Family Travel Centre

Who says that you can not travel with a family on a tight budget? All it takes is it a little creativity and a lot of planning and that family vacation can happen for under five hundred dollars. Yes, I said it FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Okay, so you may have to be willing to sleep under the stars and pack a lunch but the time that you will spend with the ones that you love will be worth it.

Our first vacation experience will be the Great Smoky Mountains with all of its magnificent views, abundant wildlife, and endless tourist stops. The Smoky Mountains’ are home to numerous camp sites, hotels, and other forms of lodging. A campsite in the Great Smoky Mountains’ National Park is $14-$23 per night according to the official website. There are approximately 20 campsites within 20 miles of the national park. As for hotel rooms, there are thousands. The cheapest hotels are to be found in Pigeon Forge, the new found tourist Mecca of the Smokey’s. Out of season rooms can be commonly found for $19.99 a night so sleeping under the stars does not have to be the only option.

Hint, if you do splurge for a hotel look for one that offers a complementary breakfast or in the least has a mini fridge and microwave. This will save tremendously on the food budget. And while we are on that subject, remember restaurants are usually cheaper at lunch then dinner. So, opt to eat lunch as you main meal and eat at the hotel out of the cooler or the mini fridge for dinner.

Now, you have to keep the natives active because we all know that kids will not be content with just sitting back and enjoying the fresh mountain air and some quality time. So, what do we do now that most of the budget is gone for gas, lodging, and food? Free entertainment of course. And yes, it is out there. You just have to know where to look and how to find it.