The age old question is how to plan a holiday with kids, especially a last-minute one, without putting you in the poor house. The summer holidays are coming and given unpredictable changes to Covid-19 restrictions, you now have to plan a holiday last-minute! Maybe a surprise visit to the grandparents’ house (as a backup) but wouldn’t it be nice to get away somewhere you’ve not been before. But just how can you plan a last-minute trip that won’t break the bank.
Determine Your Destination
If you don’t have a set destination in mind, instead are looking for the cheapest destination, turn to the travel apps and group coupon apps, like Groupon, to help you pick an amazing – and affordable – place to visit.
If airfares are what you’re after try a site and app like Skyscanner. If you know you want to fly somewhere, but you don't mind where put in your airport and it will bring up a list of destinations and the cheapest flight prices for whatever date range you chose.
If you have flexibility around when you travel, sites like Skyscanner can also help find the cheapest dates to travel once you decide where your family is headed. Sometimes just adjusting your trip by plus or minus a day or so can save significant costs. It’s important to note that most airlines that you book direct, like Qantas and Fiji Airways, also have a similar search feature.
Set the Budget
Before you make any plans, decide just how much money you can spend on the trip, from transport costs to accommodation to food to adventures. One place to look for deals on the latter: local and regional travel websites dedicated to helping you save money.
Find the Discounts
A great way to save money during a last-minute family holiday is to familiarise yourself with the destination’s tourism office – while these used to be a shopfront in the main centre or tourist area many are now online, but wherever you travel, chances are there’s a local visitors bureau or destination marketing organization (DMO) that exists to promote the area
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Visitor centres and visitor websites have the role of listing all the tourism activities in a region or area. These will include the local nature experiences, which will generally have no cost like national parks, bush walks, beaches, lakes, waterfalls or even watching the gathering and feeding of local fauna like at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast where you can feed the lorikeets without entry to the Sanctuary (although it’s well worth the visit). And they will also show you other cheap or free holiday experiences like a free walking tour of the City, like the one in Hobart Tasmania or the tour of the Junee Chocolate Factory in New South Wales, which will just cost a few dollars and they will expose the smaller, lesser-known experiences that may not cost as much, not just those who have a large advertising budget.
You'll find a dedicated visitor website in each state and region for example www.queensland.com or www.australiassouthwest.com for southern Western Australia.
In addition to containing valuable information and resources tailored to visitors, some also offer various deals and discounts.
Make Your Money Work for You
Pre-purchasing activities online not only helps you organise how you will spend your trip but quite often you’ll get a discount for pre-purchasing or there might be family deals or value add-ons such as photos or extra experiences at the attraction.
As a family it’s a good idea to agree on our must-do activities, and book or schedule those first, and then have ‘if we have time and money left over activities' we do if we have money left toward the end of the trip. By discussing it in advance, avoids disappointment and the feeling that something was missed on the trip.
It’s also recommended to get older kids to bring money they’ve saved to buy their own treats or souvenirs. It takes that out of your family budget and teaches them responsibility at the same time.
Consider Vacation Rentals and Holiday Houses
If you have a family of more than four, you are generally looking at two hotel rooms to stay anywhere, so it’s important to come up with alternatives.
You can look at holiday parks that are often designed to accommodate a larger family group. Many of these places also have cabins and lodges available, available on Search and Stay offer more facilities, like pools and activities for kids. The cost of them especially during the holiday peak periods, can be the same if not more than multiple hotel rooms.
With a holiday rental on Search and Stay, even if you don't save a lot in the cost of accommodation with a big family you will spend way less on food because you generally have access to a full kitchen.
It may also be worth finding a holiday house on Search and Stay with a pool or other entertainment facilities like a digital TV, pool table or games room, you can have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday with the kids, as they can be entertained at your holiday accommodation for some of the time without spending extra money.
There are several options when booking holiday houses and vacation rental accommodation so it is important to do your research. Once you have decided on your destination and the type of holiday you and your family want to have then visit Search and Stay, to find your perfect family-friendly accommodation.
Using these budget tips for family holidays will help when planning your holiday with kids that won't break the bank. And by visiting Search and Stay you can search and stay anywhere with your family with a new level of confidence.