Being stuck in the house all winter with a bunch of energetic kids bouncing off the walls is never any fun, and so we often set our sights on a winter vacation to break up the cabin fever. But traveling to a fancy ski resort or a sunny tropical locale can mean shelling out the big bucks, and we just aren’t about that life.
Instead, we looked around to find some fun, family-friendly winter vacations around the US that we can actually afford, so our winter getaway doesn’t mean we’re living off of ramen and beans for the rest of the year.
Whether your family wants to bundle up and explore the snowier side of life or is craving the sunshine, there’s a destination here for everyone. From beaches to snowball fights, museums to zoos, the whole family will find something to love on any of these affordable winter vacations.
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Waterville Valley, New Hampshire
If your family loves to ski, try skipping the pricy luxury resorts and checking out a smaller (more affordable) ski mountain, like Waterville Valley in New Hampshire. It offers plenty of ski trails for experts and novices, snow tubing, and snowshoeing, and it’s within driving distance for most of New England and parts of Canada. Don’t forget to bring the kids to the Margret & H.A. Rey Center, where the authors of Curious George once lived and where Curious George story times are held each Saturday!
St. Paul Winter Carnival, Minnesota, January 23-February 2
The almost entirely free St. Paul Winter Carnival event takes place in St. Paul, Minnesota, from January 23-February 2, 2020, and is perfect for families who aren’t afraid of a little cold weather. There are ice scuplture gardens to explore, three different parades, a snow park with sledding, a snow maze, snow sculptures, and a snow slide, vendor booths to shop at, and on top of all that, the usual things you can enjoy from a world-class city like St. Paul.
Caribbean Cruise
The week of Christmas, when most schools are on break, is a pricy time to take a cruise. But if your kids aren’t yet in school, or if they have a more flexible schedule, the second week of January through early February are actually some of the cheapest times of year to take a cruise to the Caribbean.
Just about every ship will be loaded with family-friendly entertainment like shows, swimming, movies, games and of course, lots of land excursions.
San Diego, California
If you’re searching for sun, head to San Diego, California. Don wetsuits and try your hand at surfing, go on a whale watching adventures, take a visit to the San Diego Zoo, explore tide pools, have a bonfire at the beach, or stuff yourself silly at one of the city’s many seafood restaurants. Winter is the off-season here, so you should be able to score a good hotel deal, and you can expect mostly sunny weather for your adventures.
Washington, D.C.
Sure, Washington, D.C. gets cold in the winter and isn’t exactly a skiing destination. But once you’re in the city, there’s so much to do, whether it’s sunny out or spitting sleet. Many of the world-famous museums on the National Mall are free, from the National Air and Space Museum (full of airplanes and astronaut artifacts) to the National Museum of Natural History (dinosaurs and mummies and gemstones, oh my!). Explore the national monuments, walk past the White House, and try some of the city’s excellent Ethiopian food — the kids will love eating with their hands.
St. Petersburg, Florida
Skip the madness of Disney World and Orlando and head to St. Petersburg, Florida instead. Have a relaxing beach vacation, either staying at a cheaper hotel away from the water and driving to the coast each day, or springing for a resort that has access to the ocean and plenty of pools for splashing in all day long. You’ll get all the fun of Florida without the amusement park price tag.
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Pin it now, and book your winter vaca ASAP!
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