Vacations Under $1000

It is possible to have a family vacation and spend under $1000.  In fact, it is one of our most favorite things to do every year.  We recently did this and had a chance to see one of the natural wonders on our list of places we wanted to visit.  We even got to throw in a few surprises for the kids, which is also one of our favorite things to do on vacation.

We visited Mammoth Cave National park in Kentucky.  

Here is a breakdown of how we vacationed for under $1000:

Travel-

Kentucky is a 9 hour drive for us, which was acceptable enough for us to avoid the cost of airfare.  We chose instead to rent a car at $20 a day for 5 days.  The cost of gas for us was cheaper in our rental car instead of driving our own cars.  We spent $175 in gas during our trip.  We also enjoyed the views, and took a quick drive through Vanderbuilt University in Nashville, just in case our oldest would be interested. 

Accommodations-

One of our surprises for the kids was where we were staying.  We chose to spend the first night in a little piece of Americana.  We stayed in Wigwam Village.  

Wigwam Village was a cute little area.  Our Wigwam had two beds, a television, small desk, and a bathroom and shower.  There was a pavilion in the back for picnics.  It is not a very modernized establishment, but that lends to its appeal.  You can envision stepping back into an era of American travel before electronic devices ruled the world.  If your kids have an open mind, it is a lot of fun.  Our kids said, "This is where we are staying?  No way!  This is great!"  They are great about finding the fun in the small things.  

Our next 3 nights were budgeted by camping at a KOA cabin.  I enjoy staying in campground areas like these, because it is budget friendly and quiet.  I prefer to sleep in my own bed linens, and the big attracting factor was that there was an AC unit.  Some of these cabins also have cable television included.  There is no bathroom, nor shower, but we were just several feet away.  We could also do our laundry on the campground.  Bonus:  there is a pool, a jump pad, a playground, and a small animal farm to see.

The Wigwam Village and the KOA stay were under just $100 a night.

Attractions-

The #1 reason for our Kentucky trip was a visit to Mammoth Cave.  This National Park actually has the longest cave system in the world.  You can choose from several options of cave tours, mostly under $20 per person.  They can provide information on the best tours and accommodations for various disabilities if needed.  It is a real natural wonder, and a great experience to see for yourself.  Make sure to wear something warm, as the temperatures in the caves are always cool.

We also visited the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.  This is also a National Park, and the best part was that it was free to visit at the time of our visit.  

You can visit a true to size replica of the cabin Lincoln lived in. 

You can walk trails, and take a walk down to the spring they drew water from.

Food-

We always save on our food budget by cooking the meals ourselves.  We usually have a picnic lunch on every family trip.  We brought our breakfasts and lunches with us.  We would have a few planned eat out nights, and a quick trip to a grocery store to buy food for a grill out night.  We bring an electric griddle with us on trips to cook pancakes, quesadillas, BLTs, etc.  Typically our family eats out at a cost of around $40+.  A bag of chips, PB and J, fruit, and drinks is about $20 and lasts for several lunches.

Souveniers-

We often see what is budgeted for the kids and allow the kids to choose what they want to spend it on up to that amount.  If you really want to save on souveniers, buy some things online before hand.  I love to find the best deals for the kids online, and have them available when we get home.  

Happy travels!