Budget Travel to St. Louis

 

 

St. Louis, Missouri is home to the Gateway Arch, known as Gateway to the West.

Of course, there is a fee to go inside of the Gateway Arch, however the best view is from the outside.  Along with that, you can also view the Mississippi River. 

While you're in the Jefferson National Expansion area you can see the famous Old Courthouse and the Old Cathedral for free.  Both are excellent examples of the beautiful architecture brought to the city in the early 1800's.

Here is a list of museums in St. Louis which offer free admission:

• Missouri History Museum
• St. Louis Art Museum
• Science Center
• Soldier's Memorial Military Museum

Three of St. Louis' best attractions offer free admission:

St. Louis Zoo

The St. Louis Zoo offers free admission.  18,000 animals, 700 species and 90 acres is more than you will see in most zoos, let alone one that offers free admission.  They do charge for parking, but check the area for street parking if you are really on a budget.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery

The Anheuser-Busch Brewery offers complimentary tours.  You will learn about the world-famous Clydesdale horse, visit three national historic landmarks, see brew kettles and Beechwood Aging cellars.  And it's conveniently located right downtown!

 James S. McDonnell Planetarium

Opening in 1963, 2013 marks the 50th Anniversary for the James S. McDonnell Planetarium.  Features include: 

• The Boeing Space Station - two levels of exhibits
• The Orthwein StarBay - several lab stations  
• Zeiss Planetarium Model IX - how the nightsky would be seen without weather, smog and city lights
• The Starbridge - astronomical research, space exploration and more!

Historical Sites to See for FREE!

• Jefferson Barracks
• Lewis and Clark State4 Historic Site
• Christ Church Cathedral
• Old Courthouse
• Ulysses S. Grant Historic Site

As you can see, St. Louis offers many things to do and see for free!  In addition, keep in mind the cheapest form of travel while you are in St. Louis is the Metro Link Train.  And finally, if you're a sports fan, check out all of the plaques and statues around Busch Stadium!

May all of your travels be....Lots of fun, and mostly FREE!

Budget Travel to Orlando

Orlando, Florida is one of the best places for family vacations.  In addition to Walt Disney World, there is also Universal Studios and Sea World Orlando.  However, traveling to Orlando with a family of four, or even more, can be quite a strain on anyone's budget.

Start planning your vacation to Orlando by looking for discount tickets online.  You may be able to get a discount for buying early thru the amusement park.  Check with local box stores and grocery stores, for discount tickets. 

One way to get free amusement park tickets (that might make some of you cringe) is to consider touring a time share property while you are in the area.  If you travel to the area annually, it might be a good idea to consider buying a time share property.  So, why not take advantage of the free tickets they have to offer.

It is almost impossible to see everything an amusement park has to offer in one day.  Check with the ones you intend to visit, and see if they offer second day for free (or $1).  If so, this is a great way to save on your vacation to Orlando.

Consider spending a day at one of the less expensive attractions Orlando has to offer.  Take Wonder Works for example.  Wonder Works has things the whole family will enjoy, and costs about one third of the price of an amusement park. 

While setting your budget for your vacation to Oralndo, why not add some of the free attractions Orlando has to offer.  These include:  the Gator Exhibit at Black Hammock Adventures, the World of Orchids, the Orlando Fire Museum, and the Indian Legend of Spook.

Orlando is a great city to visit and there is something to see and do on any budget!  And if you are looking to win a trip to Orlando, check this out!

Enjoy an Ice Festival!

If you are looking for something free to see and do this winter, why not enjoy an ice festival!

Even if you live in a warmer climate, a lot of cities have some type of festival to enjoy winter festivals.  Most are great for family fun and feature many free events!

This weekend, Niles, Michigan had their annual Hunter Ice Festival.  This was my first time to enjoy the event, although I had passed through town a couple of years in the past, during the festival.

The festival included a timed sculpting competition, free hot refreshments, warming stations and cookies.  There were also historical displays, and sculptures on display throughout the city on the days after the competition.

Chicago's Snow Days is January 25th - 27th, at Navy Pier.  It will include Snow Sculpting Competitions with teams from around the world.  The sculptures will be displayed with illumination each night of the festival.  Kids snow painting competitions, a new interactive Snowboarding Experience, live entertainment and more!

If you will be visiting China, you might want to take time to visit the Harbin Ice Festival.  There you will be able to visit Polarland with your kids, see the Sun Sculpture Art Expo on Sun Island, or even visit Central Street to taste foods from all around the world.

Each year, Central Park in New York City has a free event called Ice Festival at Belvedere Castle.  The event includes the carving of Belvedere Castle in ice by a local art studio.  Urban Park Rangers give a tour of the park and tell how it was formed by glaciers.  Sip on hot cocoa, and more.

Although in a warmer climate, Boca Raton, Florida has an Ice Castle Festival each year.  The festival features the construction of a giant ice castle.  It takes place at Patch Reef Park, and admission is free.  The festival has lots of family fun things to do like a giant obstacle course, classic childhood games, activities and more.

The Cripple Creek Ice Festival, in Cripple Creek, Colorado, features a different artistic theme each year.  This festival has lots of interactive sculptures and lasts for two weekends!

The Bavarian Ice Festival in Leavenworth, Washington includes dog sled rides, live ice carving, ice fishing, Ice Cube Scramble, and much more fun for all ages.

Check your neighboring cities for an ice festival for you and your family to enjoy!

New Years Eve New York City Time Square 2013

New Year’s Eve 2013 - New York City


Nothing like ringing in the New Year in the Big Apple, New York City, USA. There are large number of places to ring in the New Year in NYC, so we are just going to concentrate on a few to help you brainstorm and get an idea of what you would like to do.

Each of the following New Year’s Eve party tickets will provide access to the Times Square zone. You must have ticket in hand along with a valid id in order to enter this area.

Just a few steps away from the fabulous Ball Drop, in Times Square on 42nd Street, AMC has general admission party passes that start as low as $25 all the way up to “Best View of the Ball Drop Live” Ultra VIP passes for $1900. The passes include everything from basic admission, open bar, to premier terrace views of the ball drop live. There will be a world-renowned DJ and PG-13 movies playing throughout the night. Your AMC ticket also gives you access to Times Square on New Year’s Eve!

Dave and Buster’s is also on 42nd Street. General Admission tickets start at $65 for minors and $85 for adults.

Aspen Social has a Premier Open Bar New Year’s Eve Party for 5 hours, from 9pm to 2am on New Year’s. There will be a live do playing a variety of music including: hip hop, dance, 80’s Top 40 and rock. Festive party favors and a champagne toast at midnight are also included. Tickets priced as low as $95 include the Premier Open Bar!

New Years Eve 2013 Nashville

New Year’s Eve 2013 - Nashville


Music City New Year’s Eve Bash on Broadway offers free admission. Live bands include: The Fray, Sixpence None the Richer, Love and Theft, and Striking Matches. Count down to midnight for the Music Note Drop®, fireworks, and confetti cannons!

Opryland has a couple of different theme parties going on this New Year’s Eve. The first is a Vegas Style New Year’s Eve Party, with a DJ and the Les Richardson Band. On another note, and more in Opryland style, is their New Year’s Eve Celebration 2012! - A Southern Gospel Festival.

Ring in the New Year at World Famous Tootsies Orchid Lounge! Party starts at 7pm. Tickets start at $50 and include:

Buffet - pulled pork, chicken, baked beans & coleslaw (7pm - 10pm)

Party Favors

Midnight toast

Miller Lite Live Presents: NYE Funk N’ Soul Ball at the Exit/In. Join The Dynamites and Space Capone for the most unique and fun NYE show in town! Early bird tickets are only $20, while general admission prices are $30/$40 the day of the show.

For a more family oriented New Year’s Celebration in Nashville, celebrate at noon, at the Adventure Science Center, Nashville. As stated on their site “A fun way for families with younger children to celebrate together, make some memories and do a little science!“ Many activities including making your own noise maker and a party hat. Learn how noises are made, New Year’s Resolution Wall, a Balloon Drop and more.

Other places to consider in Nashville for New Year’s Eve are:

Wildhorse Saloon - Admission $15

Nashville Palace - $30 includes a buffet

The Bluebird Café - $45 show starts at 7pm

New Year's Eve 2013 Chicago

New Year’s 2013 Chicago


Bass Drop New Year’s Eve at the historic Portage Theatre. Music at this venue will includes live bands and DJs, with a variety from Electro, Funk, Rock, Hip-Hop and more!

Timothy O’Toole’s downtown Chicago has a budget friendly party with a DJ, Champagne (or a Miller High Life Tall Boy), party favors and more. The cover charge is only $10! They’ll be open until 4:00am New Year’s morning.

For the Ultimate New Year’s Eve celebration, check out one of the Excalibur’s package deals. General admission is $100 per person in advance/$125 regular admission. The NYE package includes 3 rooms of music, 4 hours premium hosted bar. New hours for this years bar are 9pm to 1am. Much better. Other packages available.

New Year’s Eve at Navy Pier includes a number of ways to celebrate. At 7:00pm there will be Family Fireworks and then more lakefront Fireworks at Midnight. Chicago’s Resolution Ball will be held in the Navy Pier Grand Ball Room, doors open at 9:00pm. This is a black tie affair, and considered Chicago’s largest New Year’s Eve celebration. The Scene and Be Seen New Year’s Eve Party will be held in the Crystal Gardens and includes DJs, an open bar, a champagne toast and more!  

Also at Navy Pier, you might consider taking a lake cruise to watch the fireworks.  Packages start as low as $19 for the family show at 7:00 which includes lunch, and $29 for the fireworks show at midnight.  Restaurants at Navy Pier that are having celebrations include Harry Caray's and the Riva Crab House,

The cover charge at Blue Chicago on Clark is only $20.  This includes New Year's Eve Party with Charlie Smith, party favors and champagne toast at midnight.  The doors open at 8:00 and the music starts at 9:00.  First come, first serve basis, as they do not take reservations.


For additional event information, visit each venues web site.

New Year's 2013 Pocono Mountains

New Year’s 2013 - Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania


Ring in the New Year’s in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.

The Fernwood Winter Fun Center will be ringing in New Year’s family style with DJ Entertainment, fireworks, a winter barbeque, snowtubing, and more at the Wintergreens Patio Grill and their Winter Fun Center. Purchase a combination package which includes snowtubing, hats, noisemakers, a food certificate for the Wintergreens Barbeque and more.

Cove Pocono Resorts offers an all-inclusive package for Couples only. The all-inclusive package includes: admission to three couples only resorts, a midnight buffet, champagne, party favors, noise-makers, rooms that include in-suite pools and whirlpool baths, breakfast in bed or in their restaurant, discounts on shopping and ultimate adventures and more!

Enjoy a winter carnival, campfire, caroling, hayrides and more on Monday, at The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort. Then in the evening, experience dinner and a champagne toast at midnight. Also included are accommodations and breakfast the next day.

For more information visit the resorts' web sites.