Vacation expenses pile up due to the high cost of fuel as well as pricey overnight accommodations. The best alternative is to ignore airline travel and go on a road trip. Travel closer to home and choose a great campsite where the whole family can have fun. Affordable family vacations are available “just around the corner” in most states. For those who think that camping may not be as creative as planning a vacation on your own, consider this: it saves a lot of time and money. It also presents alternatives like camping in tents or traveling in RVs (recreational vehicles) that will bring your whole family closer.

Whether you live in the Midwest, the South, or the Wild West, some of the least expensive family vacations can be found near your home. There are exciting camping spots nestled away in every part of the country, from sea to shining sea. 

Discover the Midwest

If you live somewhere in the Midwest, there are cost-friendly campsites near the Wisconsin Dells area. “The Dells” as it is referred to by the locals, is a popular tourist destination with 18 indoor and 3 outdoor waterparks. “The Waterpark Capital of the World” is home to several RV parks and campsites as well. Wisconsin vacation rentals are available at several campgrounds within the vicinity. These campgrounds also have economy campsites for families on tight budgets. Their grassy, simplistic tent sites and RV amenities beckon many campers and families. For those without tents or RVs, most of these campsites offer alternative lodging such as cozy cabins, chalets, bungalows, or lodges. There are also camp resorts that rent out tent sites for big groups like those in a Church group, a school field trip, a company outing or family reunion.

Most of these Wisconsin campgrounds come stocked with amenities that nearly every family member can enjoy.  These amenities may include boat rentals, playgrounds, board games, picnic tables, and game rooms. When searching for campsites, try to find one that features an interesting line-up of events and activities which the whole family can take part in. You and your family will thoroughly enjoy your vacation time! When visiting the Midwest, the Wisconsin Dells should definitely be on your list of places to see. 

Slow Things Down in the South

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of North Carolina and Tennessee’s major tourist attractions and should definitely be a vacation destination if you are traveling to the South. An affordable family vacation destination, it is home to a wide range of colorful flora and fauna. It is found in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, one of the country’s most popular vacation resorts. If you decide to park and stay at any of the Gatlinburg cabins available within the Smoky Mountains, your family can enjoy the beauty of this scenic National Park. Campsites in the Gatlinburg area have relaxing forest settings complete with creeks and streams. Vacation spots in the South are perfect for the family who loves the outdoors!

Some of the campsites offer tours of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other nearby attractions such as Civil War Battlegrounds or memorials. After a long day of sightseeing, Gatlinburg cabins are a welcoming retreat since many come fully equipped and furnished. Families who prefer to stay outdoors may use tent campsites and RV camping areas. These outdoor camping areas usually have full hook-ups for RVs. Gatlinburg campsites typically have complete restroom and laundry facilities, as well as recreation/entertainment areas. If your family stays in one of the camp sites, access to the usual amenities like game rooms, swimming pools, and mini-golf courses might also be available. For those living near the Smoky Mountains, the best way to make your vacation worthwhile and affordable is to rent one of the Gatlinburg cabins – available at many campgrounds and ready for you to enjoy!

The Big Sky State Will Leave You Breathless

If you are located out west, consider traveling a bit to the north to a state that rarely gets the attention it deserves, Montana.  Montana’s Glacier National Park is home to more than 130 lakes, over a thousand plant species, and hundreds of animal species. The equally beautiful Yellowstone Park has 3,468 square miles of lakes, canyons, rivers, and mountain ranges. To experience the wonders of these parks, consider staying as close to nature as possible in a Montana vacation rental.

Driving through Montana, you will discover a number of RV parks that offer complete amenities like pull-through sites and full hook-ups. There are also sites that rent out equipped and furnished cabins to families and individuals who are looking for a little more space or personal comfort. The areas surrounding these campsites are blessed with abundant wildlife and areas perfect for fishing. Montana vacation rentals are comfortable and fun camp areas. Recreational activities like swimming and exploring are common.  Other popular amenities include heated pools and mini-golf courses. Most Montana campsites also have playgrounds, game rooms, and clean restroom facilities.  In some places, Wi-Fi connections are available, but with so much nature surrounding you, it might be best to close the lid of your laptop and drink in all the surrounding beauty.

For those who are strictly interested in the natural aspect of all that Montana has to offer, some camps arrange sightseeing tours to Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks. Your family is sure to enjoy every moment spent in any of the campgrounds in Montana. It’s an affordable vacation the whole family will surely enjoy.

Montrealers are intensely proud of their city, and for good reason. Montreal is difficult to top for its vitality, beauty and lifestyle. “It’s a little piece of Europe in North America,” says Montreal real estate agent Steve Osgood. Montreal is the second largest French speaking city in the world, but also has a sizable English population. Most Montrealers are bilingual, and many are trilingual and there are substantial communities of Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Portugese, Greek and Chinese speakers. The Montreal metropolitan region comprises 3.5 million people, with about half that number living on the Island of Montreal.

Founded in 1642, Montreal’s location in the St. Lawrence River made it one of North America’s early crossroads and a hub for the fur trade. In the 1800s, Montreal established itself as a leading port and industrial and commercial center. Montreal is Quebec’s largest city, and the second largest in Canada (after Toronto). One of the city’s great features is its livability – housing is affordable, the rate of violent crime very low compared to the US, and the central city bustles with people. Moreover, it’s quite possible to live well in central Montreal without a car – the combination of walking, public transportation (particularly the clean and efficient Metro), and taxis serve many residents well.

Old Montreal is where the city was founded, and there is evidence of human habitation in the area dating back 1,000 years, well before the arrival of the first Europeans. In the 1800s Old Montreal was packed with warehouses, merchants, and tradespeople, and was the financial center of Canada. This is no longer the case, but Old Montreal remains a vital part of the city and the gray stone buildings, cobbled streets, and St. Lawrence River make for an enchanting and romantic setting. “They come up for a vacation,” says Osgood of many of his clients, “and fall in love with the city.”

Old Montreal is popular with tourists, but there are also many people who live and work in the area. Osgood, who specializes in second homes, says most of the properties he sells are condos and lofts in historic buildings. Such properties are in the $200,000 to $250,000 USD range, while two bedroom places in Old Montreal fetch around $300,000 USD.

In addition to Old Montreal, another area attractive for second home buyers is the Plateau Mont-Royal, known locally “the Plateau.” This lively and diverse area lies to the East of Mount Royal and Park Avenue, and as one moves east it becomes progressively more French speaking. The Plateau is home to the characteristic Montreal form of housing: duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes with winding outside staircases. Within the Plateau there are a number of different neighborhoods, and several vibrant commercial districts and boulevards, each with its own character. The area is home to numerous artists, musicians and other creative types, as well as many students and professionals. It’s a dense, but not oppressively crowded residential and commercial area that is ideal for pedestrians. And there’s lots to walk to, including hundreds of restaurants, bars, cafes, and boutiques. You’ll find some of the hippest places in North America on the Plateau, as well as the simplest of markets and convenience stores, or dépanneurs as they are known locally.

Judy Thompson, a Houston real estate broker, and her husband bought the middle floor of a classic Plateau duplex in 2006. They’d been visiting Montreal since 2000; Thompson says she became hooked on the city “after the first few days when I saw the way people live.” Their two-bedroom place, located in a renovated 1906 building, is close to just about everything, and was very reasonable. Prices in the area average around $200 USD a square foot, depending, naturally, on the quality of the premises.

Summers in Montreal are packed with myriad events, parades, and festivals. Thompson doesn’t discount these, but says she and her husband “do real simple kinds of things.” She cites Montreal’s culture and lifestyle as its main selling points. “I love living without a car, without air conditioning, and being able to walk wherever I go.” Going out for coffee ranks highly on Thompson’s daily agenda, as does exploring the city and walking in Parc LaFontaine. “I love that park,” she says, “I couldn’t believe how big and beautiful it was.”

Renting out a city property is different from a vacation place, where monthly and even weekly rentals are common. Osgood notes that condo associations typically have regulations barring short term rentals. As well, locals are typically seeking unfurnished accommodations with year-long leases. This combination can leave some second home owners holding property that is vacant most of the year, or having their pied-à-terre become a full-time rental. Thompson says she was able to rent her property (“a well appointed place in an A+ location”) for an eleven-month lease relatively easily. She did so by pricing it slightly below market value, obtaining a dependable tenant willing to accept a shorter lease than is typical.

Quebec, both rural and urban, is truly different from the rest of North America. Fortunately, it combines unique attributes with affordability, accessability and livability. Home prices in Quebec are continuing to rise, but the market is steady and the spikes typical of other areas haven’t occurred. Steve Osgood says appreciation is expected to be in the 4-5% range in Montreal for the foreseeable future. Prices in the Townships and Laurentians are expected to show similar moderate increases. The Canadian dollar is currently strong against the US greenback, trading in the mid 90 cent range. It’s expected to remain above .90 US for some time, and may reach parity with the US dollar. This means there’s no scooping up properties at bargain basement prices thanks to a weak local currency, on the other hand, owners of property in Quebec can sleep easy knowing the currency is unlikely to tumble, lowering the value of their asset.

Quebec, both rural and urban, is a North American jewel. As anyone who’s spent time in the province can attest, it’s a place whose history, beauty and unique culture render it distinct. As a bonus, it’s right in the United States’ backyard, and affordable relative to comparable areas in North America.