Travel Deals for Savvy Families
June 3 -- Summer may be peak travel season for families, but that doesn't necessarily mean peak pricing.
Hotels, resorts and theme parks are courting families with a variety of discounts or special added value offers this summer.
Here's what to look for. Some hotels and resorts (among them, Hyatt Resorts, www.hyatt.com) are selling the second room a family books at a 50 percent discount. Don't underrate the importance of having separate rooms (and perhaps more importantly, bathrooms) for parents and the kids.
Lots of resorts are offering what amounts to a 30 percent discount by giving a third consecutive night free. (One example: Tradewinds Island Resorts on St. Pete Beach, St. Petersburg, Fla., www.justletgo.com).
Free Golf, Meals
Other enticements include free golf for kids or discounted lessons for kids (some Marriott resorts, including those in Palm Desert, Fla., Atlantic City, N.J. and Orlando and Marco Island, Fla., www.marriott.com); a free session in a kids camp (Hyatt) and discounts on bookings made online (Radisson, www.radisson.com/gosk2). Then there are other offers such as a free breakfast or meal discounts (Radisson and Holiday Inn SunSpree, http://www.sunspreeresorts.com/familyfun).
Resorts near major attractions sometimes include admission to those attractions in the room rates (for example, a two-day Williamsburg Marriott package includes two-day admission to Busch Gardens).
Some resorts are offering vouchers for their summer visitors. The Holiday Inn SunSpree Resorts Family Fun packages includes a $10 Gas Refund voucher along with a 20 percent discount on one meal at the hotel, and vouchers for free drinks. Holiday Inn and Radisson are also holding a sweepstakes whose prizes include a mini-van (Holiday Inn) and sport utility vehicle and seven-day vacation in Aruba (Radisson). Hilton (www.hilton.com) is offering a whole book of vouchers good for discounts on future travel as part of its Easy Escapes.
More Tips
Check out vacation clubs, too. Because vacation club condos and villas can accommodate more people than a hotel room, they can be an economical way to travel with grandparents, cousins or friends. Horizons by Marriott Vacation Clubs (horizonsbymarriott.com) in Orlando and Branson, Mo., sleep up to eight in villas that have two bathrooms, a private terrace, living room and full kitchen.
Related Stories
ABC News Live