Author: Holly Johnson / Source: Wise Bread
Vacationing with your children may be the stuff memories are made of, but it’s also a lot of work. In between moments of relaxation and travel-induced excitement, you do have to take care of them, after all.
Kids need meals and clean clothes, and they tend to ask a million and one questions — especially when they’re somewhere new.
And if you have kids in diapers or little ones who can’t walk on their own, well, you can forget about having much of a “vacation” at all.Now, let’s say you get a chance to vacation without the kids. Sounds like a dream come true, right? It is, except that you may not be able to justify spending a lot of cash when you have kids at home. With that in mind, it’s smart to look for trips that let you enjoy some kid-free time without breaking the bank. Here are a few options to consider.
1. Pet-sit somewhere new
If your budget is pretty small and you’re willing to go almost anywhere, a pet-sitting gig may be an option you want to explore.
TrustedHousesitters.com, the biggest international housesitting and pet-sitting website, allows you to search for jobs all over the globe. You don’t get paid for these gigs, but you can score a free Airbnb-style vacation experience if you’re willing to watch pets while their owner is away.
Where can you go? A quick look at the website shows homes requiring pet care in destinations like New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Hawaii, and Dubai. While these destinations can be expensive to fly to, you may be able to get your flights covered for free with the right combination of travel credit cards.
There are plenty of more realistic and closer options as well, ranging from Las Vegas to Denver to Orlando, Florida. Most of these gigs require you to care for a few cats, a dog, or some chickens for a few days or a few weeks.
Competition can be stiff for attractive destinations, so you’ll need to build an attractive profile and gather a few references. But then start bidding on the destinations of your dreams. It’s a great way to score free accommodations in an interesting setting. (See also: 10 Tips for Landing the Perfect House-Sitting Gig)
2. Book a discount cruise
Don’t like the idea of watching pets? Consider a discount cruise somewhere warm or, even more importantly, quiet. You can book fairly inexpensive seven-night cruises to destinations like the Caribbean starting at around $449 per person, and these cruises include your lodging, entertainment, and three meals a day at one price.
To find the best deals, consider low-cost cruise lines like Carnival and MSC Cruises. Also look for a cruise port you can drive to, which will vary depending on where you live. If you can skip airfare and drive to a cruise port in New Orleans, Louisiana; Florida; Galveston, Texas, or New York City, for example, you can reduce the costs of your trip considerably.
VacationstoGo.com is a solid place to search for discount cruises or just compare prices, and that’s particularly…
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