Category: Travel and Vacations

Around 35 percent of American families go on vacation.

Millennials without kids are less likely to travel than people in their 20’s and 30’s with kids. However, these destinations are perfect for couples and singles alike.

Here are some of the best vacation spots you might not know about:

1. Travel Destinations: Chiapas, Mexico

If you’re looking to travel on the cheap, consider going to Chiapas, Mexico. Chiapas is full of nature and history. Mexico is one of the best countries to visit, but people tend to overlook Chiapas.

If you’re looking for an adventure, you’ll find one in Chiapas. Chiapas has waterfalls, canyons, and a vibrant city worth checking out. There are also the ruins of Palenque.

It only costs around $20 to $30 per day to have fun in Chiapas. Since the city survived an earthquake in 2017, Chiapas needs your tourism dollars. Plan a dream vacation to a place like Chiapas today.

2. Bohemian Paradise, Czech Republic

Bohemian Paradise is in the Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. It’s known for having outstanding views and natural rock formations that will make your jaw drop.

This area has been inspiring artists with its natural beauty for centuries. Visit the Pravoch Rocks or Besedice Rocks in Mala Skala for some of the most unforgettable views you’ll ever see.

You can also visit the ruins of different castles. This includes Trosky castle, Frydstejn Castle, and more. You’ll have to trek through the forest to get to these castle ruins.

3. Tunisia

Tunisia is one of the best vacation ideas anyone could ever have. Contrary to popular belief, Tunisia is an exciting and safe destination for tourists.

Tunisia has beautiful beaches that aren’t as populated in other Mediterranean places like, say, Greece. You can enjoy Tunisian beaches in peace.

There are also a lot of significant cultural sights to see. Tunisia has eight UNESCO World Heritage sites including ancient medinas, Islamic holy sites, and Roman cities.

4. Okinawa, Japan

Japan is one of the best vacation spots because it’s exciting and safe. Okinawa is one of the most preserved Japanese islands yet it doesn’t have too much tourist traffic.

Okinawa has something for everyone. Enjoy the beaches of Cape Hedo and admire the rock formations on the coast. Visit the Shuri Castle that has been standing since the 14th century.

Okinawa isn’t as industrialized or crowded as other places in Japan. Go on the Uruchi river cruise to explore the jungle and see hidden waterfalls.

5. Hilo, Hawaii

Despite being the biggest Hawaiian island, Hilo remains a hidden gem. This island is also full of sights you can’t see anywhere else.

Visit Volcanoes National Park and see a live volcano for yourself. You can even helicopter over the lava to truly experience the volcano up close.

Hilo also has other beautiful sites like Rainbow Falls and pristine beaches. Hilo is one of a kind and worth checking out. Consider visiting this location, even if you have to plan a last-minute vacation.

Plan The Vacation of Your Dreams

People who take vacations have lower stress levels, a better outlook on life, less risk of heart disease, and more motivation to accomplish their goals. Experience the health benefits of a vacation by booking one of these travel destinations today.

Vacations also improve your physical and mental health by decreasing your cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone that spikes under stress. Too much cortisol can result in weight gain, depression, heart problems, and more.

Prepare more for your vacation by learning more about traveling. It’s the best gift you can give yourself.

Do you have young explorers at home who want nothing more than to swim with Nemo or say “hi” to a sea turtle? If you do, your next vacation is the perfect time to introduce them to snorkeling and scuba diving.

All around the world, resorts and dive shops have special programs for families and kids so they can lean their love for their water-breathing buddies and the deep blue sea.

If you or your children aren’t ready to learn to scuba yet, snorkeling would be a great alternative!

Here are 5 of the best places to take your kids snorkeling.

1. Cottrell Key, Florida

Cottrell Key is only five miles west of Key West and it’s filled to bursting with shallow reefs, coral formations, and sponges. If you’re looking to spot some parrotfish, stingrays, group and sea turtles, this is a great spot to take your kids.

2. Playa del Carmen, Mexico

If you’re interested in a resort setting where you don’t even have to leave in order to enjoy the fun, strap on your full face mask and head to Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

This resort and the area surrounding it is full of ancient Mayan history and ruins. Guests at Sandos Caracol Eco Resort can dive into the unique location by snorkeling in a crystal clear cenote. These are naturally occurring underground springs. You’ll be surrounded by over 60 species of animals and 25 species of trees.

3. Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin

Snorkeling probably isn’t the first thing you think of when you think about Wisconsin, but Lake Michigan has some incredible spots to explore. Bailey’s Harbor is only 2 hours north of Green Bay and it offers a shipwreck snorkeling trip.

4. Kankakee, Illinois

Illinois is another strange place to consider snorkeling, but Haigh Quarry in Kankakee is a great place for divers and snorkelers alike. The quarry isn’t used anymore and for several years after its closure in the 1970s, it sat unused. Someone purchased the land in the late 70s and unplugged some of the pumps the mining company left behind.

In three years, the quarry was filled with spring-fed water and is now a great place to take kids snorkeling.

5. La Jolla, California

If your kids are determined to swim with sharks, this is the snorkeling spot for you. Here, snorkelers can see plenty of leopard sharks during their outing. There’s also no shortage of bottom feeders and rays alike.

How to Teach Kids Snorkeling

No matter where you take your kids snorkeling, you need to make sure they’re prepared. Five or six is the best age to start and the pool or a bathtub is the ideal training ground.

Breathing only through your mouth is a skill kids need to practice, so don’t put them anywhere they’re not familiar with right off the bat.

Start your child with the face mask before you ad the snorkel and make sure it fits well. Let them take it at their own pace and follow their lead, never push if they seem to want to stop.

When you try real life snorkeling in the sea, start off with a calm spot so as to not unnerve them.

Snorkel On!

Kids snorkeling is a great first step to get your little ones familiar with the water, it’s many life forms, and the possibility of scuba diving. There’s nothing quite as magical as interacting with your environment, especially as a child.

For more fun family ideas and tricks to save some extra cash for that snorkeling vacation, visit the rest of my blog today!

Vacations are expensive. Let’s face it.

How are you supposed to take an enjoyable vacation when you’re pinching every penny in your everyday life? There’s gas, plane tickets, daily excursions, food, and more. When you tally up the costs, even a camping excursion can rack up a large sum.

But the vacation you want to take could be the experience of a lifetime. If you have a family, you want to do your best to create valuable memories that will last. If you’re a solo-traveler planning to backpack Europe, it’s likely that you’re aching for that trip and are just seeking for a way to make it happen.

Here’s the thing: it’s entirely possible to inch away towards the sum you need to have an excellent vacation. Read on, and you’ll find out a few key ways to save money and put it away towards a vacation.

How to Save for a Vacation

1. Where are You Blowing Your Money?

It’s understandable to splurge a little on things like coffee and snacks whenever you stop for gas. We all have those little guilty pleasures that we shouldn’t be spending money one, but is that where you want your money to go?

If you add up the cost of your weekly spending on non-essentials, you’re likely to find that you’re spending a lot more than you had previously thought. Things like soda, treats, movie tickets, and the like are all things that be eliminated.

If you dedicate yourself to a year without, say, drinking soda, you’ll be able to save maybe a thousand dollars alone on that front. Not to mention, you’ll be a lot lighter for that hike through the Andes!

The most important thing you can do to save money for your vacation is cut out non-essential spending, and set aside the money you would use whenever you have a hankering for that bag of Doritos, or can of soda.

2. Garage Sale

It can be difficult to start saving when your vacation fund is meager. It’s a lot easier to set money aside when you can see the result of your frugality. A great way to get your savings started is by having a garage sale.

Gather up all of the stuff you don’t need- old clothes, microwaves, knick-knacks, whatever. Often times you can get rid of a lot of clutter while making a couple hundred dollars to tuck away for your trip.

A lot of times neighborhoods will have community garage sale days. These are great because everyone knows that there will be a sale, giving you a lot of traffic that you would otherwise miss out on. If you don’t have a community garage sale day, you can always advertise on Facebook a few days in advance to get the word out.

3. Pawn Shops

Pawn shops are often a place that your parents tell you never to enter. They rouse images of people selling their priceless items just to have money for gas or cigarettes. This is definitely not the case, and you can get some value out of the things that you couldn’t otherwise get rid of on Craigslist or similar sites.

Know that you won’t get the full value for your items. Resort to pawn shops only if you know that you’re not going to be able to sell your items to anyone else. Additionally, if you’re not having luck selling online and your trip is coming near, pawn shops are a great way to get that last little cushion that you need.

4. Get a Side Job

There are a lot of employers that are just looking for part-time work. If you already have a full-time job and you need a little extra cash, consider finding something that only requires you to work one or two days a week.

There are plenty of part-time gigs on Craigslist or Indeed, and you won’t be tied down to a commitment that you aren’t able to come through for. Another thing to consider is working for a delivery service, or taking online surveys.

You will find a lot of little side-gigs online if you do a little research.

5. Get a Separate Savings Account

It’s really easy to dip into your vacation fund when you need new tires or your old bicycle needs a tune-up. If you’re not in dire need of money, do your best to find out how to get the money you need in other ways.

Your vacation will never happen if you keep pulling money from your savings. An easy way to avoid this trouble is to create a separate account to save your vacation money in.

You can set limits on withdrawals, having a way to keep your money safe from yourself. If your wallet gets too tight you can always use the money for something you need, but if your goal is to go on a vacation try to discipline yourself and save what you want to save.

6. Seek out Deals

There are a lot of sites online that send email blasts with travel deals. Whether you need to take a survey or subscribe to a website, you may find a lot of discounts online.

Additionally, keep an eye out for plane tickets far in advance. You’ll often find the best deals if you’re thinking ahead and planning your trip a few months out. In fact, if you buy the tickets early, you’ll be more inclined to save that money and dedicate yourself to planning your trip.

Use the Resources at Your Disposal

There are so many great ways to find deals on vacations available online. Do some research and make sure to fine-tune your trip to your preferences and your family’s needs.

If you’re having difficulty finding extra money to set aside for your vacation, take advice from other people who have done it. Often times it takes that friend or individual online who has a special trick or trip. Be sure to look around online for advice on travel or budgeted living.

Do you dream of watching wild giraffes stroll across the savanna? Would you love to see a pride of lions lounging in the shade or a stampede of migrating wildebeest?

Let’s face it: Most African safari packages are not cheap. So regardless of what your heart yearns for, your bank account might be holding you back.

If this sounds like you, don’t despair. The truth is that you can take an affordable African safari–you just have to know how to budget and where to look.

In this post, we’ll give you some expert tips on planning an African safari that won’t break the bank. Read on!

1. Choose the Right Destination

The best places to take a cheap safari are countries that are easily accessible and offer a lot of options.

You may dream of a safari in Tanzania or Kenya, but these areas are known for luxury accommodations and high park entrance fees. Many reserves in Botswana and Zambia are very remote and can only be accessed by private plane–which means bigs bucks for you.

For an affordable African safari, consider South Africa, Zimbabwe, or Namibia. These countries are much more accessible to the budget traveler while still offering excellent reserves.

2. Book Through a Local Operator

Major international tour companies may have flashy websites, but don’t be fooled. You’ll almost always get a better deal–and better experience–by going local.

Locally based safari operators offer local guides and better safari deals than the big-name companies. You may even be lucky enough to snag a great last-minute deal on your dream safari.

Cape Town-based companies such as African Budget Safaris offer terrific packages at very reasonable prices.

3. Travel During the Off-Season

Another helpful hint when planning an African safari? Book your visit during the off-season.

Although this usually coincides with the rainy season, it’s unlikely to rain all day, every day. Instead, you’ll enjoy far fewer crowds and better chances of seeing newborn babies and migrating birds.

Best of all, prices drop significantly during the off-season. If you want to take a cheap safari, this is the time of year to do it.

4. Save on Accommodation

A huge portion of most African safari packages is the accommodation. While five-star lodges and gourmet chefs certainly sound appealing, they can make a serious dent in your savings account.

To save money, select a budget option for accommodation. A 2- or 3-star hotel will still be very comfortable at a fraction of the price of its five-star counterparts.

Looking to save even further? Pick up some camping gear and take advantage of the cheap campsites scattered around most major game reserves. It’s also possible to rent a 4WD vehicle with a rooftop tent and all necessary supplies.

Why pay for a luxury hotel when you can sleep beneath the stars in the open savanna?

Book Your Affordable African Safari Today

So, what are you waiting for? Now that you know how to find an affordable African safari, all that’s left to do is pack!

Feeling inspired? Looking for more helpful tips on where and how to travel frugally?

Check out our latest travel posts for more information.

Looking for an inexpensive way to give you and your family a break from everyday life?

Look around, North America has 417 state parks waiting for you to explore. Visiting a cool park can change your child’s life by exposing them to the wonders of our country.

Taking the family on a trip to the country’s stunning national parks would make for a cheap summer vacation.

Not sure which cool park is right for your family trip? We’ve listed up five family-friendly parks in America. Add them all to your bucket list and start planning your next family trip today.

1. Great Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the most-visited national park in 2017 with over 11 million visitors. Visit the Great Smoky Mountains for waterfalls, swimming holes, and horseback rides.

The parents can kick back and relax at Deep Creek. This gorgeous site has creeks and waterfalls. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a local vendor offering tubing packages and rentals.

2. Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon National Park is just that–Grand! If you’ve only seen it in photos, it’s about time you see its glory in person.

Go for a drive along Desert View Drive, where a 25-mile cruise will offer unforgettable views. Stop along the way at one of the picnic areas for a sweet picnic with your family.

Don’t let planning the details keep you from visiting one of these beloved parks. Experience Park Tours can help you plan your next trip.

3. Yosemite National Park

The Yosemite National Park goes the extra mile to accommodate families. They have a Family Adventure experience that starts at $7.50 per participant.

This activity tasks families to navigate three miles of trails in the park with a hand-held GPS. Your family will uncover history and stories (you may even find some secret treasures).

Even if you don’t take part in the adventure, the gushing waterfalls and iconic valleys will be more than enough.

4. Redwood National Park

The trees of Redwood National Park stand as the tallest in the world!

Taking a stroll through the Redwoods will remind your kids of a page from a storybook with the mossy, tall trees. They’ll probably get a kick out of driving underneath the Chandelier Tree!

Many families make a stop to this park during the two-hour round trip from Berry Glenn to Fern Canyon. Fern Canyon offers a small creek for kids to splash around in and a lovely view of fern varieties.

5. Great Sand Dunes

The Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado is a kid favorite.

This national park is home to North America’s highest sand dunes–reaching up to 750 feet.

If you visit in early summer, you will see Medano Creek running through the main access area. Children build sand sculptures and play along the creek before heading to the dunes.

If you plan on visiting during the Summer, beware of scorching temperatures. Surface sand temperatures can rise to 140?F on summer days.

Take plenty of water and wear tennis shoes to protect your feet from burning sands.

Cool Park Trips for the Family

These national parks can be tons of fun while offering some of the country’s natural beauty.

If you can carve out time for your family to enjoy the fine scenery of a national park, you won’t regret it.

Plan a trip to one (or all) of these amazing national parks with your family soon. Do these fun summer activities with your kids, too!