Getaways on a Budget

Welcome to the second of many installments of getaways on a budget. We are all feeling the pressure of increasing costs of living, but we all still want, and NEED, to get away for a few days now and again to refresh. How can a family afford to go on vacation? Tickets, lodging, gas, food, all add up, quickly! Be sure to check out our previous blog post featuring Detroit, Michigan!

Here are a few more tips on how our family of 5 enjoys time away. 

1. If you aren't a fan or AirBNBs, you have other options! If you prefer to stay at a hotel, shop around! Is your trip last minute? If so, check out the Hotel Tonight app. It often has deeply discounted last minute rooms. 

**Disclaimer that rooms on HotelTonight are guaranteed for 2 adults.  I've never had an issue with our family and getting 2 beds, just know ahead of time.

2. Use benefits from memberships you might already have! Are you or your spouse any of the following: Active duty, retired, or veteran, or first responder, have AAA? Always ask if the place you're visiting offers a discount! 

3. Make a basic packing list that includes things you need to bring on every trip, laminate it, and keep it in your luggage. If your kids pack their own things, give them one too.  This way you can check things off with a dry erase marker as you pack, erase and use it again next time! Never forget toothbrushes or undies again.

4. If you're staying at a hotel, choose one that offers free breakfast. That's one less meal you'll have to prepare or purchase. Even if your family has dietary restrictions, most hotels have fresh fruit. Take advantage and grab a snack for later!

Our second vacation destination is:

St. Louis, Missouri

Six hours from Fort Wayne you can visit the Gateway to the West, St. Louis, Missouri. Seated in the shores of the Mississippi River, St. Louis is our familie's favorite vacation we've had! Check out some of these awesome attractions:

The  Saint Louis Zoo - Another FREE attraction! The zoo is a lovely meander through vegetation and Carly curated exhibits. We enjoyed our visit, seeing several animals that the Fort Wayne Zoo doesn't offer, like Polar Bears and elephants. We took about 3 hours to walk the zoo, with younger ones this would likely take longer. 

The St. Louis Aquarium, Union Station, and Hotel- The aquarium was a splurge at $25-$27/person over age 12 and$18-$19/ child 3-12. Kids under 2 are free! Unfortunately this aquarium does not offer any reciprocal benefits. That said, the aquarium was awesome!!! They had so much more than just fish.  There were several hands on exhibits. We got to have our hands manicured by tiny fishes, see a sloth up close, pet and feed stingrays, see behind the scenes of the shark tank, and so much more! The aquarium is ligatures in Union Station. There are so many activities here including the Wheel, Carousel, ropes course, and several restaurants. All of the activities carry fees, if you're wanting to do several, make sure you look at the combo tickets for a small discount. Finally, while you're here, step into the Union Station Hotel and take a look around.  The stunning architecture, curated furnishings, and beautiful stained glass will have the adults oohing and ahhing.

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis - take break from the outdoors and visit the beautiful cathedral and museum. It is free to take a self guided or guided tour of the facility.  We opted for a self guided tour so we could enjoy the beautiful paintings and structures. We also checked out the small museum in the basement. It was not spectacular, but held some small nuggets of church history.

What else does St. Louis have to offer? So much!! 

Forest Park - home to the 1904 World's Fair, Forest Park is home to the Zoo, Art Museum, Science Center, History Museum, and so much more, all FREE!

City garden sculpture park and Laumeier Sculpture Park offer over 100 sculptures and gardens to their visitors. A great way to soak up the sun and get some fresh air. The sculptures provided some opportunity for some fun photos!

Grant's Farm and Purina Farms were closed during the time we were in St. Louis, however, both have FREE admission and sound like they would be perfect for a visit!

City Museum - $20/person 3 and up. It's an indoor playground. Be sure to visit their website for tips if you decide to visit (including bringing knee pads and a headlamp!). 

The National Museum of Transportation - an amazing opportunity for anyone that loves vehicles, especially trains! Admission is $15 adults 13 and up,  $6/ages2-12. Admission includes unlimited trolley rides. Check out the educators section of their website for some fun activities!

Meramec Caverns - this was another splurge on our vacation, but since so many other attractions were free, it balanced out! $27/12 and up, $24/military/senior, $14/ages 4-11, 3 and under FREE! 

Cahokia Mounds (visitors center and museum closed for renovation, grounds open)- site of the largest prehistoric Indian city north of Mexico. An interactive history lesson!

The Botanical Garden - perhaps the largest (79 acres!) and most beautiful gardens I've seen! $14/ages 14+, $7/military, 13 and under are FREE! They offer reciprocity for FW Botanical Conservatory and Minnetrista members!

There are so many other attractions in Saint Louis, this is just a sampling of what we visited or wanted to visit. We also recommend Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, 360 St. Louis, and Pharoh's Donuts for tasty treats and an awesome view at 360! We also recommend doing a "Bridge tour" and driving over the many bridges of the area, the structures are all different and many have historical significance. Walking the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was pretty amazing!

Oh, one more thing! Make a pit stop in the adorable town of Casey, Illinois to see all the larger than life things including a mailbox, barber pole, wind chime, rocking chair, mouse trap, ear of corn, and more! It was a fun stop to break up the 6 hours trip and give us a break from riding and driving. Give yourself an hour or two to walk the town and see the things!