A coastal town with a bay full of numerous boats coming back just before sunset
Portugal is known to be one of the cheapest holiday destinations in western Europe to visit. It happens to be a stunningly beautiful country, with a string of soft-sanded beaches, golden cliffs, and turquoise water.
Photo Credit: iStockPhoto / sack

14 Budget-Friendly Family Vacations You Can't Afford to Miss

Picture Perfect Vacations That Won’t Break the Bank

Memories of vacations with your family are priceless, but the trips themselves are anything but. When you have to multiply the cost of airfare, accommodation and activities by the number children you have, family trips start to seem out of reach.

Believe it or not though, there are some places that have enough activities to keep all ages happy, have accommodation options for groups and are inexpensive to boot. The trick is to know where to go and how to plan a family vacation.

To help you out, we’ve put together this list of ideas for cheap family vacations.

Portugal

One of the cheapest holiday destinations in Western Europe to visit, Portugal certainly fits the bill for affordable family vacations. It also happens to be a stunningly beautiful country, with the Algarve Coast offering up a string of soft-sanded beaches, golden cliffs and turquoise water.

The small beach towns along the coast are all ideal for families, so you could pick any one of them and end up in the perfect spot. The villages perk up in the summer months but still manage to retain calm, small beach town vibes.

There are cobblestone streets and markets to explore, ice cream cones to devour and of course endless sunny days to spend splashing around at the beach.

Pack the beach towels and sunscreen — when it comes to family vacations on a budget, Portugal has the goods.

The sun is setting on a beach resort making the sky a brilliant orangeThe Dominican Republic is the adventure capital of the country with dozens of outdoor activity options and places to explore within two hours of the town.Photo Credit: iStockPhoto / thepalmer

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is an affordable place to enjoy a slice of the Caribbean with your family. While prices go up during spring break, during the rest of the year you can find accommodations that suit both families and lower budgets.

Some hotels will even let children stay for free, or at heavily discounted rates.

Cabarete in particular is great for inexpensive vacations for families, as there are many inexpensive hotels, plus miles of beaches that you can access for free. It’s also the adventure-capital of the country, so it is an ideal base for exploring more of the area. There are dozens of outdoor activity options and places to explore within two hours of the town.

The coral reef protecting the beach makes the water calm and safe for children to swim in. Then there are short jungle walks, nature parks and horse rides. ¡Que bueno!

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Three boats are drifting along the stunning Thailand waters during the sunsetThailand is known to offer fantastic value for your money, many Thailand resorts include on-site swimming pools, organized day trips and tours, and restaurants. Photo Credit: iStockPhoto / primeimages

Thailand

Thailand is famous for being cheap, so it is perfect for inexpensive family vacations. Move over backpackers — there are a lot of seaside resorts where you can stay comfortably with your family.

They offer fantastic value for your money, and they usually have facilities such as swimming pools and restaurants on site. To make things even easier, many resorts will be able to organize day trips and excursions for you, so that takes the hassle out of organizing the whole family — you just have to get everyone to show up!

Aside from the beaches where the famous full moon parties are held, many of Thailand’s beaches are family-friendly. You and yours can enjoy Thailand’s luscious beaches, and activities such as snorkeling, sea kayaking and lounging on beach chairs.

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