Family Vacations

Memorial Day is right around the corner, kicking off summer vacation. And whether local or out of state, family vacations are top of mind for parents. However, despite the economic downturn, family travel is still going strong. Parents across the country are getting ready to pack for their next trip with the kids. Whether a day trip or weeklong vacation, moms and dads are searching for ways to manage travel costs through this recession without skimping on fun. Trekaroo, the first review site dedicated to family travel, is helping families build memories and save money, by enabling parents to connect, share resources, and offer tips on how to plan family travel in a recession. A fun way to get the inside scoop on traveling with children, Trekaroo is quickly becoming the go-to destination for parents to find reviews, tips, ask questions, and connect with like-minded family travelers. In honor of summer travel, Trekaroo has compiled the top five tips most commonly shared among parents around summer travel. As someone that writes about topics related to parenting, thought I’d share these tips with you.  

1. Ride Don’t Fly – Between the staggering cost of airfare and car rentals, ride, don’t fly.  When planning your family vacation, pick cities or destinations that are close to home and close to the beach, a lake, the mountains, or a river.  Whether high in the mountains, or lying low at the beach, chose destinations where you can take advantage of what Mother Nature has given you.  Trekaroo makes it easy to find places both on and off the beaten path that are just a gas tank or two away.

2. Maximize the Fun – So, you’ve cut down on travel costs. But the next question is what family attraction will make the most of budget and memory making. Trekaroo’s database of 6,000 activities has thousands of reviews on kid friendly and family worthy attractions. On Trekaroo, families share the honest truth on what attractions and activities are best for your kids at a certain age. 

3. Stay in Budget, Mix and Match Activities - Whether heading to the city or the mountains, there are plenty of ways for a family of four to spend less than $100 per day. If there are too many attractions and too many admission prices to consider, it’s easy to cut costs by doing something together that’s free (or close to it), such as a day at the beach or visiting a candy factory. Trekaroo can help parents find activities -- popular destinations include San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and Orlando -- by price, age, and type. 

4. Sleep in Style – Make the recession work for you. With business travel down significantly, hotels are offering low cost deals on high cost rooms and suites.  Suites are perfect for families in many ways, including multiple beds, living space, and in some cases, small or full kitchens, which can help save money on eating out and even accommodate special meal needs. Trekaroo is partnered with Hotels.com to provide the lowest prices for more than 33,000 hotels – guaranteed.

5. Sign Up for Alerts, Deals – Many airlines offer “deals of the week” specials, or affordable one way fares, but it’s not easy to stay on top of them all. Through partnerships with Expedia and others, Trekaroo will announce deals through Twitter (@Trekaroo), as well as a monthly newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter, visit Join.

Cheers,

Danielle on behalf of Trekaroo