Cheap Activities to Do at the Beach to Stretch Your Budget

Family vacations can be full of fun, but they can be filled with enough expenses to make you cringe. You are going to have to pay for a hotel that meets the level you want your family to live at for those few days or more at the beach. You are also going to have to pay for transportation to get there, as well as food to stock your hotel room or condo for the week. With all these expenses, it's great to know that there are activities you can do at the beach to limit your expenses.

Take advantage of the beach. While on the sand, you are unlikely to be spending too much money. Pack yourself a picnic lunch to avoid the need to go to the boardwalk for lunch. Be sure to pack plenty of drinks, as the vendors at the beach know you will be thirsty and raise the prices when selling beverages on the drink. While on the beach spend time playing in the surf, building sand castles and participating in family sports such as volleyball, wiffleball and playing frisbee. Take a walk searching for seashells and exploring sealife you find on the shore.

Don't just use your hotel as a place to get changed and sleep in the evenings. Take advantage of the amenities. If the hotel has a pool, plan on spending a few hours in the pool each day. This will reduce the time you spend on the boardwalk where you will be spending money. In the evenings, if your hotel has a stove, cook a few meals in the room to save money. On rainy days, watch a movie in the room instead of finding ways to kill time and spend your money on the boardwalk.

Look for discounts for riding the amusement rides during the day. During the day, when crowds are smaller, the boardwalk might offer promotions to increase their revenue. Look for offers such as wristbands you can purchase to ride all the rides on the pier during specific daytime hours. If the pier has a waterpark, look to purchase an all-day pass, especially if your hotel doesn't have a pool.

Compare the miniature golf courses around the beach. Don't just compare the prices for a round, but asks if there are any specials. Some miniature golf courses will offer specials where guests can play the course multiple times for a single price during the day. Even if they don't have this option, the course may offer a discount for a second round of golf.

The final suggestion is to spend the day on a scavenger hunt on the boardwalk. Create a list of different activities and split up into groups to search the boardwalk. Spend a few hours trying to find the cheapest prices for items such as specific food items like ice cream, funnel cakes or pizza. Keep an eye out for the cheapest specials at games and arcades on the boardwalk. Not only will this kill some time for you during the day, it will help you choose the best bargains once you decide to spend all that money you have been saving.