Affordable Spring Break Vacation

Spring break is around the corner and I really want to get out of town, but just can’t afford it! What can I do?

Of course! You hear it all the time. Travel is/can be expensive. But you need a break!

Lately the term ‘stay cation’ has popped up. You act like a tourist in your own town. Most of us live in a town/city and never see what the tourist see. I live in Amarillo, Texas. For little to no money – I could:

Go out to the Big Texan and have a soda, look around; go out to Cadillac Ranch.

Take a picnic lunch and a Frisbee and go over to the Frisbee golf course in Thompson Park, take an hour while you’re out there for the Zoo. Find out if your zoo has a free or reduced rate. Art museums usually have a free time during the month – so look that up also.

Take a picnic lunch and head for Palo Duro Canyon. Have lunch and do some hiking – take plenty of water with you! If you have bikes, take them there too.

Spend a day at the Discovery Center, the Botanical Gardens, or feed the ducks.

If you have a street known for Antique Shops, take a stroll through them.

If the weather’s expected to be bad, pick up some pastries and popcorn, your favorite snacks, and stay in your pj’s all day binge watching your favorite series.

If you have a little money – maybe around $150.00, you could do a road trip to Lubbock. If you’re over 21, there is the Llano Estacado Winery that has daily free tours; for $13.50 you can get a combo ticket at the Omni Science Spectrum. Lubbock is only 2 hours, you could drive down and back in one day or get a hotel for one night; make sure it includes breakfast, an indoor pool and hot tub!

You can check Hotwire.com, Priceline.com, Expedia.com or Travelocity.com for rates. Before you book on one of those sites, be sure you understand their cancellation policy and DO check the hotels own website – make sure they are not having a special there!

For around $300, you could do a couple of nights in Albuquerque, Santa Fe or Oklahoma City. Again, hotel with breakfast, indoor pool and hot tub to get you started. If your room has a fridge, hit a grocery store or carry with you snacks and beverages. For free, you can go hiking and walk around Old Town; for a small fee, Bandelier National Monument is outside of Santa Fe; two cities have Zoos and Botanical Gardens. If you eat a big breakfast, snack for lunch and an early dinner it shouldn’t be too expensive.

These are all suggestions for where I am locally. With a simple click on the popular Tripadvisor site for your city, or a city near you, you will find tons of suggestions.

Whatever you decide to do, if you can, turn off your phone. After all, you’re on vacation!! Decompress and disconnect for a little bit!!

As always – don’t forget your budget! You want to have fun, not get in a hole with debt! For more on how to create a budget, check out: Just the Basics Please! Book 1: Money.

Hope this helps! Enjoy and stay safe!