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Travel Hacking for us is about family, and sometimes we need time together for just an afternoon.
What does this look like?
I think Travel Hacking where you live is about rest. Resting together, and not spending a fortune to do it. Sometimes, this is a weekend activity, or maybe an escape to the outdoors, a fun night at a local hotel, or an adventure to a new museum. All these things can give us family time, which is really, what travel hacking is all about for our family.
Hiking
Now you may say this isn’t a travel hack, but I will include any free activity in my travel hacking repertoire, and for today, hiking is a part of that. I would utilize the All Trails app, which details local hikes along with notes about ease of use and accessibility. This makes it easy to see if it’s useful for the family or even grandma and grandpa.
Geocaching
As a part of hiking, I would include Geocaching. This is a free app, that has hidden “treasure boxes” all over the globe. You can find them nearly anywhere, and what family doesn’t like a treasure hunt. We utilize these on vacations as well. If your kids want to retrieve a treasure you will want to bring a trinket (think eraser, keychain, sticker) to leave behind. You can download the geocaching app HERE.
Culture Pass
Now this has different names in different states, but we have had this in large cities and small towns. It is essentially a partnership between the library system and a variety of museums in the state to grant library patrons free admission. For one of our libraries, you had to go in person and retrieve a pass, for our current library it is all done online. This has been an awesome way for us to freely see so many museums that we never would have seen otherwise. Check with your local library, and see if you can get a free museum adventure!
Venture X
Now, if you have the Capital One Venture X card, you can also use their Cultivist Benefit to get some Culture Pass type experiences. I would preview your city and see if it is included on the list before signing up, as this is only a 6 month benefit, and you want to use it when it will benefit you.
Hotels
Obviously this is where we shine as travel hackers – free hotel stays are our bread and butter. We often like to use a free night certificate at a local hotel for a little staycation with a pool some time in the winter. It gives all of us something to look forward to, and it has already been paid for, so we only need to worry about food. More about our approach to free hotel nights can be found in our Free Beginners Guide to Travel Hacking.
Some people will also look for inexpensive hotels locally if they are working towards status with a hotel chain. Spending a small amount on a hotel night and earning a night towards your status can also work in this instance.
Activities
Activities(outside of geocaching and culture pass) can be tricky to travel hack – you can always pay for them with a card that earns double points (Capital One Venture X) and gain points from activities, but we are looking to have free or cheap activities. Two of the best resources we have found are Groupon and Local Moms Deals Groups.
Groupon consistently updates local deals and can often get you a less expensive pass to mini golf or bowling, or even a good restaurant deal.
Local Moms Groups. These moms y’all. They love a deal, and they want you to know about it. If you aren’t in one of these groups, get yourself in one. I have learned more info about the most random activities in these groups, often free activities too!
Amazon/Thrift Store Toys
This may seem like a weird one to throw in here, but sometimes all our family needs is a cheap toy to stir up the day. We bought this bubble gun last spring, and it provided more entertainment than you would believe.
Conclusion
Just because you don’t have the time or space to travel doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy time with your family without breaking the bank. Really, that is our goal here at Bless Your Hack, family time, without losing all your dimes.
