30 Most Affordable US Vacations for Families
Some families think that their vacation dollars can stretch further by visiting cheap cities overseas. While it’s true that there are plenty of safe and affordable cities around the world, the truth is that the U.S. has more than its share of inexpensive family destinations as well.
GOBankingRates used average prices for food, lodging and transportation in various cities across the country to determine which costs are lowest for a traveling family of four. The number of kid-friendly attractions in a city was added into the mix to develop a ranking of the 30 most affordable cities for a family vacation in the U.S.
Take a look at the costs and attractions in these leading U.S. cities. At the end of the day, one of these cities may very well be the perfect destination for a vacation that’ll help you save.
Data is accurate as of May, 2019, and is subject to change.
30. Austin, Texas
Average hotel price per night: $162
Meals for a family of four per day: $236.40
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $20
Total cost for a week: $2,928.80
Austin just cracks the top 30 when it comes to affordable family vacations in the U.S. This famed home of the South by Southwest Conference & Festivals (often abbreviated as SXSW) and the Austin City Limits Music Festival also offers a wide range of family-friendly attractions. The Inner Space Cavern, a natural underground cavern, is a big hit with kids. The Texas Memorial Museum, with exhibits featuring the state’s natural history, and the Austin Toy Museum are also popular.
29. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Average hotel price per night: $262
Meals for a family of four per day: $166
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $16
Total cost for a week: $3,105.67
Jackson Hole is the famed gateway to two of the most beautiful national parks in the world, Yellowstone and Grand Teton. As a relatively remote, in-demand location, hotel costs are naturally high; in fact, Jackson Hole has by far the highest average hotel cost per night in the top 30 cities. This is balanced a bit by the cheapest one-way transportation tickets, tying with other affordable cities on the list, including St. Augustine, Florida, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Kid-friendly activities in and around Jackson Hole include Kelly Warm Springs, the Grand Adventure Park and the Jackson Hole Children’s Museum. Teton Raptor Center allows guests to get up close and personal with birds of prey.
28. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Average hotel price per night: $118
Meals for a family of four per day: $196
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $30
Total cost for a week: $2,408
A visit to Hilton Head Island makes for quite an affordable family vacation. The city hosts a variety of kid-friendly attractions. Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort was rated one of the top resorts in the South by Conde Nast Traveler in 2018. Within the confines of the massive property, guests can play tennis or golf, build sandcastles, kayak, canoe, bike, attend a surf lesson, go fishing or enjoy almost any water-based activity you can imagine. The Sandbox Children’s Museum is an interactive educational experience for younger children.
27. Pensacola Beach, Florida
Average hotel price per night: $239
Meals for a family of four per day: $179
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $20
Total cost for a week: $3,063.67
Relaxing at the beach is a great family vacation idea. After all, who doesn’t love a beach vacation? At beautiful Pensacola Beach, the demand for hotels has driven up the average hotel price to be second-most expensive on the list. In addition to the ocean view, Pensacola Beach has many kid-friendly attractions. Popular choices include the Pensacola Children’s Museum, Gulf Breeze Zoo and the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, which offers numerous animal encounter opportunities. Kids also enjoy the National Naval Aviation Museum, which is the world’s largest such museum and hosts practice runs for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.
26. Charlotte, North Carolina
Average hotel price per night: $109
Meals for a family of four per day: $235
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $35.20
Total cost for a week: $2,652.07
Charlotte is a bit more expensive than some of the cities on the list, but it provides seven kid-friendly attractions to compensate. Carowinds is the amusement park of the Carolinas, while the Great Wolf Lodge is an indoor water park. Charlotte is also the home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and various educational institutions, such as Discovery Place, which hosts science, nature and kids’ hands-on exhibits.
25. Virginia Beach, Virginia
Average hotel price per night: $101
Meals for a family of four per day: $220
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $32
Total cost for a week: $2,471
Virginia Beach is an affordable family destination with four kid-friendly attractions. One of the highlights is the Military Aviation Museum, which hosts one of the largest private collections in the world of World War I and II military aircraft. Other city attractions include the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and the Atlantic Fun Park, an amusement park full of rides for thrill-seekers. Ocean Breeze Waterpark is a great way to cool off in the summer sun.
24. Houston
Average hotel price per night: $136
Meals for a family of four per day: $250
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $20
Total cost for a week: $2,842
Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell’s famous line, “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” will forever keep the city of Houston alive in the minds of explorers, both young and old. One of the city’s enduring attractions is Space Center Houston, which still operates NASA and International Space Station Mission Control as the home of 400 space artifacts, permanent and traveling exhibits. All told, Houston offers an impressive six kid-friendly attractions, including the Museum of Natural Science, Children’s Museum of Houston and the Houston Zoo.
23. Los Angeles
Average hotel price per night: $100
Meals for a family of four per day: $260
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $28
Total cost for a week: $2,716
For such a high-profile city, Los Angeles has a surprisingly low average hotel cost. However, so-called “inexpensive” meals in Tinseltown cost a pretty penny, ranking the highest on the list of 30 cities. Fortunately, Los Angeles is full of family-friendly activities, with seven notable kid-oriented options. The Kidspace Children’s Museum offers 3.5 acres of interactive exhibits for kids, while the La Brea Tar Pits, one of the world’s most famous fossil localities, is a long-time favorite with kids. The California Science Center is the proud owner of Space Shuttle Endeavour, which completed a total of 25 space missions.
22. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Average hotel price per night: $131
Meals for a family of four per day: $204
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $36
Total cost for a week: $2,599.33
Myrtle Beach has six kid-friendly attractions. The Waccatee Zoo and Ripley’s Aquarium offer traditional animal interactions for kids, while the Myrtle Waves Water Park has 22 slides and over 1.2 million gallons of water. The Family Kingdom Amusement Park and Splashes Oceanfront Water Park provide fun for the whole family with a variety of adrenaline-pumping rides. The city also offers a children’s museum.
21. Dallas
Average hotel price per night: $130
Meals for a family of four per day: $198.72
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $44
Total cost for a week: $2,606.71
As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas, and this is true when it comes to kid-friendly attractions in Dallas. In addition to the Museum of the American Railroad, the Dallas Zoo and the Dallas World Aquarium, the city hosts the Frontiers of Flight Museum, which has over 35,000 aviation-related artifacts.
20. Aspen, Colorado
Average hotel price per night: $137
Meals for a family of four per day: $216
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $22.50
Total cost for a week: $2,626.17
Aspen makes the most of its beautiful surroundings by offering a host of outdoorsy activities for visitors and residents. One of the city’s four kid-friendly offerings is the T-Lazy-7 Ranch, which offers both summer activities, like fishing, and winter activities, such as snowmobiling, and has operated since 1938. The Aspen Science Center and the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies are two highly rated educational options for kids.
19. Charleston, South Carolina
Average hotel price per night: $68
Meals for a family of four per day: $223
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $32
Total cost for a week: $2,258.67
Charleston is famous for many landmarks, including Rainbow Row, a series of pastel-painted houses along the waterfront. The city is also steeped in Civil War history, being the site of the first shot of the war at Fort Sumter. Tours of the fort are one of the four kid-friendly attractions in the city, along with the South Carolina Aquarium, Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum — home of the USS Yorktown — and Nature Adventures, LLC, which offers kayak, canoe and paddleboard tours.
18. St. Louis
Average hotel price per night: $98
Meals for a family of four per day: $220
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $32
Total cost for a week: $2,450
As a large, world-class city, St. Louis sports six kid-friendly attractions. The most popular activities include the St. Louis Zoo, the Magic House St. Louis Children’s Museum, Six Flags and the Saint Louis Science Center. Others are a bit more unique, like Big Joel’s Safari, which is a petting zoo and educational park. The City Museum is a unique, 100-year-old warehouse in downtown St. Louis in which artists repurpose old materials to build tunnels, slides and other kid-friendly adventures.
17. Gulfport, Mississippi
Average hotel price per night: $62
Meals for a family of four per day: $188
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $48
Total cost for a week: $2,083.67
Gulfport is a very affordable family vacation destination, with low-cost hotel options. The Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is one of the city’s five kid-friendly attractions, offering programs, classes and activities specifically designed for children. The Gulf Islands Waterpark is always a hit with kids, while the Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum has interactive railway exhibits for kids and the largest LEGO railroad display in the state.
16. Richmond, Virginia
Average hotel price per night: $144
Meals for a family of four per day: $220
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $24
Total cost for a week: $2,716
Richmond is on the more expensive side when it comes to affordable family vacation spots, thanks in part to the fourth-most expensive hotel rates per night. However, the city offers a lot of bang for that buck, with no fewer than seven kid-friendly attractions. Kings Dominion is a 400-acre theme park with more than 60 rides. The Children’s Museum of Richmond and the Science Center of Virginia are both popular attractions for kids of all ages.
15. Orlando, Florida
Average hotel price per night: $97
Meals for a family of four per day: $228
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $32
Total cost for a week: $2,501.33
If you’re heading to Orlando with your kids, you’re no doubt going to visit at least one of the area’s theme parks. However, beyond Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND Florida Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, the greater Orlando area hosts a total of seven kid-friendly attractions. These attractions include the SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium and the Safari Wilderness Ranch. As might be expected at a location voted the No. 1 summer travel destination by AAA, Orlando is one of the pricier cities on the list when it comes to inexpensive meals.
14. Salt Lake City
Average hotel price per night: $78
Meals for a family of four per day: $194
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $40
Total cost for a week: $2,186.33
One of the biggest tourist draws of Salt Lake City is the city’s eponymous lake, which all visitors must see. After floating like magic on the surface of the lake, visitors have five man-made, family-friendly attractions to enjoy in the city itself. The Natural History Museum of Utah, Tracy Aviary, Hogle Zoo and Loveland Living Planet Aquarium are hits with the younger crowd, while The Leonardo is a museum that offers hands-on experiences for younger visitors to learn about science, technology and art.
13. Jacksonville, Florida
Average hotel price per night: $86
Meals for a family of four per day: $216
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $24
Total cost for a week: $2,282
Jacksonville offers an enviable combination of low overall vacation costs with five kid-friendly attractions. The Museum of Science & History and Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary offer fun for the whole family. Other attractions include the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens and Adventure Landing, which offers a broad range of activities from miniature golf to a water park.
12. Williamsburg, Virginia
Average hotel price per night: $59
Meals for a family of four per day: $204
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $28
Total cost for a week: $2,034.67
The Greater Williamsburg area is an amazing location for American history buffs, as it’s the site of the Yorktown Battlefield. With the popularity of the musical “Hamilton,” kids across the country are no doubt familiar with the importance of the battle during the Revolutionary War and would enjoy the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Williamsburg hosts three additional kid-friendly attractions, including Water Country USA, which is Virginia’s largest family water park.
11. Colorado Springs, Colorado
Average hotel price per night: $67
Meals for a family of four per day: $191
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $28
Total cost for a week: $1,999.67
Surrounded by the splendid Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs is the home of four family-friendly activities. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, May Natural History Museum, Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad and Garden of the Gods Park all should appeal to younger visitors and adults alike. Kids enthralled with the area may grow up to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, which is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state and located within the city limits.
10. New Orleans
Average hotel price per night: $99
Meals for a family of four per day: $196
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $20
Total cost for a week: $2,207.33
The Big Easy has plenty of smoky jazz clubs and late-night revelry on Bourbon Street, but the city also hosts five family-friendly attractions. Louisiana Lost Lands Environmental Tours offers kayak tours of the wetlands, while French Quartour Kids offers children’s history tours of NOLA. Then, of course, there’s always the food, which can be enjoyed by all ages.
9. Las Vegas
Average hotel price per night: $82
Meals for a family of four per day: $220
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $32
Total cost for a week: $2,335.67
Las Vegas built its reputation in part on cheap prime rib and lobster dinners, but, for the most part, those days are over. Las Vegas has one of the more expensive meal prices on this list. However, there’s certainly no shortage of family-friendly attractions, even though it’s Sin City. In fact, Las Vegas has the third-highest count of major kid-friendly attractions, including the Las Vegas Natural History Museum and the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The Stratosphere Tower provides fun for families with older children, with a SkyJump attraction and other thrill rides.
8. Raleigh, North Carolina
Average hotel price per night: $57
Meals for a family of four per day: $196
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $20
Total cost for a week: $1,911
Raleigh has only three family-friendly attractions, but the city is extremely affordable for a family vacation. On the list of top 30 destinations, Raleigh has the third-lowest average hotel price per night — tied with Branson, Missouri — on top of low overall costs. The three main activities for kids are the Marbles Kids Museum, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the North Carolina Railway Museum & New Hope Valley Railway. The railway museum, located 30 minutes outside of Raleigh proper, offers the chance to get behind a real locomotive for a one-hour ride.
7. Daytona Beach, Florida
Average hotel price per night: $69
Meals for a family of four per day: $187
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $28
Total cost for a week: $1,990.33
Daytona Beach has a reputation as a spring break destination for college students, but it’s also an affordable, family-friendly locale with no fewer than six kid-friendly attractions. As the perfect beach getaway, many of Daytona’s family-focused activities are located near the water, such as the Daytona Lagoon water park and the Joyland Amusement Center, located on the beach boardwalk. The city also has the Reptile Discovery Center and the Charles and Linda Williams Children’s Museum for indoor fun.
6. Huntsville, Alabama
Average hotel price per night: $58
Meals for a family of four per day: $176
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $16
Total cost for a week: $1,747.67
If you’re planning to travel a lot during your trip to Huntsville, you’re in luck. The city shares the top prize when it comes to low-cost transportation tickets, along with Jackson Hole, Branson, Albuquerque and St. Augustine. Overall, the city has the second-lowest total cost for a family of four for one week, behind only St. Augustine. On the attraction front, Huntsville has a relatively limited range of offerings, with only four kid-friendly attractions. However, its top attraction is one of the coolest family attractions in the country. Huntsville boasts the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, which is the world’s largest space museum. The rockets that put men on the moon were designed and built in Huntsville.
5. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Average hotel price per night: $49
Meals for a family of four per day: $196
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $16
Total cost for a week: $1,824.67
At an altitude of over 5,300 feet, Albuquerque is another “mile-high” city, but it offers far more affordable vacations than the city more commonly associated with that moniker, Denver. In fact, Albuquerque sports the lowest average hotel price per night of any city on the list. Popular attractions in this New Mexico outpost include the ABQ BioPark Zoo and Aquarium, the Wildlife West Nature Park and Cliff’s Amusement Park. The city also hosts one of the longest cable-car systems in the world, the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, which spans for 2.7 miles.
4. Branson, Missouri
Average hotel price per night: $57
Meals for a family of four per day: $184
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $16
Total cost for a week: $1,801.33
Branson may not have the glitz and glamour of some of the more well-known cities on the list, but it’s a great family destination if you’re looking to save money. In addition to having one of the lowest costs for an inexpensive meal, it shares honors for the cheapest one-way transportation tickets with Jackson Hole, St. Augustine, Albuquerque and Huntsville. For a lesser-known city, Branson holds its own when it comes to family-friendly attractions. Some of the six major kid-friendly attractions in the city include the Promised Land Zoo, Branson Ferris Wheel, Branson Veterans Memorial Museum, Branson Coaster, White Water water park and Branson Dinosaur Museum.
3. Phoenix, Arizona
Average hotel price per night: $54
Meals for a family of four per day: $224
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $32
Total cost for a week: $2,170
The crown jewel in the Valley of the Sun offers the second-lowest average hotel price per night among the cities on the list. Phoenix is a bit pricier than some of the more economical destinations on the list, but it ranks near the very top of the list because of its cheap hotel prices. It has 15 family-friendly attractions, the most of any city in the top 30. Phoenix offers activities including the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, the Arizona Science Center and the Phoenix Zoo. The LEGOLAND Discovery Center is in nearby Tempe, Arizona.
2. St. Augustine, Florida
Average hotel price per night: $70
Meals for a family of four per day: $148
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $16
Total cost for a week: $1,635.67
St. Augustine ranks as the single most affordable U.S. vacation destination based on the total cost for one week for a family of four. It’s only knocked out of the top overall slot due to its relative lack of family-friendly attractions. The five family highlights when visiting St. Augustine are the Pirate & Treasure Museum, the St. Augustine Aquarium, Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park and the St. Augustine Wild Reserve. The best news for families visiting the city is that it ranks No. 1 in terms of both the most inexpensive casual meal and the cheapest one-way transportation tickets, tied with Jackson Hole, Branson, Albuquerque and Huntsville.
1. San Antonio
Average hotel price per night: $63
Meals for a family of four per day: $167
16 one-way local transportation tickets: $21.60
Total cost for a week: $1,763.53
San Antonio tops the list of cheap vacations for families in the U.S. thanks to low overall costs and a host of family-friendly activities. The city boasts no fewer than 11 major kid-friendly attractions, exceeded only by Phoenix’s 15. Families are sure to be entertained by the LEGOLAND Discovery Center San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld San Antonio. History buffs can enjoy the site of the historic Alamo and then stroll down the street to the romantic San Antonio River Walk, with its numerous shops and restaurants. The Witte Museum, Natural Bridge Caverns and San Antonio Zoo are just some of the additional attractions in the city popular with families.
The Best US Cities for a Family Vacation
The best U.S. cities for a family vacation strike the right combination of cost and opportunity. Cheap trips that have nothing to offer by way of entertainment can end up being a bust. Slightly more expensive trips that have a multitude of ways to make memories with your family could end up being worth every extra penny.
For example, the cost of a week of travel in either Raleigh or Hilton Head Island is low. However, these cities only offer a few kid-friendly activities. While a vacation in those cities might not break the bank, it also might not keep your kids entertained. Cities near the top of the list, like St. Augustine or San Antonio, manage to blend low costs with plenty of activities.
The bottom line is that the best U.S. city for your family’s vacation is the one where you can have the most fun for the least amount of money.
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Alexandria Bova contributed to the reporting for this article.
GOBankingRates analyzed 55 cities across the United States to find the 30 Most Affordable U.S. Vacations for Families (family of four). GOBankingRates used U.S. News’ “Best Family Vacations in the USA”, “Best Family Beach Vacations in the U.S.” and “Best Family Summer Vacations” lists to create the list of cities. Today’s “40 Great Places to Take Your Kids Before They’re Grown” was also used to help source destinations. GOBankingRates then used Hotels.com to find the (1) average price of a seven-night stay from Aug. 4, 2019 – Aug. 11, 2019, at a “hotel” or “resort” near city center filtered for the lowest price. GOBankingRates then used Numbeo.com to find the cost of a meal at an inexpensive restaurant for one as well as the cost for a meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant with three courses included. These were then multiplied to give a (2) total meal cost per day for four people so that a family of four would have two inexpensive meals a day with one three-course meal at a mid-range restaurant. GOBankingRates also used Numbeo.com to calculate the (3) cost of four one-way tickets (local transport) for four people for the day as well as (4) the “major” kid-friendly attractions located in each city sourced from each city’s tourism website. Factors 1-3 were combined to give a (5) total cost for the week for a family of four. These five factors were then scored and combined to give the final ranking, with the lowest score being the best.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 30 Most Affordable US Vacations for Families
