| Short on cash? Don't give up that vacation. Try | | | | Bring a metal detector to find more valuable |
| one of these ideas for cheap vacations. | | | | things. There are beaches in Florida where you |
| Cheap vacations can still be relaxing, fun and | | | | can camp in your RV, and cheap motels on or |
| whatever else you want them to be. Unlike cars | | | | near the beaches in Michigan. |
| and shoes, vacations don't get better according to | | | | 6. Stay home. Make a list of sights to see, and |
| price. Give up that expensive resort if you don't | | | | things you've always wanted to do that are within |
| have the money, but don't give up your vacation. | | | | an hour of home. Spend a weekend or a week |
| Try one of the following ideas instead. | | | | checking off your list. No expensive hotels or |
| 1. Visit your friends. The key here is to have | | | | long-distance drives. |
| friends with spare beds that live in interesting | | | | 7. Shopping trips. Cheap vacations don't normally |
| places. You've probably had friends tell you to | | | | involve shopping, but they can. Visit flea markets |
| come and stay a while, so why not take them up | | | | and rummage sales in some scenic corner of the |
| on it? I'm hoping my friends move to Hawaii. | | | | country. Have a shopping adventure for less than |
| 2. Caretaking vacations. Someone in California, | | | | a day at the mall. |
| Costa Rica or Colorado wants you to stay in their | | | | 8. Hotspring vacations. Hotsprings in many parts |
| house while they're away. You'll have to water | | | | of the United States are free or inexpensive to |
| the plants, and maybe watch the cat, but you'll | | | | use. Camp in an R.V. or tent to keep it really |
| get to stay in a beautiful home. You may even | | | | cheap. Spend nights around the campfire and days |
| get paid. To learn more caretaking opportunities, | | | | soaking in hot water. My personal favorite is a |
| visit the Caretaker Gazette online. | | | | beautiful place in Arizona (106 degree water), with |
| 3. Outdoor vacations. Outdoor adventure doesn't | | | | hiking trails. We paid the $30 annual fee and |
| need to be expensive. Just stay close to home, | | | | stayed more than a week. |
| and use your imagination. On "Tom Sawyer Day" | | | | 9. Greyhound bus travel. Taking the bus is an |
| we hike up a river for hours, then build a raft | | | | alternative to expensive gasoline if you're traveling |
| from dead trees. Then we float on it back to the | | | | alone, and the trip itself is sure to be an |
| car. It's cheaper and more fun than a guided river | | | | adventure. Pick a nice place within a day's ride, |
| trip. Where can you hike or bicycle for free? | | | | pack a bag and go. |
| 4. Treasure hunting. Take a trip to a ghost town | | | | 10. Camping vacations. In Florida we stalked |
| or beach with a metal detector. In Arizona an old | | | | alligators and watched a dozen other forms of |
| Mayan Indian showed us where to find | | | | wildlife. Every night we sat around the fire with |
| arrowheads, semi-precious stones, and ancient | | | | new friends from England and Texas. We |
| pottery. Treasure hunting is cheap, and you might | | | | escaped winter there for eight days in our van. |
| find something valuable as well. | | | | There were hot showers, and the campground |
| 5. Cheap beach combing vacations. What's more | | | | was free. Camping can be the cheapest of cheap |
| relaxing than sitting on the beach with a drink? | | | | vacations. |
| Restless? Start collecting seashells and driftwood. | | | | |