Family Vacations

Family Cruises

An often overlooked family vacation is the family [http:cruises.lovetoknow.com cruise]. Far from floating casinos or bingo parlors, family cruises are truly all-age events. Offerings for kids usually include arts & crafts, swimming, games, and kid-friendly food. Even teens find something to do aboard a family cruise, with activities including dancing, rock climbing, karaoke, ice skating, and basketball. These cruises offer clubs, classes, and programs divided into age groups with trained supervision. While the kids are being entertained, the adults are free to sunbathe, stroll in the moonlight, dance, or have a romantic dinner.

Cruise lines offering special family cruises include:

• Carnival
• Celebrity
• Disney
• Royal Caribbean

Family Resorts

Family resorts are another way to entertain the whole family under one roof. Family resorts typically offer organized games, sports, and activities for the kids and teens, leaving parents free to entertain themselves. Common resort activities include:

• Dancing
• Golf
• Karaoke
• Scuba diving
• Snorkeling
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Volleyball

If you do decide to go the resort route, check out all-inclusive resorts. These value-packed resorts include the cost of food, drinks, and many activities in the room price. Make sure to read the fine print to find out what is not included; otherwise, you could be hit with unexpected charges.

HotWire, Orbitz, and many travel agents offer all-inclusive packages which include airfare, food, drinks, activities, and the resort all in one. Although these packages are not always the best deal, they often offer significant savings over buying each item a la carte.

Popular all-inclusive family resorts include:

• Beaches Caribbean Resorts
• Beaches Sesame Street Resort
• Breezes Punta Cana

Family Road Trips

If cruises, air fare, and resorts are not in your vacation budget, there are several lower cost options. One popular budget vacation idea is the road trip. A road trip can vary from an day trip to the next town to a multi-week trek across the country. When it comes to road trips, you are limited only by your budget, your patience, and your sense of adventure!

Some road trip ideas include:

• Pack your camping gear, and plan a multi-state camping trip. Plot out the national parks and rest areas on your map, and just go where the road takes you!
• The Grand Canyon is an ever-popular destination. Aside from the awe-inspiring view, there is plenty to do in the area, including horseback riding, helicopter trips, tours, and parks.
• Kids of all ages enjoy the beach. From the West Coast to the East and down to the Gulf of Mexico, beach excursions provide plenty of entertainment.
• Explore your own state. Just visit Google, and enter "day trips from ______". Chances are, you'll find a variety of interesting places to visit, all within driving distance.
• Spend the day visiting your state's capital.

Inexpensive Family Vacations

Some other low-cost family vacation ideas include:

• Fishing
• Travel during the off-season
• Purchase a time-share
• Visit out-of-state family or friends
• Travel by train