As the school year draws to a close and summer is upon us, thoughts turn to planning trips and spending quality time with family. These days, however, many of us are still in a financial pinch and can’t afford the vacations that we may have been able to, say, five years ago.
That doesn’t mean that you still can’t plan a quality vacation with your family! If you live in the Midwest, there are several cities that you can travel to by air or by car that are rather affordable and fun for everyone.
1 – Indianapolis – The capital of Indiana and the “Crossroads of America,” Indianapolis is a great destination for family vacations. For the youngsters, there are tourist attractions such as the world’s largest Children’s Museum or the award-winning Indianapolis Zoo. Be sure to visit the walrus exhibit, as the zoo is one of the few in the country that has one.
To entertain teenagers, go to an Indianapolis Indians game or go go-carting at GreaTimes Family Fun Park. Indianapolis’ art and theater scene offers plenty to do for moms and dads, such as taking in a show at the Indiana Repertory Theater or snagging tickets to the Indianapolis Opera. There’s plenty of shopping at Circle City Mall, too. The best part? All of these attractions are located in or near downtown and are minutes away from several affordable accommodations.
2 – Chicago – Often overlooked as a vacation destination, the Second City is absolutely first rate when it comes to family fun. Because Chicago is such a big city, it may seem as though there’s not much to do for the family on a budget, but there is actually a wide variety of things to do without spending a lot of cash.
The Go Chicago card is a great deal that offers admission to several of Chicago’s popular tourist destinations—such as The Willis Tower, Shedd Aquarium, and the Museum of Science and Industry—for one low price. As for lodging, hotels downtown can be rather pricy. A smarter option is to stay just on the outskirts of the city; the hotels and motels are much more affordable and the heart of downtown is just a short El ride away!
3 – Red River Gorge – For the family seeking to get in touch with nature, Kentucky’s Red River Gorge is a beautiful destination. The Gorge has a myriad of activities, from rock climbing and spelunking to fishing and swimming. One of the main attractions of The Gorge are the arches, which are rock formations that are formed by millions of years of the Red River cutting through rock. There are an estimated 150 of these arches in the park, second only to Arches National Park in Utah. Staying in the park is very affordable, as the park offers everything from backcountry camping (permit required!) to cabin rentals to the Red River Inn.
The days of extravagant vacations to Hawaii and Europe may be temporarily behind us, but there are plenty of exciting and affordable attractions located right in the Midwest that offer fun for the whole family.
About the author: Melissa lives with her dog and two cats. She enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with her rather large family.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Rob Tello.