Spring Break Ideas For Families On A Budget

When we travel, we want to enjoy ourselves but we also want to make sure we’re not going into debt just to have a good time. If you’re the same way, check out our post about How To Travel On A Budget. It’s filled with nearly a dozen ways to help you save, from discounts on gas, ways to save on dining (book a hotel with free breakfast), and more.

Spring Break Ideas For Families On A Budget

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The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark

Depending on where you live, it might still be chilly this time of year. You’re definitely not opening your pool if you live in New York. But, if your kids want to swim, bring them to The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark in the Catskills. 

On the way up, you get these beautiful scenic drives because you’re up in the Catskill Mountains. When you get there, you get a really fun waterpark with water slides, a lazy river, and a surf simulator. There are restaurants, a huge arcade, and an indoor ropes course too.

What’s great for parents is the waterpark is part of Resorts World casino. So you can book a room, let the kids play at the waterpark during the day, then at night, let some of the adults in your group hang out with the kids at the firepits and outdoor games area and some of the adults can go and gamble.

And, because I know you want to save, you can actually save on a room and waterpark pass package when you book your stay at The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark on Groupon.

Read our full The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark Review for more about the waterpark.

Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a really popular tourist destination because it has a public beaches and the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, which is filled with restaurants and gift shops and things to do.

There are a ton of dinner shows in Myrtle Beach that are fun if you’re traveling with an older group. But, for a mixed age group, add the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center onto your list.

The complex has three sections: the Hollywood Wax Museum, which is filled with wax figures and props, so you can take the perfect shot for social media; Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors, which is a fun mirror maze; and Outbreak-Dread the Undead, a zombie-themed walk through (sort of like a haunted house, but with zombies).

​It’s all indoors, so it’s a great way to spend some time if it’s raining when you’re in town.

If you book through the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center website, you can get a discount by booking more than one activity. 

Our full Hollywood Wax Museum Review has a bunch of information and fun wax museum photos.

LEGOLAND

There are three LEGOLAND locations in the United States: Florida, California, and New York (about 90 minutes north of New York City). The New York one reopens mid-April, so if you’re on the cusp of Spring Break there.

Each park is similar, but different. They’re all LEGO themed, but they have different rides and different worlds. But they all have fun, LEGO-themed roller coasters, tons of LEGO displays, and a movie theater where you can sit and watch a movie (and cool off if it’s a hot day).

LEGOLAND Florida, located in Winter Haven, has a seasonal waterpark, while the other two don’t have that. It’s also located on the same campus as Peppa Pig Theme Park, although they’re not the same park.

All three of them have a LEGO-themed hotel that you can stay at, which is so fun for young children. And, what’s fun for you is you can save on LEGOLAND hotels when you book through Groupon.

Before you book, check out our full LEGOLAND review.

Great Wolf Lodge

A classic Spring Break trip is one to Great Wolf Lodge. There are so many locations all over the United States, so there’s a chance that you know someone who has been there.

It’s a large indoor waterpark, with water slides, splash pads, and more. That makes it really nice if you’re somewhere where swimming pools are still closed during spring break week. It has a kids club too, with a ton of activities for kids.

There’s usually a game room and mini golf and a bunch of other activities that kids will really like.

A big concern is that Great Wolf Lodge can be pretty pricy, though, but there are always Great Wolf Lodge deals on Groupon, so definitely check that out before you book.

Medieval Times

I love Medieval Times, like way more than I expected to love a place that makes you eat dinner without utensils.

You’re transported back into, well, into the medieval times of knights and princesses and horses and jousting. You’re sat in a colored section and that’s the knight you root for.

There’s a whole play that plays out (wow, sorry) while you’re eating a full dinner and dessert. Hopefully your knight wins the entire night (this is getting worse). But if not, you’ll have such a great time.

If you’re in Las Vegas, the Excalibur Hotel and Casino has a similar show called the Tournament Of Kings, which is very family friendly.

There are often coupon codes on the Medieval Times website, so definitely look for those when you book rather than booking over the phone.

Find out more in our full Medieval Times review.

Wilderness at the Smokies

If you haven’t been to the Great Smoky Mountains, Spring Break is an amazing time to go. The mountains are absolutely beautiful. You can spend time hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, although pack a jacket because even in April, it’s chilly up there.

If you want to stay somewhere that’s a little warmer and a little better for kids who don’t love hiking, Wilderness at the Smokies in Sevierville, Tennessee is for you.

It’s a great place if you love waterparks. There are actually a bunch of waterparks at the resort. There’s Wild WaterDome, Tennessee’s Largest Indoor Waterpark (which has a clear, domed roof, so you can see the sky), two outdoor waterparks, and a few more. It’s definitely somewhere that you need to experience to appreciate.

The resorts’ website does offer coupon codes, or you can book on Groupon for more savings.

Cougar Mountain Zoo

We could list every single zoo, because a zoo trip is the perfect way to spend a nice day outside. But this list would be so incredibly long if we included every single zoo.

So, I’m picking one. The Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah, Washington because it. has. wallabies. Like they’re just there. Hoping around. Living their best lives. Making you think you’re in Australia for a second. They’re adorable. And I literally went to the Cougar Mountain Zoo strictly so I could feed a wallaby. It was the best time.

And then, you walk around a little bit, and there are reindeer. A huge section of the zoo is dedicated to a reindeer habitat. Of course, they do it up with Santa during the winter, but the rest of the year, they’re just hanging out, enjoying their life on the mountain.

I loved it.

Read our full Cougar Mountain Zoo review if you want more details.

Island Waterpark At Showboat Hotel

Island Waterpark is the new waterpark at Showboat Hotel (formerly the Showboat Casino) in Atlantic City. It has 11 water slides, including three that go outdoors, a lazy river, a pool, and a flowrider surf simulator.

For adults, there’s a 21+ area with a swim up bar in a pool that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Plus a bunch of other bars offering alcoholic drinks (in case a loud waterpark filled with kids isn’t exactly how you’d like to spend the day).

What’s great is you can purchase Island Waterpark tickets on Groupon, so you can save a little money.

Our full Island Waterpark At Showboat Hotel has a ton of more details.

Washington, DC

Everything on this list is a very specific destination, and then there’s just: Washington, DC. But, really, if you’re looking for budget-friendly fun, Washington, DC has it.

Our tax dollars go to maintaining the Smithsonian Museums in our nation’s capital, which means they all have free admission. So you can spend all of Spring Break hoping from museum to museum without paying. And we actually did that the year we went to Washington, DC for spring break.

But, you know what else is there during that time? Cherry blossoms. Seeing the blooms in front of the Tidal Basin is something I won’t ever forget.

We have a huge list of free things to do in Washington, DC to help you plan your budget-friendly trip.

More Spring Break Ideas:

If you’re looking for a city to go for Spring Break rather than an activity, our list of 10+ Fun & Frugal Spring Break Destinations is for you. It’s filled with towns that are budget-friendly, while this list focused more on attractions.

And, speaking of attractions, most people think of going to Disney during spring break. But, there are a ton of Things To Do In Orlando Besides Theme Parks. That post is filled with all the best things that don’t involve Mickey Mouse and his friends, like botanical gardens, dinner theater, and a great sky wheel where you can see so far into Florida.

Which of these Spring Break Ideas For Families On A Budget is your favorite? Be sure to let us know in the comments.