Family Vacations on a Budget

Vacationing can be hard for families in today's times because the cost of living has skyrocketed within the past few years. One might think that a vacation is out of the question because of the expense. My family and I are on an extremely tight budget. We thought that the only vacation we would have this year was a trip from the kitchen to the living room, but even we managed to get away to a few places this summer.

The key for us to vacation, is to do day trips with other people (like my mother and father in-law and even my own parents) and split some costs like food and gas. We have also researched and budgeted for admission costs to museums and parks and then planned where to go from there. We found some fun places for very reasonable prices from zoos to a bit of American culture and here's a list for you to try.

Salem MA is a wonderful place for a day trip. It is about a two and a half to three hour drive from the Middletown area of CT and is a place rich in American culture and history. Parking is not bad since there is a parking garage near many of the attractions and the fee is very reasonable on Sundays when there are less tourists. There are many museums to go to in Salem, however, some can be rather expensive for admission. There are also some museums and attractions that may not be suitable for children under the age of 7 due to the nature of the attraction for this period in history, however, some of the places are very accommodating to adults with young children, and will offer a refund of your ticket price if your child becomes scared.

One museum that will accommodate for this is the Salem Witch Museum. This museum is the most visited in Salem and gives an accurate depiction of the Salem Witch Hysteria of 1692. They have a new exhibit that explains the evolving perception of witches in American history through today. Admission for this exhibit is very reasonable as well. The gift shop, however, is a bit pricey.

Another attraction in Salem is The House of Seven Gables. It is New England's oldest mansion and has Nathaniel Hawthrone's House on it's premises to tour as well. The gardens on site are beautiful and worth a look. The price of admission is reasonable for the two house tour and The House of Seven Gables is an attraction that is for non-profit. It uses the price of your admission to help the community of Salem, as well as to maintain this piece of history for tourists to enjoy. The admission price is much higher than the Salem Witch Museum, however. There is also a secret staircase in the house that can be difficult to climb for some individuals.

Another thing to consider is food of course, and Salem has a few nice places to eat. Brother's Restaurant & Deli is a great place for lunch. The sandwiches are tasty and very reasonably priced. Salem Beer Works has great burgers and of course good beer if you happen to like beer and a great atmosphere, however, it is quite pricey compared to Brother's Restaurant & Deli. Jaho Coffee & Tea has a nice coffee house atmosphere with delicious flavored coffee and tea and their prices are better than Starbucks.

Dinner will run you a bit more and can be very expensive if you choose to eat closer to Salem Harbor. The Victoria Station has great food and has a wonderful atmosphere. You can either dine in the restaurant or out near the harbor. The children's menu is priced well and the menu has a great variety for every child's palette. The adult choices range from reasonable to pricey depending on what you order. Any seafood or steak order will be expensive for the budget goer, so the pasta and chicken might be a better choice. All the food is delicious and worth the trip.

There are other great trips to consider for the family on a budget and one is the zoo. The Beardsley Zoo, located in Bridgeport, CT is about a 40 minute drive from the Middletown area and is a great place for any animal lover. This attraction features many endangered animals that the zoo is caring for in hopes that the population of the species will grow. There are many animals that are very rare and unknown to the average zoo-goer. I had never heard of a lion monkey until I saw one at Beardsley and they are a very special breed to check out in the rain forest exhibit. There are other exhibits like the wolf's den and even a bug exhibit if you are into that kind of thing. I'll let you be the judge on that one-- this animal-lover draws the line when it comes to more than four legs. This attraction is extremely reasonable at just under a hundred dollars for the price of gas to get there, admission, food, souvenirs, and even the three rolls of film! They also offer an all-year pass for a family of 8 (2 adults and 6 children) at a good price, which includes admittance to other parks around the United States that are accredited zoos. This is a definite stop for our family next year because of the fun and price.

And last but certainly not least, is the Butterfly Conservatory in Deerfield MA. My daughter goes crazy for butterflies but I'm not a fan of bugs of any kind, however, I'd do just about anything to make my daughter happy, so I went through the exhibit with her and my husband and closed my eyes for most of it. It is a very reasonable admission price and the food is priced well too. Children are encouraged to stay close to their parents and not touch the butterflies because their wings are so delicate. This is definitely a place for an older child who is old enough to refrain from the "touch and feel" temptations. But it is a fun experience for anyone who like butterflies. The Yankee Candle Shop is across the street for all you candle lovers too which made the whole butterfly/bug experience much easier to bare for myself since I like candles and the lovely Christmas store set-up Yankee Candle has.

No matter what you decide to do on your summer vacation, know that a fun trip can be planned, and it doesn't have to cost a lot. These places are just a few that have a special place in my family's heart. Hope you can enjoy them too!