Three Wonderul Spring Vacations in the U.S. On a Budget

If you're thinking about a spring vacation, you probably already know that it's often the best time to travel not only for good values, but fewer crowds and nice weather, as long as you're not planning on Disneyland or any of the other extremely popular spring break vacations.

Here are three of the best spring travel destinations in the U.S. to bring you peace and quiet, and a lot of bang for your buck.

Yellowstone National Park

The month of May is one of the best times to visit Yellowstone National Park. Summer brings traffic jams and hordes of crowds, but mid to late spring you'll find more wildlife than people. Although you'll probably find at least some snow covering the ground, much of it is beginning to melt by mid-spring, and the skies are typically bright blue with the sun bringing out the first of the wildflowers. In the summer, there are so many people surrounding Old Faithful waiting for it to erupt, it's hard to get a good picture. In the spring, you might find only a few photographers waiting for that perfect shot.

Another great benefit of visiting the park in the spring, is that you'll get a much better bargain for lodging. A quick check of mid-May hotels will find rates as low as $70, whereas in mid-July they're more than double that price.

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

May through mid-June is magical at Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. You'll find fewer tourists, but endless opportunities to view wildlife, including calves, pups, cubs, kids, nestlings, goslings and more on both the land and sea. The climate is fairly mild, and the rain isn't as frequent. June is the peak time for spotting bears, and the whales will be returning to the bay.

Both cruises and lodging in the area can be found at bargain prices compared to summer rates.

Florida Keys

The month of May is usually the best time to visit the Keys. The spring breakers will be gone, the extreme heat and humidity hasn't arrived yet, and hurricane season doesn't begin until June. The mainland locals usually don't head down until summer so you'll miss those crowds as well.

One of my favorite places to stay is at Bahia Honda State Park. Camping cabins that are perched on stilts above the water can be rented for as little $122 per night. You'll find excellent snorkeling and swimming, as well as beautiful beaches right outside your door. It's also an ideal place for bird watching, and you'll likely spot at least a few of the tiny Key Deer that are indigenous to the Florida Keys.

Take a sailboat cruise on the water, watching the dolphins swim and play as you sip champagne while the sun goes down. You'll feel like you're living a life of luxury, but all at the bargain prices you'll find in May.

K.C. Dermody is a freelance writer and a Featured Contributor for Yahoo!Travel. She has traveled to nearly all 50 states, and many countries worldwide, and has a passion for imparting what she has learned from her experiences to others.

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