Frugal Living

4 Low-Cost, Local Holiday Ideas for 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has essentially canceled many people’s holiday plans all over the world for the past 18 months, and the foreseeable future is no different. International travel restrictions make destination vacations extremely unpredictable, and national changes to Covid policies make planning any kind of trip a bit of a nightmare. Because of this, many people have chosen to make the most of their local attractions rather than risk disappointment and losing money by booking expensive vacations with tour operators.

Most people don’t realize the great opportunities that surround them. Rather than explore their own locations and countries, they tend to book expensive international holidays with operators who just want money. Fortunately, no matter where you live, your local region has something to offer. You will also be within traveling distance of beautiful attractions suitable for the whole family and contributing to your local economy.

Some of the best local family holidays include: 

  • Seaside Resorts and Beaches
  • Holiday Parks
  • National Park Camping
  • Regional Road Trips

Unless it is landlocked, most countries offer seaside or beachfront holiday destinations. However, it isn’t only tropical regions that play home to these. Caravans and RVs are great fun for the whole family and holiday parks have tons of fun activities. Camping at a national park is a fantastic adventure that allows you to see amazing sights. Taking a road trip is also an excellent way to visit national monuments and things you would otherwise miss.

Seaside Resorts and Beaches

Most regions offer some kind of seaside resort or beachfront holiday opportunities. These usually cost a lot less than destination package holidays and international travel. Only the most cynical among us don’t like the beach, seas, and oceans. One of the greatest joys of life is exploring a sandy beach with the kids. Shells, conches and crabs, and starfish are wonderful for children to learn about. Plus, any shells you find can be taken home, cleaned up, and decorated for the bathroom. 

Additionally, most seaside towns offer many attractions and sights since the weather and feel of these places usually lend themselves well to amenities. Some top examples include Blackpool in the UK, Block Island in the USA, and Norderney in Germany. Finally, renting a vacation home on the beach is magical. There’s nothing like opening the ocean-facing, high quality french doors of a traditional beach house to feel the breeze. Then you sit back and relax in a well-made rattan chair with a glass of wine and a good book. The beach will take care of the children.

Holiday Parks

Love them or loathe them, holiday parks are great fun for the kids. Most holiday parks are self-contained resorts with most of the attractions and amenities situated inside the grounds. They are usually located close to other fun activities or near historical locations that offer their own unique tourist fun. In addition, there are typically many accommodation options. While most holiday parks provide lodges and cabins, they also offer trailer rental and RV and caravan lots.

Staying in a trailer might be off-putting to some people, but they’re not as small as you might think. There are different trailers, and some are very spacious and luxurious, with such things as private gardens, decking, and hot tubs. Some of the best holiday parks include Indian Flat RV Park in Yosemite, USA, Trecco Bay in Wales, UK, and Domain de Ormes in Brittany, France. These parks generally offer on-site attractions such as water parks, nature trails, golf courses, and bars and restaurants.

National Park Camping

Most nations are home to stunning national parks. The USA’s Yellowstone, Britain’s Lake District, and Donana National Park in Spain are prime examples of areas of outstanding natural beauty. These places are some of the most beautiful in the world and offer natural spectacles that you can’t find anywhere else. Geological formations, waterways, inspiring displays of Earth’s power, and unique wildlife are just some of the sights you can see at national parks. In the USA alone, these include the Grand Canyon’s stunning geology, Niagara Falls’ astounding waterfalls, Yellowstone’s gigantic geysers, and Glacier National Park’s Bald eagles.

Fortunately, getting to all but the most extreme national parks is relatively easy as most highways pass near them. Accommodation is also plentiful, but one of the best ways to experience all that nature offers is to embrace the great outdoors and set up camp at a national park. Camping in national parks is cheap, relatively easy, and great fun for the kids. There are also tourist information centers that hand out great advice, and rangers are always at hand should any problems arise. But remember, there’s nowhere to charge your phone.

Regional Road Trips

While it isn’t among the cheapest types of holiday when you consider fuel costs and stays at multiple locations, the road trip is one of the most exciting. You also need to plan ahead for a road trip more than most other types of vacations. This is because you need to know your route, where you can stay, and what to do should anything go wrong. Given the vast distances between towns on some stretches of highway, breaking down in the middle of nowhere can be stressful for all involved. 

For this reason, it might be necessary to bring along someone who has experience in road trips. Or with the route you are traveling, such as Route 66 (USA), Great Ocean Road (Australia), or North Coast 500 (Scotland). However, panning issues aside, the fun you will experience is like no other. You will see more sights in a short space of time than you are likely to see in one location. And you will meet wonderful people along the way. Some of the best routes run straight through tourist towns and near famous destinations. However, trips like these can be exhausting and aren’t recommended for younger children.

To Summarize

International travel is somewhat restricted and unpredictable because of Covid-19. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great vacation. No matter where you live, you are probably close to something worth visiting and can take a great trip relatively cheap.

Seaside resorts, beaches, and holiday parks are great fun for all the family and are usually located near tourist areas. Further, they often provide excellent facilities close by such as restaurants, swimming pools, golf, and other outdoor activities. 

If you are a little more adventurous, you could consider camping at a stunning national park such as Yellowstone. In these places, you will see natural wonders otherwise unavailable. If you have more time and a little more money and patience, then you could plan a road trip across a well-known route like Route 66, where you will get to see incredible sights along the way.

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