How To Have a Fun Spring Break On a Dime

If you’re looking for some spring break ideas for families that won’t break your budget, then I’ve got ’em!
Spring break is right around the corner.
That means it’s time to break out the bathing suits and sunscreen!

Here are some spring break ideas for families that will get you excited about your spring break even if you don’t have money saved up for it.

Spring break is a peak season for hotels, airlines, and beaches. This vacation alone can cost upwards of $200 or more on just a single flight and don’t even get me started on the cost of hotel rooms.

I spoke about this topic on my Savings Segment on Fox.
Watch the replay video here:

You don’t have to spend a fortune to still make wonderful memories for your spring break trip! In fact, you don’t even have to go into debt to afford a great spring break.

If keeping your money in your savings account is more important to you this year, then why don’t you stay closer to home and have some intentional fun in your local town!

There are some great opportunities for fun near you!

So check out all these spring break vacation ideas for families that will help you not go into debt over spring break.

These cheap spring break ideas at home will help you make memories but not have to use the credit card.

Plus, these fun spring break at home with kids will help you get out into nature without having to spend a small fortune.

Here are my tips for spring break ideas for families so you can still enjoy a fun spring break without spending much money at all!

Have A FREE Disney Day

Disney is notorious for “magical vacations” but not everyone has thousands of dollars to “do Disney.”

Although it’s considered a great spring break ideas for families, it can be way too expensive.

So here are a few ways to feel the magic of Disney without the extra expense of ever stepping foot inside one of the parks.

If You Are Within Quick Driving Distance To Disney World:

If you are within driving proximity to Disney World (like I am), then you could spend a super fun day AT Disney World without ever actually going to one of the parks, or standing in any of the hot lines.

The whole area of Disney World has a ton of FREE magic for your family.

Start out at Disney Springs to explore the shops and maybe listen to an outdoor concert. (If you dress in clothes that will dry quickly, you could play in the fountains.)

Then hop on the water taxi and head to the Port Orleans Riverside Resort.

Once you arrive, you might want to explore the resort a little because there are a few walking trails that make for a nice stroll.

Find the “River Roost” Family Friendly Lounge. Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30 pm to Midnight, you’ll find the infamous Bob Jackson perform a variety of songs and numbers. You’ll be able to sing and dance along and have some good clean family fun! (Note, you might feel obligated to buy an appetizer but don’t worry, you won’t get stuck buying dinner because they don’t serve it! They only serve light snacks and drinks.)

Once the fun is over, hop back on the water taxi to go back to Disney Springs to eventually head back home.

There is a crazy good ice cream shop (Ghiradelli) if you decide to share a banana split (it will easily feed 3 people). And for one day of these spring break vacation ideas for families, you haven’t spent a ton of money!

Those NOT Super Close To Disney World:

Why not have a Disney theme day? Simply choose the Disney Theme and make the entire day fit that mold.

For example, you could start the day with Mickey Shaped Pancakes for breakfast.

Then go to a park or hiking trail and look for “hidden Mickeys” (anything that has one large circle and 2 small circles for Mickey’s ears). Keep score and give a prize to whoever finds the most of them!

Download a few Disney inspired printable games. And even turn a normal glass of water into a special tasty refreshment of “Pluto’s Punch”. Essentially, you are kinda creating a Mickey Mouse birthday party for your own family, that lasts the entire day.

Make Some Disney Recipes

You could even make the infamous Dole Whip recipe Disney just released!
Or you could even make the churros!
Or the magical Beignets! YUMMY!

Here are some more Disney recipes just in case you’re craving a special one!

Create A Backyard Movie Screen

Start the evening by watching the kid’s favorite Disney Movie (or maybe whichever one was just released on RedBox).

Or, if you want to really make things special, make a Drive-In at Home by using a projector connected to your laptop computer to show a free movie on a sheet, on your garage door, or even on the side of your house!

You can even make a massive movie screen so that all the family and neighbors can come to get in on the fun!

And look at these great seat ideas! They would neat to sit out under the stars and watch movies all spring and summer long!

Pop some popcorn, grab some drinks, and sit in the car with your family to watch the movie. This is one of our favorite spring break vacation ideas for families!

Be the envy of the neighborhood – or invite them.  Pile up in your most comfy lawn chair, tent, sleeping bag, or otherwise and enjoy the show! Don’t forget the glow sticks to make the night more “magical”!

End the evening by lighting off some Sky Lanterns as they have in the Disney Tangled movie! My kids LOVE when we do this (every birthday, Independence Day, and New Years).

Visit A Local Farm

When Spring Break has arrived, so has U-Pick Season! This is one of my spring break ideas for families that are close to home.

Visit a local farm and pick your own fruits and veggies. Think of all the wonderful goodies you can make with your bounty!

Make sure you pick enough to flash freeze it so you’ll have it to use later in the year.

Some of the farms near us have petting zoos and tractor rides too, which really make the day fun (once we even had the honor of watching a cow give birth… whoa!)

To find a U-Pick Field near you, go to PickYourOwn.org and search for your city and state. *Caution* you will want to find the name there, and then search for the actual farm on Facebook to get true hours and field availability.

I was so surprised to find that we could pick peaches, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, tomatoes and so much more at farms within about 20 minutes of our home. We’ll have pies for months! And it’s one of the cheap spring break ideas at home that we love the most!

Check out all the details you need to know before you go!

Have A Field Day

Remember those fun Field Day Contests in elementary school? Replicate them at home! They are great spring break ideas for families.

You could invite some other friends over and make an obstacle course. Pull out the Nerf Guns and go to town! Freeze tag is always a fun one too!

Don’t forget the shaving cream and water balloons though. Oh, and a hula hoop contest always makes for a bunch of laughter!

Here are some fun field day game ideas (in case you have forgotten them as I had).

Have A Lazy River Day

Want to have a relaxing day on the water without all the people? How about floating your troubles away by tubing down a river? Or by paddling a kayak or paddleboard!

That’s an inexpensive day of fun and you can even bring a picnic to save money on food! Plus, it’s a fun spring break at home with kids especially if you’ve never done it before!

Plus, there are rivers to float down in every state, so I bet you are closer to one than you think.

We drive over to Kelly Springs to spend the day and it’s fantastic! Cool, fresh, clean water that will relax even the most stubborn accountant types (that’s me!!).

We’ve even tubed down the Rainbow River. Talk about a beautiful day in the Sunshine State!

Just don’t forget to bring sunscreen and hats! Because there’s nothing worse than ending a super fun day with stinging skin!

Have A Beach Or Lake Day

There’s nothing better than the fun in the sun and the water to make a great spring break!

Find the nearest lake or beach and take a day of relaxing and cooling off. Get some Vitamin D and make some memories.

Not only is a beach day cheap, but you can bring all the food and drinks with you so you’re not spending a small fortune just for the day.

Go Fishing

A day spent near the water is always a good day. And if you’re trying to catch fish, it’s even better!

Take your poles down to the water and try to catch some fish.

Bring a picnic lunch and you’ll have a cheap day spent making memories on your spring break.

Go Hiking And Nature Exploring

Spring break is a great time to go hiking and nature exploring.

While some states up north may still have snow, down in the south is a great time to go hiking because it’s not as hot.

Go find some trails you’ve never been to before. Find a new lake to hike around or even some new waterfalls to find.

Pack your lunch and away you go exploring. It’s a great way to spend a cheap spring break day and to spend quality time together.

Savor The Memories

Whatever you do to make your spring break fun and memorable one, make sure you capture the memories and end your week by creating a memorable family time capsule.

Print out a few photos from the week and make up a fun questionnaire listing everyone’s favorite activity or favorite food from the week. You can also like what their favorite movie was, etc. to help you remember more details from the week.

Label it with an “open” date and hide it in the back of someone’s closet to open it up in a few years. You’ll be glad you documented the memory!

Use these spring break ideas for families to enjoy some fun times with your family.

Sometimes staying closer to home is more relaxing than packing up and traveling to a distant location.

The nice thing is that with a little creativity, you can have a memorable spring break without spending any money on airfare or hotel rooms!

And then you can put the money you saved towards something significant for your family.

So I hope you have learned all these spring break vacation ideas for families that will help you not go into debt over spring break.

These cheap spring break ideas at home will help you make memories for years to come but you won’t have the credit card payment to prove it either.

Plus, these fun spring break at home with kids will help you get out into nature without having to spend a small fortune.

YOUR TURN: Which of these spring break ideas for families are you planning to do during your Spring Break Vacation? Let me know in the comments below!

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