Anyone who’s ever tried organising a family holiday knows that you don’t often find the word “cheap” involved. But those on a tight budget should not despair – a cheap family holiday can be arranged – it just takes a little know-how.
Here are some tips for great budget family holidays:
1. For the best deals on family holidays go online. There are plenty of websites designed to help you. Spend 15 minutes double-checking other people’s thoughts on your accommodation choice before you book. You want to make sure it resembles the brochure or website.
2. Try to book accommodation as close to favoured locations as possible, just to make it easy when you get there. Your independence is everything and details like easy access to attractions, car hire, or even just a microwave at your accommodation can make a huge difference.
3. Don’t get sucked in by glamorous details. Often the best experiences have nothing to do with your surrounding and everything to do with friendly people, great service and friendships made.
Cheap family holidays take work
Time works to your advantage when you’re planning a family holiday. While you often see great “last-minute” deals, the best and cheapest airfares and accommodation deals are had by booking early.
If you’ve left it too late to book summer at the coast or winter in the mountains at great early bird rates, don’t despair. The smart money heads in the opposite direction. You can enjoy a wonderful beach holiday out of season at a fraction of the cost. Yes, it might be too cold to swim, but you can still enjoy long walks on the beach, building sand castles and all the beachside holiday attractions – without the crowds.
No matter where you decide to go, the cheapest option for family holidays is always self-catering. It’s best for nutrition, best for budget and best for sanity. If you’re looking at staying at a resort, search for one that offers a special for kids.
The South Coast is a popular holiday destination for South African families, but there are so many attractions on offer that it can get very expensive. Look for special offers at the big attractions that might include discounts for families.
Of course, there are a lot of free activities still available for family holidays – beaches are still free, National Parks offer amazing spaces for kids to run wild, and our cities are well-stocked with adventure playgrounds, bike tracks and museums.
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