We did our first ever family cruise (Disney) last year as a last hurrah before med school for hubby. Unfortunately our house didn't sell quickly or well, so we had to defer. I want to have a vacation that feels as good, but doesn't cost anywhere near as much so we can keep that money for his school years. I would like it to be in driving range unless we can get there cheaply by air - 3 people alone is almost 1K for airfare alone.
Any ideas? Thanks so much.
We've had a great time at Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Oklahoma. It's close enough for a weekend trip, and a nice way to have an inexpensive getaway.
http://www.nps.gov/chic/index.htm
I was also going to suggest Great Wolf Lodge. I don't know if there is one near you, but we love it there! My kids are only 3 and 5 but we've been going since my oldest was 2 and it is way fun! There is so much for them to do even at a young age. If your kids are older there is still a lot for them to do. In the summer it is usually cheaper b/c it's the off season for them. Also, each room has a fridge and a microwave so we bring lots of easy meals for the kids to eat lunch and breakfast in the room and it saves us money and saves us from eating complete junk for a few days.
Have you been to Galveston? Moody Gardens, Schliterbahn, fishing, dolphins, the beach, etc...
San Antonio is fun with the zoo, Sea World, and many museums.
Great Wolf Lodge is fun because you can swim all day inside and not burn!
I would suggest a "stay-cation", you find things in your area that you haven't done, some times things you just never make time for and do those things. We did a "stay-cation" here in Kansas City a couple of years ago. I had made a list so long of the things we could do that we only got about half the list done. One thing we did that cost a little more but made it feel like a vacation was The Great Wolf Lodge, lots of fun. I'm not sure how old your kiddos are but one thing my family is enjoying when we go to new cities is to visit resturants that have been featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives". My kids are 10 and 14 and do sometimes watch a little of the show with us, so they think it's cool.
Good Luck and Happy New Year,
M
We have a lot of friends who live in this area and decided on stay cations. Great Wolf Lodge and The Gaylord are pretty popular spots. They spent their days there. Made a side trip to the mall and checked out the aquarium and lego land. Some spent a little time in downtown Grapevine. Everyone I know who did it, said it was great. A nice vacation without the stress and travel of a get away vacation.
I don't know the area but I would suggest camping. Another idea would be to go to a family camp. We went to a YMCA Family Camp last summer and had the best time. For about $500 the boys and I went for five days. We had our own cabin, transportation and meals were provided and we had lots of activities (high ropes course, rock climbing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, swimming...). We spent part of the day doing activities as a family, and for part of the day the kids got to do activities with the counsellors. Really affordable and really fun.
Keep an eye on Travelzoo.com
The 3 cheapest places to fly to are typically
- NYC
- Las Vegas
- Miami
That's just "always" ... And then airfare deals mean tickets are often $75-150 (including taxes) round trip. So if you find a cheap fare deal... Jump on it. And then NYC & Vegas are also extremely cheap/deal oriented hotel packages. I've taken my son to NYC for a week, including airfare & hotel, for less than $500.
I've also gone to London for a long weekend, for less than $500 for 2 people w/ airfare & hotel.
Keep an eye on DFW-New Orleans flights, as well.
Just because one CAN spend $1000 on airfare for 3... Doesn't mean one HAS to.
I was actually looking through some old photos last night and smiled so big at our summer of 2011 pictures. We didn't take a vacation per-say, but we did mini-trips, lots of them. They were spread out over the whole summer and were one to two nights max. We did day trips (DC Zoo and Luray Caverns) and overnights trips (Antietam Battle Field, Virginia Beach, and National Harbor). It was an amazing and exciting summer.
I am looking forward to the next time we can do that. It really was just so awesome to be so busy but not spend a fortune. So maybe you can consider that. You don't have to go for a full week, instead go three different weekends. Go local places you haven't been ever or in a long time. Step out of your comfort zone and try new things.
Also, I just got airfare for 5 of us from DC to Miami for $1100...so look for better deals on airfare.
A friend does staycations during Winter Break for the kids, giving them clues for what they are going to do that week. The kids like the sense of adventure and they get to do museums and zoos and whatnot that they don't do on a regular basis because of the price. I have heard great things about Great Wolf Lodge.
Another vote for Great Wolf Lodge. We try to go to the one here in Kansas City at least once a year. It's more than just a waterpark- they have other activities for the kids too.
We also love San Antonio. So much to do and such a friendly place! It's reasonably priced as well.
Have fun planning!
