How To Vacation Cheaply with Your Family

This past year we have seen a decline in housing prices, the first time in years. Gas prices continue to climb and our purchasing power is declining. Fortunately, our children are often oblivious to these troublesome facts. They still want to go on vacation. With little money left over, camping can be an economical option that will create memories better than Disney World. Try these guidelines to help you build the trip they will remember forever, even if you have never camped before.

1. Find your campsite! Camping does not need to be a backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon. (And the Grand Canyon shouldn't be your first trip anyway.) Start with something close. Remember, our goal is to have fun, and keep it inexpensive. Traveling is expensive. Look no further than 100 miles from home. State parks and national forests can be a great source to start with. ReserveAmerica is a good site to start with. Your own state may have a website to get you familiar with the state park system. The federal government has a website for national forests and landmark sites. Many of the public campgrounds can be crowded, so call and talk to a park ranger. They can guide you to a campground that will suit your needs. Many people like the lesser-traveled campgrounds that allow you to be closer to nature. A park ranger will tell you what you need to know about individual campgrounds.
2. Develop a list of activities. Most vacations are focused on the activities. If you don't plan the activities, everyone will be sitting around complaining that they are bored. Many campgrounds provide more activities than you could possibly imagine. Others are located within easy reach of national monuments. Plan on taking some games with you. These are necessary when the weather does not cooperate, or simply when you're tired. Board games, card games, and sports equipment are all viable pieces of entertainment that can easily be taken on the road. Better yet, most families have these items at home. If you don't have these items at home, they are relatively inexpensive. Remember, a typical vacation can cost over $3,000. $100 spent on games is cheap - and they continue to be around after the camping vacation. Also, plan on hiking, swimming, horseback riding, etc. These can be very inexpensive ways to spend time together. It may also give you a chance to learn a new skill. Reading a map is easy - just start with the beginner trails. Remember that camp rangers are your friends. Tell them where you are going, especially if you've never been on a trail before.
3. Plan your menu. We spoke of activities above and one of the joys of camping is cooking outdoors. Cooking and eating are activities in and of themselves. Cooking on an open fire is not environmentally fashionable anymore. Charcoal is okay, but most folks cook on a portable stove. Coleman makes a great stove that works very much like your gas stove at home. Advanced campers will talk about Dutch oven cooking, foil cooking, etc. If this is your first campout, you may want to consider a grill and a propane stove as your only cooking sources. If you feel comfortable expanding your menu, consider cooking in aluminum foil. It's fun for the kids and it's easy to clean up. Many articles about outdoor family camping are available on the web. Going "out" to eat is always a possibility, depending on where you are. However, restaurant eating can be done anywhere. Eating out in the "wild" is an experience in and of itself.
4. Get your equipment together. Equipment need not be extensive. You basically need shelter, food, and clothing.
   • Shelter. If you have a tent, you're done. A family tent can be purchased for $100-200. For a family of four, I would buy a tent big enough for 6 people. There are lots of variants of tents, but I would not be too concerned with this purchase. A 3-season dome tent for 6 people should suit a family of 4 perfectly. Plenty of websites are available to discuss the differences in material and the pros/cons of cheap tents. For the recreational user, the tent listed above should be just fine. Remember the sleeping bag, too. No, you don't actually need a sleeping bag. Depending on the evening temperature, a handful of sheets and blankets will do just as well. If you want, a cot or camping mat can cushion the hard ground. A cot can be fairly expensive ($70 and up) vs. a camping mat that can be as cheap as $5-10.
   • Food. See the recommendations above. One warning - secure your food. Do not store food inside your tent. A locking ice chest, plastic box, etc. is necessary to keep critters out of your food. It's amazing how well they smell and how bold they can be when food is involved. They will try to get at your food, but if it is stored in a hard case, you should be good enough.
   • Clothing. Shorts, t-shirts, etc. are all that is needed. Remember the sunscreen because a bad sunburn will ruin a vacation. Raid your dresser at home. When hanging out at the campsite, very little is needed that is special. Special clothing becomes more important when backpacking.
   • Water. This can be a source of frustration. When scheduling your campsite, make sure there is drinkable water at the site. Sometimes it is necessary to bring in drinkable (potable) water.

Comparison of Camping vs. Typical Vacation Costs

• Expense totals
• Campsite: $30-50 (5 nights)
• Activities: $0-300 (games, etc.)
• Food: $200-500 (depending on your taste)
• Equipment: $50-400
• Travel: $30
• Total: $310 - 1280

• Hotel: $100 x 5 = $500
• Activities = $500+
• Food: $700-1000
• Equipment: None
• Travel: $800-2500 (or more)
• Total: $2500-4500+

As you can see, a camping trip can be very economical, especially compared to a "big" trip out of state. However, you can still have just as much fun and create even more memories on a camping trip. Many people are scared of camping, but there is no need. A little bit of planning and a little questioning of the ranger staff can avoid many, if not all, of the common pitfalls. One last hint--don't forget to take your camera. There will be plenty of opportunities to take pictures.