torikei Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Any ideas for a frugal vacation in the Midwest. We live in Illinois near the Mississippi River so I'd like to keep the driving down to 10 hours or so. We might have enough points to stay at a Drury Inn for free or we could camp. My kids are getting older so I'd like to keep them busy but it would be nice to relax too. We've done St. Louis, Lake of the Ozarks, and Branson a lot. It's wonderful but it would be nice to do something new. We are a large family so entry fees and such can really add up. Thanks so much, Tori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentuckymom Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Southwest Michigan is probably less than 10 hours from you. There are some great beaches and lots of wonderful little towns to explore. You can also go inland to my hometown of Grand Rapids and get some big city cultural experiences if you like. We were just in Michigan last week and discovered a lovely little theme park in Holland - Nelis' Dutch Village. It's themed around, get this, a Dutch village from about 100 years ago. There's lots to learn and also lots of fun things to do. I don't know how old your kids are, but we went with another family and the kids present were a 4 year, a 6 year old, and 9 year old, and two 10 year olds. All the kids and the adults had a lot of fun. There are buildings and presentations where you can learn about history and culture, about half a dozen small rides, and a farm area with lots of animal petting opportunities. If you enjoy beaches, Silver Beach in St. Joseph is my favorite, but there are many lovely beaches. You could pick a town with a Drury in or a good camping place as your home base and then make day trips wherever you wish. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Well, you could do a big city vacation, like Chicago, or a nature-y vacation, and travel to someplace like the Oauchita Mountains in Arkansas. We have been to both. In Chicago you could go to the Art Museum, Lake Michigan, they have a great Science Museum there., we toured a cool mansion. We joined with family membership to local museums here, so it was more affordable. We stayed in Elmhurst, about 30 min. away from Chicago and you can find decent lodgings there that isn't too expensive. The highlight of this trip was a splurge on the Blue Man Group, it was expensive but so much fun. In Arkansas, you can hike, go dig quartz crystals, canoe or kayak the river, all fun stuff. You can even go to the diamond crater state park, but don't expect to find a diamond, and it might be a little too hot for that. Just a few ideas. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRobinson Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Kansas City! Lots to do for free. Kaleidoscope for the 5-12 crowd, Harley Davidson tour for the 12+ crowd. Federal Reserve Money Museum tour. Last I checked, there were activities to download from the website. All those are free plus lots more. You could probably find Royal tickets inexpensively and KC has awesome BBQ!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Springfield has a lot to offer if you're a huge history buff. Abraham Lincoln is everywhere! His home is free and there is a block of his neighborhood that's preserved and you can walk around and see some other buildings and homes from that time period. His tomb and Oak Ridge Cemetery are free. The Presidential museum has an admission fee, but it's worth every penny. It's wonderfully done. Several miles north of Springfield is Old Salem, another Lincoln-era log cabin-type town that's enjoyable. There's the capitol and the old state capitol, both are free (I'm pretty sure) to tour. If you're into used books, there's a fantastic old book store called Prairie Archives. You can get lost in there for hours and it has books for everyone--even kids. I think Springfield can offer a pretty decent vaca for not a lot of money. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilma Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 What are y'all into? Naturey stuff? Hiking, camping, boating, swimming...? Nerdy stuff (this is me)? Museum, historical sites, old homes...? Sporty stuff? Baseball stadiums, pro games...? Shopping? Beaching? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplejackmama Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Our best vacations are spent on a lake with a rental boat and a couple of tubes. Last year we went to Tims Ford lake in Tennessee and had the time if our lives! Fairly cheap if you consider all your paying for are accommodations. It's nice because there is nothing else to spend money on, the lake IS the attraction. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnE-girl Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Springfield has a lot to offer if you're a huge history buff. Abraham Lincoln is everywhere! His home is free and there is a block of his neighborhood that's preserved and you can walk around and see some other buildings and homes from that time period. His tomb and Oak Ridge Cemetery are free. The Presidential museum has an admission fee, but it's worth every penny. It's wonderfully done. Several miles north of Springfield is Old Salem, another Lincoln-era log cabin-type town that's enjoyable. There's the capitol and the old state capitol, both are free (I'm pretty sure) to tour. If you're into used books, there's a fantastic old book store called Prairie Archives. You can get lost in there for hours and it has books for everyone--even kids. I think Springfield can offer a pretty decent vaca for not a lot of money. One thing to keep in mind before planning a Springfield trip is that stuff might be shut down if the state doesn't come up with a budget soon. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chess Dad Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Mammoth Cave National Park is a cool place. Here is a promotional video so that you can check it out. It could also just be a one day stop to another destination. :patriot: It is located in Mammoth Cave, KY. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 The north Shore of Lake superior in MN.it always gets my vote! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 One thing to keep in mind before planning a Springfield trip is that stuff might be shut down if the state doesn't come up with a budget soon. True. Or any state facility or park. Right now we're working without knowing if we're getting our next paycheck. Or when. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottonwood Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 How far is Montana from you? Because that's my vote. Glacier or Yellowstone. Camping, fishing, boating..floating the rivers, kayaking, etc. The beauty is simply hard to believe. If you're outdoorsy there is no shortage of fun. If you're not, this is a pretty bad suggestion. LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Wisconsin Dells? Are you Laura Ingalls Wilder buffs? You could do the tour. Many sites in the midwest. I loved Meramac Springs Park in MO as a kid. Just beautiful. Did you see Grant's Farm already in your travels? That used to be fun and inexpensive. Arkansas has Hot Springs National Park. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torikei Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 Lots of good ideas. Thank you so much. We are outdoorsy. We like the beach. Four of my six children like to fish. I love to shop but not with kids. :glare: I was thinking about something along the Great Lakes. We haven't done that yet. Thanks for all the ideas. They are greatly appreciated. Tori 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.