Summer Vacation Ideas

If you want to give your kids a true history lesson on a summer vacation to the United States capital, the National Holocaust museum should not be avoided. This museum, though not a part of the Smithsonian group, it is simply remarkable. Older children will appreciate this museum more than younger ones, so keep that in mind. You will read and witness stories from Holocaust survivors. You will see artifacts such as concentration camp uniforms and bunk beds from Auschwitz that will leave an indelible impression in your mind. The most moving aspect of this museum is the shoes. Thousands and thousands of pairs of shoes from victims of the Holocaust are piled stories high in this presentation. To see these shoes that were once worn by innocent people who died in a horrible bloodshed will not soon leave your memory.

The Smithsonian museums should not be missed on your summer vacation to the United States capital. What many people do not realize is that the Smithsonian is not just one museum, but a collection of museums each specializing in a certain era or factor of American history. The most popular and most often visited Smithsonian is the American History Museum. This museum houses such historic artifacts as President Lincoln’s infamous top hat, Archie Bunker’s easy chair, and Judy Garland’s ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz as well as the awe inspiring Old Glory original American flag. You can easily spend the entire day exploring these walls. There is something new and exciting around every corner.

The Air and Space Museum is another interesting Smithsonian to explore on your summer vacation to the United States capital, especially if you have children who are fascinated with space ships, astronauts and aircrafts. In this museum, you will find airplanes flown by the Wright Brothers and Amelia Earhardt. You will also find out everything you needed and wanted to know about space exploration including flight plan information and space artifacts gathered from several space missions taken by astronauts in our nation. This is a truly incredible museum that should not be missed. Allow yourself at least half a day to visit this museum, although if you are an air and space nut, you may want to spend a little more time here.

If you wish to give your kids the gift of a vacation where they will learn a huge amount about our nation’s history, no place is better than a summer vacation to the United States capitol of Washington DC. No where else in the country will you find more history than in this small city. In Washington DC, you will find an endless supply of Smithsonian museums and historical monuments, not to mention the White House and the Capitol building. You can easily spend a week here and still not see everything, so it is important to have a schedule and plan so you can fit in the key sites to the city.

If you are traveling to Disneyland this summer and really want to do this summer vacation on a budget, you should consider how much you are going to be spending on food at the park. Food is one of the things you will be spending the most on during your vacation and you should spend wisely, otherwise it can put you in the hole. Getting a hotel room with a kitchenette in it will allow you to eat many of your meals away from the park which will help with your budget. If your hotel does not have a kitchen, try eating only 2 meals a day instead of 3 with maybe a snack during the day between meals to pacify your hungry family until dinner time. Eating outside of the park at one of the many surrounding restaurants will also help to keep your budget down.

No trip to Disneyland is complete without a pair of Mickey Mouse ears. If the souvenir shopping stopped right there, you could certainly do your summer vacation on a budget with no problem at all. Unfortunately, if you have been to Disneyland before, you know that idea is not exactly reasonable as Disneyland is one big toy store with clothing, toys and décor that all come with a large price tag. It is important, when working with a tight budget, to maintain good discipline when shopping for souvenirs. Keep a certain amount of cash in an envelope that is reserved specifically for souvenir shopping. Do not exceed that amount or attempt to use a credit card. There are plenty of souvenirs (though small in size) that are under $10 that will remind your kids of the wonderful trip to Disneyland. Besides, your memories of your vacation will be your best souvenir, and that is priceless!

If you can afford a higher priced hotel with a kitchenette, it may pay off in the food portion of your vacation. Disneyland is known for their high priced meals. Even their snacks and ice cream, though delicious, are outrageously expensive. If your hotel room has a small kitchen in it, you can save money by eating breakfast in your room every morning. You can also pack a lunch for the day. Although you will not be able to bring it inside of the park, you can rent a storage locker outside of Disneyland to store a small cooler and have a picnic on the grounds between Disneyland and California Adventure. Although you are trying to manage your summer vacation on a budget, if you are going to splurge on a meal, it should be dinner time at the park. Yes, the food is expensive, but it is tasty and the portions are good. Each “land” in Disneyland has food that matches its theme, so if you are staying for a week or so, you will have the chance to eat dinner at every “land”.

When you are planning for your Disneyland summer vacation on a budget, you should keep in mind that summer is considered the high tourist season, so not only will there be a much larger amount of people visiting every day, but the hotel prices will be considerably higher than during the off season tourist months. If you are not particular about what kind of hotel you stay in while on vacation, there are plenty of moderate to budget priced motels that will help you keep within your budget. These accommodations may not have all the amenities of a 5 star resort, but they will be clean and you can expect to have a friendly staff to help make your stay a pleasurable one.

Are your kids practically begging you on hands and knees to take them to Disneyland, but you just don’t think you can make it work financially? Well, you are in luck because there is a way to visit the Happiest Place on Earth with breaking the bank. A Disneyland summer vacation on a budget can be done if you have the right mindset and a lot of self control. The self control part comes in when your children are asking you every time you walk into one of the gift shops if you will by them this and that. Souvenir shopping alone is enough to wreak havoc on your pocket book. By really being budget conscious on your Disney vacation and being mindful of how much you are spending (because it can add up quickly), you will be able to make your kids Disneyland vacation wish come true!

If you would like your children to get more in touch with nature, plan a summer vacation for your family to the great outdoors. Do a little research in your area to see what national parks are close enough so the drive isn’t unbearable, but far enough away to where you feel like you are escaping all of reality, if only for a few days. Make sure you have enough equipment and the modern conveniences to make even the biggest city slicker comfortable. Get a good quality tent and temperature appropriate sleeping bags. The temperature can drop rapidly in the evening, and nothing is worse than being cold and out in the middle of nowhere. Make sure you bring all of the fixings for smores to roast over an open fire. Do a little research to make sure that bears and wild animals (like coyotes) are not prone to scavenging the areas. If they are, make sure you keep your food locked tight in your car. Bring fun activities for your kids to do, such as fishing poles to keep them occupied. Many national parks offer canoe rentals, which is always fun to do as a family.