Inexpensive Family Vacations: From Historic U.S. Sites to Cultural Hubs

You do not need several thousands of dollars to give your family a vacation to remember. Research cities and small towns that are in your area to find places that are family friendly and rich in local heritage. It's time to expose your family to a little culture!

Collect brochures and maps throughout the year and take your family on a road trip. I know that your first thought is concern for the outrageous price of fuel. Taking that into consideration, you do not have to go far to enjoy a vacation. Besides, what's a few tanks of pricey gas compared to having to buy plane tickets for your entire family?

Cities such as St Louis, San Antonio and Atlanta are not very far away for families who live in the southeast. Boston, Philadelphia and D.C. are not too distant if you live in the northeast. For folks in the west, you can visit Albuquerque, Phoenix, and San Fransisco. Larger cities usually offer more variety in activities, but there are thousands of small towns in America that you can go to "get away."

For example, if you want to travel in Arkansas you could drive to Murfreesboro and dig for diamonds. You could hang out around the RiverFront in Little Rock and listen to local bands play. While you are in Little Rock, a visit to the zoo or the Museum of Discovery is always a treat.(just about every town has a zoo and children's museum) Both Hot Springs and Eureka Springs offer gorgeous architecture, interesting hotels and a vast array of community events. If you are the adventurous type of family, you can rent a cabin and a canoe and spend time on the Buffalo River.

If you were interested in traveling to the deep South, visit Civil War battlegrounds and tour haunted plantation homes. In the west, you could travel through the Dakota Black hills, visit Indian reservations and pan for gold. The United States has three coast lines: the Pacific, Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. All three coastal regions have beautiful beaches that are not filled with tourists and tourist attractions.

Again, taking this type of road trip vacation, is an inexpensive way to make memories with your family. You do not have to fall into a tourist trap just because you are a tourist. However, while you are on the road and well on your way to your destination, remember to stop by and visit and roadside attractions that your family might find interesting.

When you reach your designated vacation spot, visit local museums and libraries to learn about local history. You never know who you will meet and what story they will have to tell! Also, refer to local residents when looking for a great place to eat. Try to keep an open mind for local cuisine and, believe it or not, most of the time, it is the little "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants who have the best food!

Instead of spending time and a lot of money visiting overpriced tourist attractions and amusement parks, choose one or two attractions to visit, but for the rest of your stay, find out what is on the community calendar. Sometimes, the community events are free. You can't get better than free! Happy trails.