10 US Family Vacation Ideas For Those On A Budget

By the time you are done deciding on your budget, travel expenses, food, lodging, clothing, and whatnot, you'll find yourself sitting in a tight spot on where to start when experiencing the US with your family on a strict budget. The continent itself is massive enough to send your head in a whirlpool to select the best vacation spots at a lesser cash expenditure. If you are unaware of how to start your journey, we have you covered with our 10 US family vacation ideas on a budget! 

Let us head straight into some popular tourist attractions that would save you a lot of money on your vacation:

1. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

If you and your family love some good hiking trips to nature and mountains, the Grand Canyon National park has you covered in terms of expense and aesthetics. The most popular spot to start with at the park is the Grand Canyon Village which provides some of the best scenic views of the canyon. You can delve into some of the geology at Yavapai Geology Museum along your way, enjoy the thrill of the Grand Canyon Skywalk and stare in awe at the lush blue waters of the Havasupai Falls. 

Once you visit the park, you will fall in love with its beauty and the versatility it offers as a vacation spot and unwind with your family. 

2. Hershey's, Pennslyvania

What else could go wrong than to see your Chocolate factory dreams come true? You even get to enjoy some great amusement rides at the Hershey's chocolate theme park! The 115-year-old theme park gives your sweet tooth a good tickle with over 60 plus chocolate-inspired rides, including pools, roller coasters, a campground, and a water park. The Chocolatier Restaurant, a brand-new chocolate-themed dining restaurant, gives you a fantastic theme park view.

You can also visit Hershey's chocolate world, the largest candy house globally, and get an entire tour of the place at a meager cost compared to Disney World.

3. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park is a one-of-a-kind natural sanctuary that would mesmerize you with its immense beauty, deep canyons, tall mountains, geysers, forestry, and wildlife. It is one of the best places to visit with your family on a budget if you wish to explore the wonders of nature and the wild beings running across the stretch of land. 

Yellowstone offers some great and challenging hiking trails that are disable-friendly and wheelchair accessible. Campgrounds present at the park would let you set up your tent and heat some marshmallows with your kids before having a grand stargazing session. The place is no less of a fairytale alone. 

4. Universal Orlando, Florida

That one thing your kids would ask for the most in the States is none other than Disney World. We know that the amusement park shows no mercy to your wallet; hence, the Universal Orlando is the best alternative. Your day will be well spent at this theme park with all the fun rides and joy trips. A few specialties not to miss here is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for all the Potterheads to become their favorite character for a day! Get on with the Transformers roller coaster ride and Jurrasic World for your dinos to give a scare! 

The park also offers an entire Universal tour ride, and you can enjoy shopping at the Universal Citywalk and much in-house entertainment. Your kids would surely love what Universal has to offer, and it would be a great addition to your vacation plans to the USA. 

5. Washington D.C.

You must be thinking why Washington D.C. is on this list with all its glamor and beauty. Worry not! It is one of the most budget-friendly spots in the USA for family vacations. The Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and the Washington Monument are among the most popular tourist attractions in DC. Because they are all close to each other, you can visit them all at once. The National Art Gallery, the National Spy Museum, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum are among the institutions to visit.

For those interested in flora and fauna of the United States, DC contains the US Botanic Garden and the National Zoological Park. The Hampton Inn, Hyatt Regency Washington, and West End Washington DC Tapestry Collection by Hilton are some of the mid-range and budget hotels in DC near some of the above-mentioned landmarks.

6. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

There are so many things to do at Myrtle Beach, including amusement and water parks, mini-golf courses, and an aquarium, that you'd want to stay for a longer time with your family! There is much more to do at Myrtle Beach if walking across the white sand is not your cup of tea. You can find yourself sipping on your favorite drink under an umbrella. At the same time, your children build some sandcastles or go shopping at Broadway at the Beach, a 350-acre entertainment and shopping complex, where you're likely to find something to your liking.

Some of the best tourist spots at Myrtle Beach are Alligator Adventure, Blackbeard's Pirate Cruise, and Carolina Opry which gives you and your family a complete fun-filled trip within a budget.

7. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama

The family-friendly Gulf Shores and Orange Beach area has 32 miles of soft white beachfront along the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico, located on a narrow barrier island near Alabama's southernmost tip. Pine tree woods, freshwater lakes, rivers, bayous, and coves with various wildlife characterize the inland areas beyond the sandy dunes. The beach offers many other family-friendly and budget visits, such as The Ferris Wheel on The Wharf, the Fort Morgan Historic Site, and the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. 

The Gulf state park gives the tourist the majestic experience of 6500 acres of protected land, lengthy hiking trails, and great beach stretches, a favorite for family vacations. 

8. Niagara Falls, NY

What is grander than watching the most splendid site worldwide? From the Northern border, you can easily witness the beauty of the 188ft Niagara Falls, where the water rushes at 70 mph! For a site-seeing adventure, parking facilities are available, which do not require a cross-border journey to view the scene alone. There are plenty of other things to do at the falls, including a shuttle boat ride! 

If you are lucky enough, you may be able to spot some beautiful rainbows that glisten across the waters, making it just a perfect experience for you and your family.

9. Yosemite, California

Yosemite isn't just one of California's most beautiful landscapes but also one of the world's most outstanding displays of natural beauty. It is a dream come true for any nature lover and is a great place to introduce your children to the beauty of Earth. Waterfalls, thousand-year-old sequoia trees, and some of the most challenging rock formations in the United States are among the over 1,200 square miles of Yosemite.

Despite the park's vast size, most visitors rush to an 8-square-mile section of Yosemite Valley, which contains the park's most notable features, such as the Half Dome rock formation and the infamous monolithic El Capitan, as beautiful hiking trails through the natural monuments. 

10. Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica, a city inside a city, is a beautiful home base for family beach holidays because of its location within greater Los Angeles. Compared to Los Angeles, beaches are budget-friendly and more approachable when planning a family trip to the U.S. The famous beach stretch lies adjacent to the Santa Monica pier, a complete amusement park adventure for you and your family. You get to enjoy the high rides of the Ferris wheel and the rollercoaster, something which the kids love without a doubt. 

The beaches, including Venice Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Hermosa Beach, would greet you with skaters, bike rides, art, dance, and a cultural vibe to make your stay worth the money. 

Wrapping up

The United States is just what anyone would think, a place of cultural unity and a natural hub for people across the globe to visit and experience. From long beaches, hot sand, palm trees, and Ferris wheel to chocolate factories and casinos, you get the best experiences for all age groups and genders. We hope our article helped you plan the perfect budget-friendly vacation for you and your family! Visit leisure.com for more information on traveling and trips!