Summer provides the opportunity to slow down and enjoy some family time. In those rare occasions when our calendars align, our family’s first choice is to retreat to the mountains in order to unplug the devices and reconnect with each other by having fun. But, with four people to cover, this said retreating can get pricey, and fast!
I’ve discovered that the key to save on these getaways is to plan ahead and choose wisely. We recently spent a weekend in Vail, CO and saved about $221/day by doing so. Here’s how we did it, and what you can do to save some cash while enjoying a summer getaway with your family.
Lodging
When you save on lodging, you’ve hit a home run with your vacation budget. On-mountain lodging was running $250/night at the time, so we booked a spacious room at the Holiday Inn Apex in West Vail for half that, and the choice wasn’t hard to make. This four-star hotel is just a few minutes’ drive from Vail Village and is packed with amenities: hot tub, steam room, massage service, outdoor heated pool and three on-site restaurants. By staying near-mountain, we also avoided the little-known resort fee that can add up to $10 to each night’s hotel bill. Our hotel didn’t serve breakfast themselves so we applied their $25 coupon towards a hearty home-style meal at the Westside Café, which was right on-site and the food was delicious (especially the Eggs Benedict).
An alternative lodging option for longer stays would be to book a vacation rental. Most privately-owned units include a kitchen area so you can save on meals out. Some are on mountain and others offer amenities such as private hot tubs within the unit. Vail Lodging Rentals is currently running a special flat rate of $700 for a week-long stay, a $525 savings on a unit that will house the entire family for a week.
You want to: Stay on mountain
Choose instead: Near mountain
Save even more: Vacation rentals
Cost savings: $175+/day
Food
Impulsively eating out three meals daily is nice, but this can also blow your budget when you’re covering a group. If eating out is a must, you can save by ordering family-style entrees like gourmet pizza for lunch. It’s delicious and per person cost is significantly lower. You can also save on dining by searching your restaurant online and applying any coupons that may be available. I used a mobile app that provided me the ability to search the ski are from my phone, and saved $55. Besides the $25 I saved on breakfast, I saved $30 on dinner at the hotel’s on-site sushi bar’s 50% off special during the summer months. Similarly, the Snake River Saloon in Keystone is offering $12 off entrees and is a great place to stop on the road trip back to Denver. All of these savings add up!
With two grocery stores next door, our own cooler and a microwave on our floor, we had plenty of options to satisfy cravings as they arose, saving at least $20 daily on late-night and between meal refreshments and snacks. Vacation rentals provide even more flexibility in preparing and storing your meals.
You want to: Eat three meals out a day
Choose instead: Plan your meals
Save even more: Prepare some meals
Cost Savings: $50-$70/day
With all the savings from our family trip to Vail, we had plenty left in our budget to enjoy lots of activities, the Village and the great outdoors. What choices help you save on your family summer vacation?