The last hurray of summer is less than a month away.
Labor Day weekend offers families one last chance to get away before the hustle and bustle of the new school year and extracurricular commitments fully sinks in.
But this year, inflationary pressures and fears of a recession may have some travelers wondering whether it’s worth it to leave or stay closer to home.
USA TODAY checked prices for five popular vacation destinations to see how much a long weekend getaway for the family would cost. Prices, starting Monday, apply to two adults and two children under the age of 10 from September 3 to September 5, unless otherwise stated. Transportation to and from the destination is not included as the cost varies greatly depending on the distance and manner of travel.
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Is it expensive to visit national parks?
National parks are one of the most affordable vacation destinations for families, especially when camping is an option. With more than 423 national park sites across the country, from parks to beaches, there are park sites within driving distance of many cities. On the same subject : Oster 10-Cup Food Processor with Easy-Touch Technology review. Here are the costs to visit one of America’s most popular national parks, Yosemite.
Cost: Yosemite usually charges $35 per vehicle to enter. There is also a $2 reservation fee to drive through Yosemite during peak hours from 6am to 4pm. daily until September 30.
Only 108 national park sites charge an entrance fee, a maximum of $35 per vehicle or $20 per person, depending on location. Entrance is waived for families with fourth graders through the government’s Every Kid Outdoors program. Active military members, veterans, and Gold Star families can also access the national park site for free.
There are several days each year when the entrance fee is waived for everyone. The remaining two days of the year are National Public Land Day on September 24 and Veterans Day on November 11.
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Lodging: The cheapest way to stay in Yosemite is to camp. The cheapest campsites, at Tamarack Flat and Yosemite Creek, cost $24 per day. There is one campsite, Porcupine Flat, which costs a lower nightly, but is closed until next year. A two night stay at one of the campgrounds costs $48. Reservations are required for all Yosemite campgrounds and can be made at Recreation.gov.
Families who don’t want to pitch their own tents can stay in the heated or unheated canvas tents at Curry Village. Two nights in an unheated canvas tent cost a total of $296.20 on the first weekend of November. A hotel-style room with three double beds at Curry Village in the same period totaled $567.93. Alternatively, families who want to go the extra mile can book a standard room with a double bed and a single bed at the Wawona Hotel for a total of $279.16. There are a few other lodges on the garden property, but none open on Labor Day weekend. Yosemite Hospitality manages all lodging within the park.
Food: Families trying to save money can bring their own food and it costs nothing to eat inside the park. However, there are plenty of dining options from the food court to fine dining, as well as ready-to-eat food and groceries. Families planning to buy their food should budget at least $100 per day.
Entertainment: Access to many activities is included in the Yosemite entrance fee, including ranger-led walks and discussions, hiking, bird watching, and rock climbing. However, a free wilderness hike permit is required to climb the great wall overnight. And while there is no charge for fishing in Yosemite, visitors 16 years and older need a valid California fishing license, which costs $17.54 for one day or $27 for two days.
Overall: The least a family of four can afford for a long weekend in Yosemite National Park is $85 if they camp and bring all their own food from home or $385 if they buy food at the park. Visitors can easily spend hundreds of dollars more if they choose to stay at the inn.
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How do I plan a family beach trip?
Location plays a huge role in the cost of vacations for any beach from California to the Carolinas. Which beach guests visit and where they stay makes a difference. See the article : The G-20 meeting ends without full consensus; food security and inflation top agenda at Bali summit. Below is a sample price for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Cost: Myrtle Beach offers miles of free public beach. Many beach access points are available for guests who are not staying along the beach. Metered parking costs $3 per hour or $15 for a full day, just down the road.
Lodging: Many tourists visiting the beach want to stay right next to it. One popular option is to rent a waterfront condo through a company like VRBO or Airbnb. Prices vary widely, but one common advantage is access to a kitchen or kitchenette, which can help reduce eating out. Travelers should pay attention to cleaning fees and other fees in addition to the nightly rate when booking.
Guests who prefer traditional hotels can opt for local and national brands. One of the more affordable seaside hotels among the big chains is the Hampton Inn & Suites Myrtle Beach, at least during Labor Day weekend. Two nights in a two queen bed room with complimentary breakfast but no view totals $723.10, with non-refundable prepaid rate and Hilton Honors discount.
Travelers who don’t mind being further afield can stay at hotels such as Four Points by Sheraton Myrtle Beach, along the Intracoastal Waterway, where two nights in a two queen room total $553.70 at a non-refundable prepaid Marriott Bonvoy member rate. The hotel is about 4.5 miles from the beach, which guests should consider if they don’t have a car.
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Food: The variety of casual dining places keeps families from relying on fast food chains to save money, if they don’t have access to a kitchen. But it’s still a beach, so families have to spend $125 to $150 daily on food.
Entertainment: The beach may be free, but there are plenty of other places to spend the money, like the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk. home to Ripley’s attractions, as well as SkyWheel Myrtle Beach. Ripley’s cheapest attraction, Mirror Maze, costs $9.99 per person aged 3 years and over. SkyWheel tickets cost $16.99 for guests 12 years and over. Children between the ages of 3 and 11 are $12.99.
Overall: A long Labor Day weekend at Myrtle Beach can cost a family of four up to $973.70. That’s for a hotel away from the beach, eating out, and daily beach parking, but no added entertainment.
How do you travel with kids in Las Vegas?
It’s easy to spend big bucks in Las Vegas to watch famous shows, five-star restaurants, high-end shopping, and play games, but even frugal families may find a long weekend in Vegas not cheap. On the same subject : Increased Food Costs Affecting Summer Chefs.
Cost: There is no charge for people watching or sightseeing along Las Vegas Boulevard, but the resorts are vast and far apart, so unless visitors plan to walk long distances in the triple digit summers, they should be prepared to pay for transportation, either by bus, share a ride or taxi.
One of the cheapest options is the Regional Transport Commission bus. The Deuce on the Strip route stops at the most popular resorts approximately every 15 minutes, around the clock. A three-day bus ticket costs $20 for most adults. Children 6 to 17 years old, adults 60 years old and above, veterans, people with disabilities, and some others are eligible for the $10 discount for the same period. Children 5 years and under are free.
The Las Vegas Monorail is another option among select resorts. The three-day monorail ticket is $29 per person 6 years and over. Children 5 years old and under ride for free with adults.
Tourists who bring their own cars have to pay for parking. MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment Inc., which own most of the resorts on the Strip, charge most guests $18 per day for self-parking. The first hour is free.
Lodging: There is a wide variety of accommodations for every price point in Las Vegas. Family-friendly options along the Strip include Excalibur for $616.78, Luxor for $632.65 and Planet Hollywood for a total of $762.62 for two nights over Labor Day weekend with two queen beds. Cheaper rooms are available at other times of the year, including weekends. Travelers can also find lower fares in the city center and outside the region, but transportation times and costs must be considered when booking.
Food: Forget the cheap Vegas buffet idea. Weekday lunch at the Excalibur buffet costs $27.99 for guests 12 years and over, excluding tax and tip. Children between the ages of 5 and 11 cost $15.99 and children under 5 are free. Upscale, the weekend buffet dinner at Wynn costs $69.99 for guests 10 years and over. Children between the ages of 3 and 9 are half price, and children under 3 are free.
There are fast food and fast service options at the hotel, such as In-N-Out Burger at The Linq and Chipotle at Harrah’s. But even two burritos, two kids meals with drinks included and two extra drinks add up to over $42.
Some hotels offer suites with in-room kitchens or kitchenettes, but most Vegas hotel rooms don’t, so guests should plan to eat out. A family of four should budget $150 to 200 per day for food, with some meals cheaper and others more expensive. If money wasn’t an option, almost every celebrity chef imaginable had a restaurant in Vegas.
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Entertainment: The cheapest thing guests can do is spend the day at the hotel pool, assuming they don’t attend a daytime club pool party with entry fees that rival nightclubs.
Families willing to spend a little money can pay to play carnival-style games at the Fun Dungeon at Excalibur, Midway in Circus Circus and similar venues at other resorts.
Guests looking for a bigger thrill can visit the Adventuredome at Circus Circus, where a ride ticket costs $60 for guests who are at least 48 inches tall and $30 for smaller junior riders. Rides aboard The Strat have age and height restrictions and prices vary depending on the number of rides guests choose. Guests must be at least 54 inches tall to ride the Big Apple Roller Coaster around New York-New York, with tickets starting at $19. Tickets for the 550-foot High Roller observation wheel at The Linq start at $23.50 for guests 13 years and over and $8.50 for children between the ages of 4 and 12.
Other attractions include the Reef Shark Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, with tickets starting at $29, and the Neon Museum, with tickets starting at $20 for most adults and $10 for children ages 7 to 17. Students, seniors, and members of the military can get a discounted museum price from $16. Children 6 years and under are free.
Tourists by car can go hiking in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which costs $15 per car for a one-day pass or go see Hoover Dam, which costs $10 to $15 for a guided tour of the power plant.
The largest ticket items generally show. For example, tickets for Penn & Tellers in Rio start at $75. That’s just a little less than the starting price of $79 for O by Cirque du Soleil at Bellagio. Sometimes there are offers available, on the same day and otherwise.
Overall: If a family spends absolutely nothing on entertainment in the “World’s Entertainment Capital,” it costs at least $1126.68 for transportation, food, and mid-range accommodation to visit Vegas for three days and two nights over Labor Day weekend.
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How much does it cost to take a family on a cruise?
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Sticker surprises may seem like a lot, but cruises cost no more than many other vacation destinations. Lodging, food and entertainment are all included in the cruise fare. Amenities such as alcohol, fine dining, Wi-Fi, spa treatments, and road trips are subject to additional charges, but are not required and are sometimes included as incentives for bookings.
Costs: Below are sample rates for interior rooms on Labor Day weekend cruises from ports across the country.
A two-night cruise on the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise leaving Palm Beach, Florida, on September 3 with a day on the Grand Bahama Island costs $1165.76 for two adults and two children with the cruise line’s “2 for 1” promo.
A three-night cruise on Carnival Radiance from Los Angeles on September 2 costs $1,281.44 for four guests, with no choice of rooms. It costs $40 more to select a room. The ship spent one day at sea and one day in Ensenada, Mexico.
A five-night cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas leaving Galveston, Texas, on September 2 costs $1,287.88 for two adults and two children with children sailing free. The ship spent two days at sea, one day in Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, and one day in Cozumel.
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Lodging: Interior rooms are the cheapest accommodation on any cruise ship. While many guests are willing to pay extra for a window or balcony overlooking the sea, others say they spend so little time in the room that they don’t need a view. Prices go up depending on room size, location and facilities.
Food: A wide variety of places to eat is usually included in cruise fares, from snack shops to buffets and formal dining rooms. There is usually an additional charge for specialty restaurants, but depending on the promotion offered at the time of booking, a number of special dining experiences may be included.
Guests should note that while food is “complimentary”, drinks may not be. Some drinks like tap water, coffee and iced tea are free with meals, but sodas, alcohol and even some juices usually cost extra, unless a “free drink” package is available.
Entertainment: From waterslides to Broadway-style shows and deck activities, cruises offer many ways to party as part of their fares. Guests can also feel free to explore the cities on their cruise ship itinerary at their own pace. However, professionally guided tours or other types of beach excursions have separate costs that vary widely.
Overall: There may be gratuities or service fees, but travelers who are mindful of their spending can benefit greatly from just their cruise fare, such as $1165.76 for Margaritaville at Sea. On the other hand, guests who don’t pay attention to what they drink, where they eat, and what they do on and off the ship can be astonished at how the costs add up.
Is it cheaper to go to Disney World or Universal Orlando?
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It’s no secret that theme parks are expensive, with entry prices often in the triple digits, but there are ways to save.
Below are sample prices for a family of two adults and two children at two of America’s most popular theme park destinations: Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. Children 10 years and over are counted as adults for the ticket, while children under 3 years are free. One park ticket per day is used for budgeting as it is cheaper than park hopper ticket.
Cost: Family park admission for Disney World will be $1,033.18 for two days or $1,447.76 for three days over Labor Day weekend. A two-day ticket for Universal Orlando costs about the same, $1,043.96, but a three-day ticket costs much less at $1,091.96. Both resorts offer discounts for US military members and retirees.
Lodging: Guests can sometimes save by combining park tickets with hotel stays on property. They also get benefits such as getting to the park early. The wide selection of hotels, motels, and short-term vacation rentals in the Orlando area can also help families save money, especially if they have a kitchen to prepare meals instead of eating out.
Two nights in selected rooms at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort plus two park days will total $1,481.44 over Labor Day weekend when the cheaper standard room is booked. Adding a third day at the park will result in a total of $1,896.02, including lodging.
The starting price for Universal’s Endless Summer Resorts is $91 per night, but as of Monday, none of the eight resorts on the Universal Orlando property are available for a two-night stay over Labor Day weekend, which also opens Halloween Horror Nights weekend. However guests can book two nights at Drury Inn, Universal’s off-site partner hotel, with complimentary breakfast and free shuttle service to the park plus two days of park admission for $1,409.10. It will only take a little longer to get three days in the park, for a total of $1,466.22.
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Food: Both Disney World and Universal Orlando allow guests to bring drinks and non-alcoholic snacks to the park. Disney World also allows guests to bring food, but part of the theme park experience for many travelers is eating park food such as Dole Whip or Butterbeer. While both resorts offer kids meals and fast food options in the $10 to $20, it’s safe to budget between $150 to $200 a day for meals for a family of four, even if travelers eat breakfast at the hotel.
Entertainment: From rides to live shows to parades and fireworks, there is an endless array of entertainment included with the price of admission to the park. Guests can pay for amenities like Disney Genie+ or Universal Express, which cut queue times, but it’s not absolutely necessary.
Travelers who don’t want to spend the entire trip at the park can spend a day at the hotel pool, exploring Disney Springs or Universal CityWalk, or visiting a number of other sites around Orlando. Remember to budget for souvenirs.
Overall: A family of four can spend over $1,859.10 for a long weekend at a destination theme park like Universal Orlando or Disney World. Like all holidays, some travelers will spend more and others will spend less, but it’s a fair budget to start with.
