Is there such a thing as an affordable vacation?!

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Forum -> Vacation and Traveling

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amother

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 2:03 am

DH works so so hard every day and he barely ever takes off work even when he’s sick! We had plans to go to Florida but I’m just realizing how expensive the trip is gonna be. We’re already trying to pay off a lot of cc debt from the last few years and not trying to dig ourselves deeper. This vacation is super super needed but I feel like there’s nowhere to go that is not gonna cost us a lot of money…even locally. Any ideas? We live in the Lakewood area.

DVOM

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 2:47 am

'Affordable' means something different to each person. So, for that matter, does 'vacation'.

But yes, of course there are cheaper ways to have a break from work, and a change of scenery, than going to Florida!

Stay home and go on free day trips is probably cheapest. Walk around Princeton. Really beautiful! Use your library card to get some free or very cheap entrance tickets to a museum. Bundle up and hike on the beach at Barnegate lighthouse or Island Beach SP. Ride scooters over a bridge from NJ to Pennsylvania at Washington Crossing SP. We also love the trails and the free nature museum at Cattuce Island SP.

If your budget is a drop bigger than free, you can spend a night at any of the big resorts in Atlantic City for super cheap and take the kids to the pool the next day.
Another easy overnight is Philadelphia. Get a cheap room, go to Brandywine Zoo (free usually around midwinter, but check their website), the Philadelphia Museum of Art (free), the Science History museum (also free). A bit further is Washington DC. All the monuments are free, so are the Smithsonian Museums.

TravelHearter

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 2:48 am

There’s an in between. You can have a fun vacation away without flying to Florida. Find a drivable city that sounds fun, go to a hotel or an airbnb, and do the attractions of that city.

amother

Aubergine

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 3:24 am

Do a bit of driving and get to Lancaster. Visit the farms, relax. bring picnic food, sandwiches, potato chips. If just you and DH eat by candlelight at home. Do not turn on your phones.

amother

Bottlebrush

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 5:20 am

What is a reasonable budget?
Is this a family vacation or for you as a couple?

What would the dream activities on your vacation be?

There are many options for a short vacation, at reasonable price within driving distance. I'd love to give you some options.

essie14

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 5:54 am

Go hiking in the Poconos or Bear Mountain. Bring along picnic lunch.

amother

Royalblue

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 8:34 am

It’s hard to book in the last minute.

It usually helps to plan ahead and get cheaper flights/ hotel (tickets to florida can sometimes go for around 80 now most are around 200 for February).

If you can wait till March you may be able to get better pricing. Orlando is cheaper than Miami.

amother

Almond

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 8:39 am

We do a bread and breakfast or premier Inn style hotel and bring along good food and snacks.

A nice walk in the area and change of scenery does wonders!

amother

Apricot

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:27 am

I used airline miles to fly and VRBO kind of situation.

amother

Chambray

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:33 am

If you have a big credit card debt you should not be flying off to Florida. Some of the other posters gave nice ideas for cheap vacations.

amother

Alyssum

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:51 am

Yes, there definitely is. My parents, who were very careful with money, took us away almost every school vacation to Philadelphia, Boston, or Washington D.C. (We lived on Long Island). They always found discounted hotels (which were sometimes a little drive outside the city), we all shared one room, and we drove. My mother took food with us wherever we went (kosher food was less readily available) and we sometimes had a meal out (which was exciting even if it was deli sandwiches). I remember one Chanukah where we even traveled with another family to Boston and we put our menorahs in the window over the highway! That was so exciting. Yes, the expectations were different in those days, but we went to museums (majority being free in Washington), hiked in state parks, saw national and historic monuments, went to classical music concerts, visited relatives, and generally had a great time.

amother

Grape

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:57 am

We just went and Miami is an expensive vacation these days.

notshanarishona

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:05 am

Flying by definition is going to make your trip expensive once you need to pay for luggage and transportation to and from the airport and a place to stay. The only real way to vacation with a flight cheap is if you have a place to stay, a friend who can drive you to and from the airport, don’t have to buy takeout/ food, and don’t go anywhere touristy.
I like staycations. We got the holiday inn credit card so we get free hotel points. We go to a hotel for a couple days, try to find somewhere nice with a family suite and an indoor pool/ fitness room. It’s not luxurious but we enjoy without further debt.

amother

Ebony

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:20 am

amother Grape wrote:

We just went and Miami is an expensive vacation these days.

For years I heard people saying that they went to Miami for almost nothing. Last year we decided last minute to join the club.

We took 3 of our kids to Miami last year and spent 1k. A nice chunk was spent at 1 fsncy restaurant. Food was awful and Service was worse . We went to the grocery after and got ingredients take pj sandwiches.

Airfare $10 ( we used miles)

Hotel 2 nights free (credit card freebie) paid for the other nights mostly with points. Total we paid for loging was about 200

Uber- fully reimbursed by credit card

Meals - I think we paid for them. Breakfast was Dunkin. Lunch was pizza.

Entertainment- we walked alot. Went kayaking 1 day.

Dh used to sell his miles for cash (hasnt done it in a long time). It's has more value when we spend the miles ourselves.

amother

Ebony

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:23 am

notshanarishona wrote:

.
I like staycations. We got the holiday inn credit card so we get free hotel points. We go to a hotel for a couple days, try to find somewhere nice with a family suite and an indoor pool/ fitness room. It’s not luxurious but we enjoy without further debt.

We havd the same card. We used them for our Florida vacation. Dh and I both have the card.

We also used it for a local vacation for dh and I.

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