Vacation Cheaply

The end of the school year and summer is fast approaching us. Have you planned a family vacation this year? Even if the budget for vacationing is small, you can still plan a fun family outing that will create lasting memories. The most important thing about your vacation is not where or for how long you go or how much money you spend, it is about the time you spend with your family and the memories that you create together.

Utah is abound with wonderful places to visit and things to see. Pick a city, a national park or landmark that you haven’t visited recently, or ever, and plan an overnighter or a few days around that location. If you do your research, you can have a well-planned and cheap vacation. Make sure that you budget for your trip and all expenditures (including small souvenirs) and stick to your budget.

The internet is an incredible resource for planning vacations (and is available free at the library). Many online visitors bureaus and city tourist websites will mail you information, brochures and coupons to help you plan your vacation. Ask other people about where they have vacationed and what they like to do in certain cities. Sometimes the most enjoyable and free outings are not always listed in the brochures.

Also, the Salt Lake County Libraries have state park passes available for check-out. They are available for one week, (check-out on Wed and due back the following Tues). The passes allow free day use at almost all state parks and a discount on camping fees. Each library location has only one pass available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tips for Vacationing Cheaply:

• Travel close, save on gas
• Pack your lunch
• Stay somewhere that includes a continental breakfast
• Stock the hotel fridges with breakfast and lunch supplies
• Use coupons
• Plan in advance what your activities will be and budget for them
• Contact the city, county or state you will be vacationing for travel info
• Look into passes for zoos, museums, etc – sometimes local ones are reciprocal in other states
• Search around for great deals – sometimes you can get package deals (airfare, rental car, etc)
• Don’t forget the library – travel books, atlases, state park passes, local exploration passes, etc

Just a few Utah Travel Websites:
http://www.visitsaltlake.com/visit/
http://www.2chambers.com/tourist40.htm - Lists major cities in Utah and websites for their visitors bureaus
http://www.utah.com/
http://travel.utah.gov/