Three Great Getaways That Can Save You Money

Low Cost Family Vacation-5 Tips to Help Make Your Plan

1. The first thing I want to suggest is that you begin looking a little closer to home this year. It’s a lot of fun to take the family out to the coast or up to the mountains for a few days to a place that is entirely new to everyone but if you stop to think about it there could be such a place right in your own neighborhood. Many organizations sponsor camp outs for kids and families. I will never forget the camping trips I went on with the YMCA when I was a teenager. After I got a couple of years experience camping I was able to go to camps as an aid and I then camped for free as long as I was willing to be a counselor for younger campers.

2. If you are looking for a low cost family vacation then camping has to be one of the first things you consider. Whether you go camping in a pop up trailer or use a tent you’ll save a bunch of money on your sleeping arrangements every night. Each year you can add a few pieces of new equipment to your gear or you can shop the local yard sales and save a little extra on you purchases that way. The Goodwill store can be a great source of used equipment that can be in excellent  condition.

3. There are always lots of things to see and do in your own area. For great discoount family vacation ideas, start at the local office of tourism. They will have suggestions for many great places to visit and lots of places to go camping with your family. You will find that your local Chamber of Commerce will also be a very good source of information about places of interest and places to stay. 

4. Talk to family members and see if anyone has a time share that isn’t being used this year. It may be possible to vacation with another part of your family or you might be able to make use of an unused timeshare that might otherwise go to waste. However it won’t be a low cost family vacation if you decide to attend a presentation and end up buying your own timeshare plan. (Just say NO!)

5. Here is an idea that has become very popular recently and can save you a bundle.You can make arrangements to trade houses with someone who would  like to spend their vacation in your area. There are several large home exchange clubs that can easily be found on the web. There are rarely any problems with these arrangements and they can certainly lead to some interesting new acquaintances.

Will You Get Your Family Vacation This Year?

Sccording to an article I just read in USA today "The number of Americans planning on leisure travel this year is down to about 42%". It seems that a large part of the population is either running out of money or are really getting worried about what the future may have in store for them.  Approximately one third of those making under $50.000 will not be taking a family vacation this year.  The others who are able to get away for a while are making changes in their plans and in order to save a few dollars they are planning to stay with friends and relatives.  Many are planning to stay at hotels that are less expensive than they would normally use and some of the vacationers are planning to do a little camping instead of taking the big plunge and heading for a mega vacation center like Orlando.

Over the next couple of months we are planning to post several articles that will help you plan low cost family vacations. We will be offering tips on how to make low cost family vacations more enjoyable and there will be advice on where you can look for outstanding get aways that won’t break the bank.  Be sure to check back with us each week for "Your Family Vacation Planner".

Hiking on Camelback Mountain in Phoenix Arizona

Camelback Mountain is probably the most prominent geological feature that rears its head against the sky in northeast Phoenix and you’ll find a number of the valley’s most famous resorts laid out around its base. The world famous icon looms over the horizon on the valley’s northeast side and provides some of the best urban hiking in America. Camelback is said to be one of the toughest to climb (within city limits), especially if you climb the side without the railing.    

The Echo Canyon Summit Trail and the Cholla Trail are both strenuous and not for the novice.  You can expect to scramble over boulders and loose rocks on some stretches and there are also areas of slippery rock. Camelback Mountain rises 1400 feet above the Phoenix valley to 2704 feet above sea level. 

Where to Park 

Park on Invergordon between Camelback Road and McDonald Drive, then take a walk up Cholla Lane to the trailhead. Parking spaces are really scarce and you may find yourself waiting 15 or 20 minutes for a spot to open up. If you are hiking at Echo Canyon you will find a parking lot that will probably be full after 8 in the morning. There are a couple of parking areas within a half mile along McDonald Drive. Parking can really be tough on the weekends and you may have to take a little hike from neighboring residential areas but the views really make it all worth while. 

Trails 

Trailheads on Camelback Mountain are usually open from sunrise to sunset. The main hiking trail loops around the covered picnic area at Echo Canyon. Then it takes off  through some spectacular sandstone rock formations and you’ll be rewarded with remarkable views from the top of the mountain out across the city of Phoenix.  

Echo Canyon Trail on the Northwest side of Camelback Mountain, just off McDonald and Tatum, is considered to be one of the most difficult, extreme park trails located within an urban environment in the US. At the Echo Canyon Summit Trailhead you can find portable toilets and a water fountain which is sometimes actually working. Be sure to bring your own water. Echo Canyon is now closed to visitors at night, but I think that is a small price to pay for the access that the area provides in the daytime. Hikers going down yield to hikers going up and hikers with kids and dogs yield to everybody. Hikers must walk up on the south side of Cholla Lane. 

There are a couple of easy to moderate trails that loop around the scenic portions of the bottom of the mountain and will give families an opportunity to enjoy the views without having to make the climb to the summit. Once you get started on the trails and have a chance to see the views you will probably want to join the other hikers, rock climbers and fitness buffs making their way to the summit of Camelback Mountain. It may be a tough hike but the views of Phoenix/Scottsdale and the mountains in the background are unparalleled.     

Camelback Mountain is a marvelous blend of luxury homes, golf courses, resorts and rugged mountain trails that seem to come together within a natural setting that permits a blended existence of gracious lifestyles and outdoor recreation.

Jere Moline has been a life long traveler and has enjoyed the cultures of many countries throughout the world. He has experienced several different types of travel both on his own and on planned excursions. For more information on hiking in the Desert Southwest be sure to stop by:
http://www.discounttraveltoday.com

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