Happy Tuesday!

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room for a second…

Travel is getting expensive.

Hotels.
Flights.
Gas.
Food.
Attractions.

Even quick weekend trips feel like they cost more than they used to.

And honestly?

I think a lot of families are feeling it right now.

I know we are.

But here’s the thing…

I still want to travel with my family.

So instead of giving it up completely, I’ve just started thinking about it differently.

Not “how do we make this perfect?”

More like:

“How do we make this doable?”

And honestly, a few small shifts have made a really big difference for us.

Here are a few things we’ve been doing lately:

Stay closer to home sometimes

When most people think “vacation,” they picture somewhere far away.

(Me too 😄)

But every state has places worth exploring.

Some of our favorite trips have actually been simple road trips, lake towns, state parks, or destinations just a few hours away.

Less driving.
Less gas.
Less pressure.

And sometimes? Just as memorable. 💕

I shared more of our favorite ways to make road trips feel smoother in my Family Road Trip Tips post.

Compare vacation rentals vs. hotels

Depending on the destination, one can be way cheaper than the other.

Sometimes a hotel with free breakfast saves us more money.

Other times, a vacation rental with a kitchen makes more sense because we can cook a few meals ourselves.

I’ve learned there’s not one “right” answer. It really depends on the trip.

Stay where you plan to spend the most time

This has honestly helped us save more money than I expected.

Less driving around means less gas, less parking, and less stress trying to get from place to place.

Some of our favorite trips have actually been destinations where we barely used our car once we arrived.

Places like Mackinac Island, Niagara Falls, Vail, Seattle, and Chicago were all surprisingly easy to explore without constantly driving everywhere.

In Niagara Falls, we mostly used the WEGO bus system and Incline Railway.

In Seattle, we walked to a ton of attractions and used the monorail.

And of course, Mackinac Island is one of the ultimate walkable destinations since there are no cars at all.

That kind of setup can save more money than people realize.

If Niagara Falls is on your list, I shared all of our favorite family-friendly attractions, transportation tips, and hotel recommendations.​

Build in free or low-cost things to do

Some of our favorite travel memories have been:

• state parks
• roadside stops
• playgrounds
• scenic walks
• lake days
• hotel pool nights

Not everything has to cost money to feel special.

We also use our zoo and science center memberships at reciprocal attractions whenever we can, which has saved us a LOT over the years.

Save for travel little by little

This one sounds small, but it really adds up over time.

Packing lunch instead of eating out.
Skipping a coffee run here and there.
Saying no to a few extra little purchases.

But here’s the important part…

Actually move that money into a vacation savings account.

Even if it’s just $5 or $10 at a time.

Because otherwise, it just disappears into everyday life.

And honestly, watching that account slowly grow makes trips feel a whole lot more doable.

Travel might look different right now.

Maybe simpler.
Maybe closer to home.
Maybe a little less packed than it used to be.

But I still think family travel is worth it.

Even if we have to do it differently sometimes.

Stay tuned for more packing tips, behind-the-scenes travel hacks, and inspiration to make your trips feel doable and fun. I’m all about helping you make family travel as smooth as possible, so you can create memories without the headache.

Thanks for being part of the Travel Tuesday community, and I can’t wait to connect again soon!💕

✨ Want to make trip planning feel more doable?

If you want a simple way to organize your trips and keep spending/planning from feeling overwhelming, my Travel Itinerary Planner helps you map things out in a realistic, doable way.

If you’ve found ways to make travel feel more affordable lately, hit reply. I’d love to hear them 💛

May you LOVE your adventure!

Home - Loving This Adventure