Family Vacation - Your Tips?

[cschin4]

We are leaving for our family vacation on Saturday. Driving to Outer Banks in our minivan and 3 kids! Wish me luck.
Any money saving tips regarding vacation?

[sweeps]

Use your gas rebate card.

[slimcustomer]

Check out Restaurant.com for up to 60% of dining when you use this code, 12934, by 6/30. I would also take advantage of frequent hotel stay programs for future trips. My family is visiting Arizona & Utah this summer and we are getting over $600 in free hotel stays from earning frequent hotel stay points.

[markio26]

try to stay out of town in a mom and pop motel.. with an efficentacy room.. take a crock pot and an electric skillet....eat the complimentary breakfast and take extra food to room, like bananas, apples, muffins, etc. use a cooler.

[shelbylovesmelby]

tis that time of year.....

Sometimes you can save some $ if you are a AAA auto member, sometimes you can find travel mags for particular areas & they have room discounts in them.

I agree take a cooler & shop the local grocery store for fresh items & eat lots of sandwiches. Or go to the deli section & buy stuff from there.

Sometimes if you go "off season" you can get some deep discounts on rooms @ resorts. Some of the indoor waterpark resorts here will offer rooms as cheap as $100-125 a night when alot of times they are well over $250 a night. So if you do the math that a typical waterpark will run $35 per adult to get in + whatever for each child & toss in a room for the night it pays for itself. But not the gas or the drive for a few hrs in snow though....

[Aleta]

Normally when I know where I will be vacationing; I write the visitors's bureau and the chamber of commerce and ask them for any maps, offers, etc. You'd be surprized at all of the stuff that you not only get from them but from other businesses as well in the area.

I also like to take a cooler. Saves alot of time on the road. We used to find lakes with shelters, BBQ's and we would cook outside and enjoy the fresh air. It's especially great for the kids because they can have a place to stretch their legs. Enjoy yourself.