How to take a vacation.... for cheap

 I love going on vacation, it doesn't really matter where. But you don't have to spend a lot of time to have fun. Twitter moms and toyota are having a campaign about cheap and creative vacations here. To find out more visit  http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/share-your-top-10-creative-and

1. Camp: Camping is :often underestimated, but if you try a campground you may discover lots of fun locally! Many campgrounds feature kids actives for the little ones, and sometimes even dances for the older kids. They almost always have fire-pits, and with a simple grate you can turn it into a grill. A  Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Combo Cooker can cook everything from bacon to pasta on an open flame.
2. Beach It: Beach always means vacation, even if its just a few hours away. Grab your sunscreen and get out the Frisbee for the kids. You can have fun with the kids all day and get a tan. And all that sun will wipe them out so you can have some fun in the evening! We choose hotels that are about an hour away from the main beaches, that way they are less expensive, and less crowded. We just leave early enough to have breakfast on the beach, that way we beat the traffic
3. BYOF: Bring your own food, for breakfast you can never fail with fruit salad, granola, and yogurt. All these can be bought in bulk. For lunch we will make cold peanut noodles, salads, sandwiches, and cheese plates. For diners we will spend money, or cook over the fire.
4. Go Local: We buy weekend passes to music festivals like Harmony Festival, this way we can take have fun all day and stay home at night. Look for local events near you, you'll be surprised what fun is right down the street.
5. Bring Friends: We almost never go on vacation alone, its nice to have a friend for annabella, and you get better deals with bigger groups. We like to rent a house and have everybody pick a night to cook diner, that way everybody saves!
6. What else is included?: Continental Breakfast is a must! Especially for picky eaters that tend to be extra picky on vacation mornings. Let them choose whats for breakfast today. Bonus if we can  cook our own waffles! Does the hotel have a pool?
7. Bring your cloth: Don't be afraid to bring your cloth diapers if you are staying at a hotel, just make sure they have on site laundry! Bring your bag of soapnuts and you will have six loads without bringing any messy detergent bottles! 
8. Refill: Don't spend money on plastic bottles of water the whole time you are gone, bring along a few Monster Kids Aluminum Bpa Free Eco Water Bottle for your young ones and just refill as needed, most places with fountain drinks will refill water for free
9. Plan Ahead: Most cities have days where certain museums and zoos are free( in San Francisco its the first Wednesday of every month) These days can save you lots of money if you just look them up.
10. Couponpages.com:  Check here for local coupons for wherever you are going! Google Maps can help you find whatever address you are looking for!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the Toyota Sienna and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”