Top 5 Tips for Finding a Family Vacation that Fits Your Budget

Home prices falling, gigantic bailout on Wall Street, the stock market’s a mess – we can almost feel the anxiety in the air. In uncertain economic times like these, a lot of us cut back on extras. Family travel certainly seems, on the face of it, like just such an “extra” to put off until the market improves. But is that really the case? Many people don’t think so: The travel and tourism industry is responding to the recession worldwide by offering some great travel deals and hotel packages, the likes of which make family vacations a viable choice again. In fact, digging up the best travel deals and packages is an important way to stretch the family travel budget. We can still have great, memorable trips with our children, and those experiences really help bring the family together. Enjoying family time away from home is invaluable, after all. Here are our top 5 tips for finding a family vacation that fits your travel budget.

1. Do some online research at travel websites like Kayak and Orbitz. There are always vacation deals and travel packages on those sites, although the best discounts may not be where you plan to travel. TravelZoo is another great site to find travel bargains you won’t see anywhere else – although these are often last minute and not on holidays.

2. Check the websites of your planned destination’s hotels. Many offer online-only discounts and vacation packages that you won’t find elsewhere.

3. Consider vacation condos and house rentals, instead of hotel rooms. A vacation rental condo is more convenient for families anyway, with more room to spread out, a kitchen, and other homey amenities. Be sure to research the rental condo or home before booking it, though. No one wants a leaky roof.

4. Take a look at HomeExchange.com – If your home is in a desirable destination, this reputable site allows for free home swaps for vacation. This works out very well for people who are comfortable with the concept.

5. Research general information travel sites. These are great for ferreting out deals and vacation packages you may otherwise have missed. An example if one of our favorites: Conde Nast Traveler’s The Perrin Post. A recent post of hers describes the amazing deals to be had on luxurious Hawaiian vacation homes, along with (relatively) cheaper air fare than might be expected. And another travel site to peruse for tips and suggestions for budgeting a family vacation? Why, The Vacation Gals of course! You had to ask?

These top 5 tips for budgeting a family vacation all entail using the web to seek out discounts. It is true that the most up-to-date travel deals will be found online before making it to “hard copy.” It’s easier than ever to research an entire family trip online, from making hotel reservations, to printing out boarding passes, all the way to checking ourselves out of hotels at the end of our vacations. As more and more people plan their vacations online, this online travel deal trend will only become more pronounced.