I am so ready to start planning my summer vacation. I always try to find little ways to do some sightseeing on a budget as well as save on our airfare and hotel.
The more we save, the more awesome things we can do. I also like to go out to eat when I’m on vacation. It’s just not a vacation if you have to cook! At least for me anyway 🙂 .
I love being able to do family friendly tourist attractions and activities as a way to see the city we are in. The costs can add up really quick if you want to do several things.
Use these tricks to save on things like water sports, zoos, museums, city tours, and so much more. You can even save on your stay-cation!
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State Tourism Website: If you are traveling out of state or even to a different part of your state, check out the state’s tourism website for a travel guide. You can get one sent to you in the mail.
They usually have some great coupons for some of the most popular lodging, restaurants, and activities. Check out the website for any local events that are going on in the area like festivals or fairs.
These are usually free to get into and they make for a great family day.
Daily Deal Sites: Before I do any kind of family outing, whether I’m on vacation or not, I always check sites like Groupon and Living Social. They are the best places to find deals on activities. Just type in the city you will be in and search under local deals.
Most of the deals are 50% off or more! I have seen great prices on kayaking, rafting, rock climbing, zoos, concerts, zip lines, theme parks, city tours, and more.
Plus, they have some great deals on dining out as well that you should really check out. You could plan your whole trip around daily deals!
Go City Card: If you want to see a lot of attractions on your visit, you might want to get a Go City Card. It provides admission to multiple attractions for one low price, you can save up to 55% off gate admission.
It is available in popular cities like: Boston, Orlando, Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago, New York, and more. There are different packages so you can pick what is right for you.
Budget-Friendly Things to Do
Entertainment Coupon Books: These are great to have for your own city but they are also good to have for any city you plan on traveling to.
They offer some great 2 for 1 or 50% off coupons for local restaurants, activities, and travel. They are currently only $16 and are available for over 100 cities!
I’ve bought several Entertainment Coupon books throughout the years and it has saved us a lot of money. It is well worth the price.
Season Passes: This is one to do if you actually live in the city, not just doing one visit. I love the fact that I live in a large city and we have a bunch of attractions that we can do as a family. It’s a great way to do some local sightseeing on a budget.
I was looking at the price of a season pass to a local theme park and it would pay for itself after only 2 visits! This is definitely the way to go if you want to keep the kids occupied during the summer.
Check out your local zoos, museums, theaters, aquariums, theme parks, etc. to see how much their season passes are. They usually include some benefits too, like free parking!
I love using these sites to find great deals so we can do some sightseeing on a budget and it helps us stay under our vacation budget. Planning ahead really does help and it saves us a bunch of money.
Do you have any big vacation plans this year? What are some ways that you save on attractions and sightseeing?
Pepper Dasnee says
Thank you! Will keep these in mind 🙂 I’m travelling overseas in a few weeks and I’m so excited!
hewella1 says
You are welcome. That is exciting! Where are you going?