10 tips for traveling as a family, for less

08.05.2024 - 21:57 / lonelyplanet.com

Now that you’re a family, traveling is more expensive. We get it.

It’s not just that prices for flights and accommodations spike during school breaks. (This is a constant, and it sucks.) It’s that the ongoing bite of inflation has made food, attraction tickets, gas, babysitters...everything ever-more expensive for everyone. For anyone traveling with children, these increases especially bite.

Yet even in an expensive moment, hope springs eternal. If you’re determined to explore the world with your little ones, let us help. Here are 10 tips for saving money and getting the most out of your next vacation together as a family.

It’s basic economics: the higher the demand, the higher the price. One solution? Get off the beaten track by avoiding tourist hot spots in favor of less-trendy destinations. Think rural Lazio over Tuscany, Adelaide over Sydney or Colombia over Costa Rica. With a bit of research, you’ll find fun things to do with the kids and enjoy the luxury of not having to battle through masses of other people to get ice cream or a family selfie. 

You can save money on accommodation and create memories you’ll all treasure by turning an overnight leg into an adventure. An overnight train or ferry (or, if you're brave enough, even an overnight bus) will be a huge event for kids – and a story they’ll retell again and again when they get home. Alternatively, a family road trip using your own vehicle avoids hefty airfares and rental-car costs.

If you’ve had a text chain or email list to help you through the first months of parenthood, it’s surely been a lifeline. But this collective wisdom extends far beyond advice on the best gear, tips for calming a fussy baby and diaper-changing techniques. Since you’ve established a tried-and-true connection with these folks, quiz your fellow parents about trips they’ve taken, how much they cost and what they would do differently to save money next time. On less personal online forums, there are plenty of bloggers and Redditors eager and willing to share tips on how to create exciting, budget-travel itineraries. The Lonely Planet Traveler Facebook group is also a great resource. 

When you’re used to traveling on a whim, planning around school leave can be confining, and last-minute deals don’t really happen during these periods. Still, if you have kids in school, then you’ll know their term dates far in advance. Use this to your advantage by booking months (or even years!) ahead, when prices are still relatively low (before those traveling on a whim drive them up). If your kids aren’t in school yet or you educate them at home, make the most of traveling outside the peak periods, when costs are low and crowds fewer.

Even without the discounts big groups enjoy, there are