This article may contain compensated links, please read our disclaimer for more information.
Believe it or not, spring break is coming up quickly, and that means it’s time to start making plans and reservations. Want to do something fun but can’t spend a lot of money? Here are my favorite affordable spring break destinations.
St. Louis, MO
The weather in St. Louis is beautiful during the spring months. On top of that, this city is easily the most affordable out there when it comes to tourism.
Affordable Attractions
St. Louis is chock-full of free attractions. These include:
- St. Louis Zoo
- St. Louis Art Museum
- Missouri History Museum
- Saint Louis Science Center
The Gateway Arch Has a free visitor center and walking around the grounds is free, but you will need to pay to ride to the top.
On top of this, the amazing Magic House children’s museum offers free admission on the third Friday of every month from 5pm–8pm.
Inexpensive Camping Option
The last time we visited St. Louis, we stayed at Horseshoe Lake State Park, which was lovely and offered dry camping for just $8 a night. Unfortunately, this park doesn’t open for the season until May 1st, meaning it won’t work for a spring break trip.
Instead, consider checking out Riverside Landing Park, which is located about 20 miles away in St. Charles.
Big Bend National Park
We just finished an adventure in Big Bend National Park and had an absolute blast. That said, the park would be even better in the spring when the weather is more consistently warm. Just make sure you book early because spring is the busiest season at the park!
Affordable Attractions
Big Bend is an attraction in and of itself. Once you pay the admission fee (or show your America the Beautiful Pass) you have access to all kinds of fun.
- I highly recommend attending the ranger talks, especially the nighttime star party. (Also, set up your own telescope if you have one.)
- Be sure to hike down in Chisos Basin and through at least one canyon.
- You’ll also want to make a point of hiking to the hot spring in the park.
- If you have passports for your group, you may even want to cross into Mexico for a delicious meal!
Inexpensive Camping Option
Because the park is so big, I highly recommend camping on park grounds in order to make the most of your time there. Rio Grande Village Campground can accommodate larger rigs and is very affordable at $15 a night. No hookups are offered, but restrooms with flush toilets and a dishwashing sink are available. There are also pay showers located in the camp store.
Washington, D.C.
We love Washington, D.C. all year long. That said, it is definitely best during the spring when the temperatures are starting to warm up but the heat and humidity of summer have yet to set in. Best of all, the place has tons of affordable family-friendly attractions!
Affordable Attractions
Washington, D.C. is one of the most affordable places we’ve ever visited because of all the free attractions found there. The Smithsonian Museums are the most well-known of these, are all well worth visiting, and could easily fill a whole trip.
Beyond these museums, there are also free tours of certain government buildings available to those who plan in advance.
Inexpensive Camping Option
Both times we visited Washington, D.C., we stayed at the NPS-run Greenbelt Campground. While the campground cannot accommodate enormous rigs, it can definitely handle medium-sized RVs. There are no hookups in the park, but there are bathhouses with hot showers. The cost to camp here is minimal, and the fact that it is so near a train station makes it easy to commute into the city each day.
Everglades National Park
Spring is one of the best times to visit Everglades National Park. During this season, the park is enjoyably warm without being too hot. You’re likely to see a lot of birds and might even catch some gator action.
Affordable Attractions
Like Big Bend, Everglades National Park is the attraction. You will of course need to pay the entrance fee or show your America the Beautiful Pass, but after that, you shouldn’t need to spend any money at all to have an amazing time.
I recommend…
- Checking out as many visitor centers as possible. They’re all unique and offer great info about the park.
- Attending ranger talks, especially the nighttime alligator walk.
- Walking the Anhinga trail to see birds and gators.
- Riding bikes along the Shark Valley Tram Road.
- You could also pay to ride the Shark Valley Tram itself or ride in an airboat.
Inexpensive Camping Option
Everglades National Park offers two RV camping options: Flamingo Campground and Long Pine Key Campground. Flamingo Campground has hookups, but is on the more expensive side. Meanwhile Long Pine Key Campground is dry camping only, but is ideal for budget-minded campers.
If you have a Thousand Trail membership with the Trails Collection add-on, there is also the option of staying at the Miami Everglades Encore resort. This is what my family does every time we visit the Everglades and we have enjoyed the park very much.
Moab, UT
Moab is an absolutely stunning place. Unfortunately, it is too hot to visit in summer and can be chilly in the winter. For this reason, spring is an ideal time to check out this amazing town and the surrounding area.
Affordable Attractions
The two things you absolutely must do while visiting Moab? Visit Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. There are tons of hikes and amazing things to do in these Utah national parks, and together they can fill several days with fun.
Other things to do in Moab include…
- Walking the adorable downtown area.
- Checking out the free concerts that tend to happen during the warm months.
- Playing at the awesome aquatic center.
Inexpensive Camping Option
We always boondock while visiting Moab. There are tons of places for free boondocking right outside of town, and during the spring and fall, these spots become awesome little RV communities.
The aforementioned aquatic center is a great place to shower while boondocking, and there are places in town to dump tanks and get fresh water for free!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park for a reason: The place is incredible. During the spring, the temperatures start to warm up, creating ideal conditions for hiking.
Affordable Attractions
Yet another destination that is also an attraction, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an amazing place to explore and have fun. Unfortunately, while the park is free, it does charge a parking fee now, and the fee is not covered by the “America the Beautiful” pass. Still, the fee is low enough that I would consider this a low-cost attraction.
A few tips:
- The park plays host to tons of amazing hiking trails, including many that lead to historic sites and waterfalls.
- The visitor centers offer fabulous exhibits.
- The Junior Ranger program is one of the best we’ve found (though the books do cost money, which is unusual).
Inexpensive Camping Option
Our favorite place to camp while visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the Douglas Dam. This park features two campgrounds, and both offer sites with water and electric hookups at a very reasonable price. A dump station is available in each campground, as are bathhouses with flush toilets and hot showers.
As you can see, there are plenty of amazing things to see and do during spring break without spending much at all. Which place(s) will you visit?
Join Fulltime Families
Fulltime Families Members get access to the best resources, community and discounts.
Fulltime Families is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.