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" Planning a family spring break trip? Use these trip ideas to avoid going spring broke. Pick An Out-Of-The Box Destination Avoid the typical crowded and expensive spring break destinations, such as Acapulco and Ft. Lauderdale, and consider fun alternate destinations instead. Visit a big city, like Washington, D.C., Chicago or San Francisco where there are great museums, sites, parks and neighborhoods for families to explore. Think Las Vegas is just for grownups? Warm weather, giant swimming pools and great attractions make it fun for the entire family. Check out Groupon or other daily deals sites to see restaurant and activity deals for your destination. You can also go the old-fashioned route and pick up brochures at the airport or hotel to find discounts and deals. Deb Gaisford, freelance writer and blogger at Urban Moo Cow suggests trying &amp;quot;typical summer destinations that may still be off-season in March or April. You can often get great rates on very nice accommodations.&amp;quot; Before they get flooded with summer crowds, visit a national park, or if you have more to spend, plan a trip to Europe while it is still the off-season. &amp;quot;If your spring vacation is a little later, like early May, try ski resort areas that have just finished their busy season for similar deals,&amp;quot; Gaisford said. Make The Most of Getting There Flights are a huge expense, especially when you are buying tickets for the multiple members of your family. Consider getting to your destination using Amtrak or driving to cut out the cost and hassle of flying. You can even turn the road trip into the entire vacation and traverse Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway, the Blue Ridge Parkway or Maine Route 1. Look into cruises that leave from ports within driving distance of your house. A surprising number of coastal cities are cruise ports. Many cruise lines offer affordable and family-friendly ships complete with arcades, waterslides and kids camps out of Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, New York, Boston, Baltimore, Charleston, Norfolk, Tampa, Miami, New Orleans, Galveston and more. If you do have to fly, try to be as flexible as possible. Consider non-ideal flying times, alternate airports that are further out of town or connecting flights to keep the cost down. Be sure to comparison shop with a website like Kayak.com that will show you the lowest fares from multiple travel sites. You can also set up a price alert so you are notified when the price fluctuates. Find a Trip That Suits Your Lifestyle No matter if your family is active or looking for some time to relax, there are great options for everyone that won&amp;#039;t break the bank. If your family is on the go, consider a trip to a dude ranch or a hiking, backpacking or kayaking trip. The REI Family Adventures program offers outdoor vacations with discounts for kids 18 and younger. If your family needs to unplug, find a beach and plant yourselves there. Consider an all-inclusive resort to save money on food or rent a condo or house so you can spread out and cook your meals at home. VRBO.com is a great resource to secure a vacation rental directly from the owner. More Great Advice From Manilla.com:  12 Thrift Store Shopping Tips from a Pro 6 Easy New Habits To Start Before The New Year Borrowing Money from Friends and Family: Is it Ever a Good Idea? Eco-Friendly Baby Products  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/money/advice/a18525/budget-friendly-family-spring-break-ideas/>