Let’s get this out of the way. I am not bragging. However, last year the boys and I traveled to 17 states in between work, school, and sports which is how our family travel adventures began. And, since it’s pretty interesting, people ask me all the time, how did I do it.
So, today, I’m going to share the three most important things that made our family travel adventures happen – in this post and the video below!
Planning
Planning is the mecca of successful travel. Point blank.
I started with a list of all 50 states and researched the best things to do in each state. From there, I bought an atlas and mapped out bordering states that we could drive to as day trips and weekend trips. I made those our first family travel adventures.
From there, I researched states that bordered multiple other states, so that if we flew in to that one state, we could drive to multiple states; hence our Southwestern Tour where we flew into Las Vegas and drove to Utah, Arizona, and California over the course of four days.
Had we had more than four days available, we would have definitely visited the Four Corners Monument. It is the only point in the United States shared by four states including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
Anywho, all of the remaining states were placed at the bottom of the list which is why 33 states remain at the time that this family travel post was written.
Speaking of having more time.
Time Off and Off-Peak Season Travel
I don’t know that I have any more time than the average employee. I simply take advantage of weekends, holidays, and personal time like it is nobody’s business.
I also make sure to travel during off-peak season attractions. Doing this ensures that we have a great time wherever we go and gives us plenty of time to enjoy whatever it is that we set off to do without fighting traffic, crowds and lines.
Here’s an example of how I plan my time off for family travel.
In September, I took a week off during the time of my boys fall break which gave me five days. But when you add in the two weekends, it ends up being 9 full days that we can have to travel and explore.
During this time the summer crowd was gone, the weather was not as hot, and the prices had just shifted from peak-season to off-season. We spent most of that week in Cave City, Kentucky, but then shifted gears and headed up to Wisconsin to visit the Jelly Belly Factory followed by a few days at home. Staycations are the best.
On the flip side, if you always travel during peak season, you may come to notice that you spend a lot of time being annoyed, waiting in lines, jammed up in traffic, and spending more money than you planned.
Try traveling during off peak seasons sometimes and see if you like that.
Budgeting
Yeaaaah, money is a factor. I’m not financially rich in my bank account, but boy do I think so in my head. LOL. I work 40 hours a week and run this family lifestyle blog part-time. For years it was a hobby blog and eventually, I started making a little cash to stash for other trips.
But, with two boys, I really have to plan things out. Road trips are the most affordable way for us to travel. So, for each road trip, I create a budget for us to stick to which is typically less than $200 for day trips and weekend trips. Yes, it can be done.
For example, we spent two days in St. Louis, ate well, stayed in a cabin, and spent time at the St. Louis Zoo for $140. I only went over my initial $100 budget because I got fancy and decided to buy unnecessary things at Dollar Tree and Walmart. Don’t buy unnecessary things; make it a priority to stay within your budget.
Also, keep in mind that we are able to travel affordably because we don’t necessarily always go to paid attractions. Often times, we go to free festivals or low-admission costs museums.
Traveling does not have to be expensive. Besides, it’s the experience that you want, not the debt.
Final Thoughts
With proper planning, taking advantage of weekends, holidays, and traveling during off-peak seasons we were afforded the opportunity to travel to 17 states in just one year in between work, school, and sports. I do plan for us to reach the remaining states, but not all in one year. I think it is best sprinkled out over the years.
Where would you suggest we explore next?
https://youtu.be/yWCzAiVfTZM
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