KinderJet.com - Family Travel Blogs

I was thinking about my last post on saving money while traveling with the family. That is all fine and good, but there are times when we want to spend even less on vacation. Whether its a slow time of year, or the economy has affected us, or we have already blown the vacation budget, there are other ways to take time away and have fun with the kids without spending tons of money.

1) Staycation - During the kids' Spring Break this year, we decided to Staycation, since we had just returned from a big trip a few weeks earlier. Vacationing in your own city, town or area can be as inexpensive as you want it to be. You save money on travel and accomodation and then maybe have a bit to spend on activities and sights. Add in a few extra meals out, and lots of time at parks, playgrounds and exploring new-to-you neighborhoods, and you've got yourself a cheap vacation!

We have talked about it many times before, and we all know it's true. Traveling with your family can be expensive. I know lots of parents who went nuts flying all over the place before their little one turned 2, and then became home-bodies after that because it costs so much to pay for the extra flights. And if, like us, you happen to have more than 2 kids, accomodation starts to get costly, paying for two rooms in many hotels that don't accomodate more than 4 people per room.

So what is a travel-loving family to do? Here are a few ways we save while still satisfying our wanderlust.

Spring Break is just beginning for our kids, and just like every other year, we are staying home. We travel in February, when prices are more reasonable and destinations are less crowded. Which leaves us with one little problem. What are we going to do for 10 days of no school??? 

It got me thinking about how if we just let the kids play video games in their pajamas for the whole week, we all get a little edgy after a few days. But when we are on vacation that doesn't happen. Becuase we have new things to experience and discover every day. And that is when the word "staycation" entered my mind. Why not experience and discover new things right here close to home?

That is the question as of late, is it not? I cannot even imagine what I would be thinking or what I would do if my family was eagerly anticipating our winter getaway on a cruise ship right now. Would we go anyway, even after the devastating sinking of a cruise ship over a week ago?

There was a time, before we had children, shortly after an Alaskan Airlines plane crash, that I was booked onto an Alaska Airlines flight to meet my husband in LA after he attended a conference. I was quite nervous about it, but it was (understandably) cheap and we were (understandably) poor newlyweds. I am not afraid of flying, at least not while I am flying...unless there is an unusual amount of turbulence. But when I book a flight, the thoughts always go through my head, especially when booking with an airline who has recently crashed. What if something goes wrong?

When our youngest son was a year old, he didn't like sleeping anywhere but in his own crib. Did we stay home for a year? No. But we did have a few trips remembered for their sleepless nights and family nap times. There was Sleepless in the North, Sleepless in Banff, Sleepless at The Lake, followed by Camping Sans Baby (AKA: Baby's Weekend with Grandma), and then, eventually, he outgrew it and became okay with sleeping in the pack n play...or where ever.

Parents spend a lot of time worrying, and we spend a lot of time talking about what to do with kids while you are flying, how to keep them entertained, what to say to our fellow travelers if our kids get out of hand. But it really all starts with booking the flight. There are lots of things to consider before you make a final decision on exactly how you will fly to your destination.

Making plans for holiday family travel? Whether you're looking for a sunshine getaway, or heading for the slopes, there is a deal waiting for you!

Save up to 35% on Veracruz hotels! Dance, Dine, Celebrate in Mexico! - Expires 12/31/11

Lots of good travel savings this week, and even more Canadian deals. I don't know about you, but I am starting to plan a Winter getaway!

Last-Minute hotel deals in Orlando starting at $60 per night! - Expires 11/26/11

Ten years ago we had twins, and we also had every fear you can imagine regarding traveling with them. Taking care of them, keeping track of them, getting enough sleep, feeding them away from home, keeping them warm enough, keeping them cool enough, crying (theirs... and mine), taking enough stuff, taking too much stuff.

Still, when they were three months old, my Mom and I drove to Saskatchewan with two baby boys in bucket seats in the back. Stopped at the side of the road to feed, changed messy diapers on the floor of a gas station restroom, went back into said restroom to change yet another messy diaper, had a contaminated water situation at the hotel, thus had to wash bottles and mix formula with bottled water (and I cannot figure out why I did not just go buy ready made formula?). One of the boys actually cried at the top of his lungs for the last 40 minutes of the drive home. But, we survived it all. And learned lots.

One of the things my husband and I loved to do when traveling together was visit local wineries. Touring the vineyards and wine making facilities, sampling their products and purchasing one or two of our favourites to take home and enjoy later while reminiscing about our travels. What could be better than that?