How to make family vacations more memorable, affordable

Children can learn about sensible spending even while they are pursuing a good time
By SUSAN WARREN
The Wall Street Journal

Family vacations might have been considered a luxury once upon a time. In today’s overscheduled world, they are increasingly seen as essential.

The trouble is, traveling as a family cranks up the costs, as well as the fun.

“We find that even parents in the premium category still are concerned about their spending getting out of whack,” said Nancy Nelson-Duac, executive editor of FamilyTravelFiles.com, a Web site based in St. Augustine, Fla., that offers advice for parents traveling with children.

To give your children a memorable holiday, it isn’t necessary to spend like it’s play money — or to act like a Scrooge. With a little planning, there are lots of ways to economize.

At the same time, your children can learn about sensible spending even in pursuit of a good time. To give them perspective on expenses, tell older children how much parts of the trip cost, or assign a youngster to keep a daily tally of hotel, meal and souvenir bills.

The biggest thing to remember: What children value most about family vacations is the time spent together.

“It’s not the tchotchkes that make your holiday, it’s the memories,” Nelson-Duac said. “Coughing up more money doesn’t necessarily make it a wonderful holiday.”

What follows is a guide that can help make your future family vacations both memorable and more affordable.

WHERE TO GO

Where does it say that you must spend big to have big fun?

“You don’t want to go on vacation and regret it every time you go out to eat,” said Dorothy Jordon, publisher of FamilyTravelTimes.com, a New York Internet travel resource for families.

For inexpensive domestic travel, one of the most overlooked destinations is state parks. Some can rival private resorts in the activities they offer: Canoeing, swimming, hiking, museums and historical re-enactments are common. Nor do you have to own an RV or sleep in a tent.

Check with a state’s tourism or natural resources department for information and reservations. Most states have detailed Web sites where you can research your trip, view pictures and make reservations.

Unfortunately, the weaker dollar has made foreign travel generally more expensive. But there are still good deals to be had.

A dollar goes further in Latin America or Canada than it does in Western Europe. French-speaking Quebec feels like a vacation in France with a much better exchange rate, and getting there is less expensive, as well. Argentina and Peru, too, are exotic destinations that cost less than many foreign hot spots.

Asia is another relatively cheap alternative to Europe, though the airfare can cost more. Several travel experts recommend South Korea, Thailand and Singapore as family-friendly.

If your heart is set on Europe, keep in mind that Western Europe is one of the most expensive vacation choices now, due in part to the relative strength of the euro. Parts of Eastern Europe, however, like Hungary and the Czech Republic, have not adopted the euro and still offer good value.

Some parts of the euro zone recognize the higher cost for Americans these days and offer discounts and special deals. Switzerland has a complimentary Swiss Family Card that allows children up to 16 to ride the train free with their parents. And a Flexi Pass for two adults traveling together can be purchased for about $300 for four days of second-class travel — cheaper than the usual $180-per-adult rate. Both offers are exclusively for foreign visitors.

Staying off the beaten path is another way to keep your costs down in Western Europe. Try to identify lesser-known locations around which a good number of activities, historical sites and attractions are clustered.

HOW TO GET THERE

The high gasoline prices likely this summer might have parents asking, “Are we there yet?” But if you plan ahead, you might not have to pay as much at the pump as some. Gasoline is often cheaper in the city than out on the highway, so fill up before leaving town. Try to avoid gas-eating rush hours in the big cities.

If you need to rent a car, hiring it for a week can be cheaper than for three or four days. Get your rental away from the airport, where prices run higher. And make sure the deal includes unlimited mileage.

If you’re headed abroad, airline tickets cost more the later you buy them, so book as early as possible. Fares also can depend on departure time and day, so being flexible pays. Compare airports, too. Ticket prices can vary considerably between airports less than 100 miles apart, and you might save money by driving a bit farther or taking commuter flights between airports.

So-called consolidators, such as those found at European Travel Network (www.etn.nl/discount), buy seats in bulk and sell them at a discount. Consolidators often can provide a cheaper fare for international travel than even the best deals from the better-known online travel specialists.

WHERE TO STAY

Conventional hotels are beginning to compete with suite-style hotels for family business. More are offering specials such as renting a second room for the children at half-price.

Boutique hotels or family-operated inns in smaller towns are generally cheaper than large chains in the big city, so consider staying outside town and commuting into the city for sightseeing.

If staying in one place is an option, the best deals for families, especially of five or more, are private rentals. Weekly rates for apartments or cottages can be dramatically cheaper than taking two hotel rooms.

Thousands of cottages and apartments all over the world are available for rent through private booking agencies, individual owners and government agencies like Britain’s National Trust, which offers 320 properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Most agents have Web sites with pictures and rates, and also can mail out catalogs of their properties.

HOW TO EAT

Restaurants are one of the biggest sources for impulse spending on the road. Hungry travelers often duck into the nearest establishment and end up paying more than they expected. Picky eaters — or children who are too excited to eat — can waste an expensive meal.

Renting a kitchen-equipped apartment or cottage is probably the best money-saver, though that might be less of a vacation for the head chef in the family.

If restaurants are a must, those outside city centers generally are less expensive. When in the city, ethnic restaurants can be a great place for good, cheap meals. And look for the local hangouts, which are often less expensive.

You can limit restaurant bills by doing what your own mom used to tell you: Start each day with a good breakfast. Many hotels — and, of course, bed and breakfasts — include breakfast in the room rate.

Families traveling with younger children — which means an earlier bedtime — also can save by splurging on a big lunch, followed by a light dinner. Pack snacks to curb appetites between meals. Picnics can be more fun for children and cheaper for parents.

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO BRING BACK

A common way for families to blow a vacation budget is by forgetting to factor in the cost of doing stuff and buying stuff.

Before leaving on vacation, contact local tourism bureaus and ask for free maps, guidebooks and discount coupon books. If you’re a member of a travel club like AAA, take advantage of the travel discounts and services that come with membership. Many larger cities sell a city pass, a book of tickets to local attractions such as museums, aquariums and sightseeing tours. Such deals provide a big savings compared with buying single tickets.

Ask locals what you can do and see free of charge. Entry fees for parks and museums and historic sites can add up quickly, while many natural attractions don’t cost anything, or require a modest fee for the entire day.

Travel experts recommend giving children their own allowance for souvenirs and letting them decide what to spend it on. Jordon found that her children suddenly got much more conservative about their spending when they had to manage their own money. “It cuts down on the ‘buy-me’ syndrome,” she said.

PACKAGE DEALS

The surest way to stick to a budget, many travel experts say, is to go with the package solution. All-inclusive deals, whether for a resort or an entire trip, not only make life easier, but they also remove much of the opportunity for impulse spending.

“The best thing about the all-inclusive package is there is no guesswork,” said Cindy Grant, owner of the Expert Family Travel agency in Dallas. “It’s more expensive in the beginning, but in the end you’ll be spending less.”

Lots of companies specialize in package tours for families. Packages and charters can be booked through travel agents, or through links that can be found on a variety of Web sites, including FamilyTravelFiles.com or FamilyTravelNetwork.com.

Will and Joan Weber, founders of Journeys International Inc. in Ann Arbor, Mich., have tested many of their company’s tours with their own children.

Airlines and destinations like Disney World also can offer good deals on family packages through their own Web sites.

Shop around. Some packages include children’s meals and activities for no additional charge, so long as the children stay in the parents’ hotel room.

Cruises can be another all-inclusive venue. Room, meals, entertainment — most everything on the ship comes with the price, with a few exceptions, like alcohol. Fall is the best time to get good deals on cruises, including discounts for the third or fourth person staying in a cabin.

If your family prefers more freedom, consider forming your own group tour with another family or two to share costs for things like rental houses and tour guides. Sharing costs with another family might mean you can afford a nicer rental in a better location.

Samantha McClure of Small World Travel in Austin, Texas, believes tour guides specializing in children are one of the best vacation investments. “My kids didn’t want to leave the Louvre after five hours with my favorite guide in Paris,” McClure said. The guide was “worth her weight in gold.”

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Cottage rental 101

Petula Brown

Embraced by hypnotizing steam from our four-person hot tub, my husband and I sipped chilled champagne to celebrate our wedding anniversary in North Carolina's Outer Banks. Blanketed by tingling bubbles as we gazed at the star-speckled midnight sky, only the most astute observer would know we're the parents of a toddler -- by noticing the baby monitor placed within eyeshot of our romantic interlude.

Such experiences explain not only the laid back appeal of the Outer Banks, but the benefits of cottage rentals as a family accommodation option. Most accommodations within the barrier island community 90 minutes south of the Norfolk Airport are cottages that are single-family homes rather than hotels. Sleeping upwards of 20 people and often including various amenities, cottage rentals can be a family-friendly alternative to the typical hotel/motel options.

For our family getaway, the two-story, four-bedroom cottage in the Northern Outer Banks community of Corolla was ideally suited to our three-person entourage. The nautical-themed interior complemented the views of lively ocean waves from the upper level. A private pool and hot tub were steps away from the house, so my husband and I could have couple time and, with baby monitor in tow, keep tabs on our little one. Our toddler got ample use of the cottage's high chair and crib. The kitchen was stocked with utensils that my spouse could use to make his signature dishes.

Creating a cottage rental paradise (kids included) in any locale is a manageable feat by taking care of business before as well as during the your vacation. Key steps include:

Identify rental must-have before looking at brochures -- We knew that an oceanfront property with linens and infant supplies (crib, etc.) were most important to us. Once we received dozens of brochures from agencies, it was much easier to narrow the playing field.

Investigate the host communities -- Know ahead of time if a locale caters to families. Quinn Capps of the Outer Banks Convention and Visitor's Bureau comments that facilities with a variety of amenities can appeal to a range of taste. One of the area's more family friendly cottage communities has "a golf course, club house, tennis courts and pool. During the summer season there are children's programs planned all the time at the clubhouse and pool. They also have a shuttle that will come and pick you up at your cottage and take you over to the club house, where the pool and tennis courts are, as well as the beach and there is no charge for the service."

Check if agencies participate in promotional activities -- By crosschecking rental agencies with tourism bureau promotional materials (visitor discount cards/coupons) as well as national programs (AAA, AARP, etc.) you may be able to snag additional savings.

Review contract details of the top two or three options -- As suggested by Ontario-based www.cottagesontheweb.com, "come to an agreement with the owner regarding liability of goods" that might be damaged during the course of your visit. When dealing with agencies, a contract's policies on damages (and willingness to negotiate) could vary between agencies.

Do a walkthrough as soon as possible after arrival -- Check and note the conditions of the property upon arrival. Any existing stains? Chipped fixtures? Pay particular attention to security issues. Monica Thibodeau, owner and manager of the Carolina Designs Realty in the Outer Banks suggest parents use due diligence by "checking for big intersections and that pool amenities are completely and securely fenced in."

Review the cottage guestbook -- If a guestbook is available, don't wait until the end of the stay to crack it open to share your comments -- learn from the experiences of others. During a casual skim of our cottage's guestbook our first evening, we discovered that multiple guests suffered from green hair after a dip in the pool. After a call to the agency the next day, the loop received an extra cleaning, which gave us the confidence to wade to our hearts' content!

If you go:
Finding cottage options -- The Vacation Rentals Manager's Association (www.vrma.com) is a great place to start investigating options no matter where you choose to vacation.

Getting to the Outer Banks -- Major airlines service the Norfolk International Airport, just under 85 miles north of the Outer Banks. From Norfolk, car rentals and charter flights (www.flyseaair.com, www.dillonsaviation.com) are available to reach the Outer Banks. For More Information, contact the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, (877) OBX-4FUN.