Planning a Weekend Family Field Trip Getaway

Let’s be real. While family trips can be amazing, the vast majority of families don’t have the time or the money for taking months-long backpacking trips through Europe or even a week of road tripping across the States. But while those longer trips might not always be possible, a shorter weekend away can still scratch that travel itch!

A family trip on the weekend can be an excellent use of time! Traveling together as a family has been shown to help create positive memories and help with bonding. Plus, new places mean new opportunities for learning! Truly, spending time together while your kids are still young can be invaluable, both for them and for you.

Explore Attractions Nearby

A weekend full of things to do for everyone is an ideal way to spend time with the family. Outdoor activities, like camping, can keep costs down and be done almost anywhere, while more high-energy attractions, such as Speedzone Fun Park, offer more fast-paced adventure and fun. What you can do during a weekend trip depends a lot on what’s nearby, but with a little research, you’ll almost certainly be able to find something fun!

I suggest choosing a specific thing to do within a few hours of your home base, and then choosing 1-3 other activities in that area to round out your time. When my family takes longer trips, we’ll often limit ourselves to one activity a day so we don’t burn out, but for shorter trips you can squeeze in as many as you have energy for!

Consider Everyone’s Interests when Planning

While it can be tempting to base an entire weekend getaway on your own likes and dislikes, I strongly suggest that you consider everyone’s preferences in your plans. After all, while spending an entire day lounging on the beach may sound perfectly relaxing to you, it can become way less relaxing as soon as a kid utters the phrase, “I’m bored.”

Choosing a few different activities that meet everyone’s needs let’s kids know that they are important members of the family, too. Plus, if you can tire the kids out doing something fun first, it can make the relaxation portion of your trip more effective for the whole family!

Reserve Your Activities to be sure of your spot

Know what you want to do? Great! Just note: While many larger places – like theme parks, zoos, or national parks – will have plenty oḟ space for spur of the moment plans, some activities have do have the potential for selling out. Other activities, like guided tours or rafting trips, need time to prepare and will only happen if booked far enough in advance. I’ve definitely missed out on an experience or two because I didn’t pre-book!

If you’re planning on doing something unique during your trip, it’s well worth making sure your spot is reserved. Many places will let you do that through their website, but I often prefer booking through apps like GetYourGuide (Global), Viator (Global), or Klook (South East Asia specific) since they make it easy to find great spots without too much effort, and help you keep your plans organized.

Choosing the best place to Stay for your weekend trip

According to a survey of Americans from 2024, Americans are traveling more than ever, especially domestically. The upshot of that is that there are more fun and affordable spots to stay than ever. Which also means choosing the right one for your family can feel trickier than ever!

Here’s a few quick tips:

• Sites like Booking.com do a great job of aggregating the best stays in any given location, and have filters that allow you to narrow results based off of factors like number of beds/rooms, budget, or amenities like swimming pools.
• You can often get a good deal on a place to stay by waiting until the last minute to book. BUT the best places often sell out! If you have your heart set on a particular place, or if you want specific amenities at your stay, it’s good to book well in advance. If your priority is a good deal, waiting can save you money
• Choosing a more expensive stay closer to the things you want to do can be a better deal than cheaper accommodations further away. Factor in travel time and the cost of gas or transportation when choosing a spot.
• You don’t have to book the same place for the whole weekend! It’s usually a bit cheaper to book multiple nights in one spot, but if there are two places that catch your eye, then you can definitely book a single night at each one.
• You can maximize your time in a location by traveling immediately after work on Friday and coming back on Sunday evening. That gives you a full day to explore on Saturday!
• While it’s tempting to travel on holiday weekends to get more time away, those weekends also tend to be much busier. I prefer traveling when there are fewer other people around, as it allows our family to relax a bit more in the time we have, without feeling crowded or rushed. Bonus points if you can swing a “weekend” trip in the middle of the week!

You can also use the map below to search for great spots to stay near your vacation spot
across multiple different services.

Weekend trips are a convenient way for busy families to travel

Modern family life is busier than ever, but if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that getting the chance to step out of the day-to-day routine is worth it, even if only for a weekend. Shorter trips allow busy families to get the benefits of traveling together, like building connections and learning about the world we live in, without having to take off work or miss out on school.

Plus, since they are less expensive than more elaborate vacations, you can take them more often, increasing the variety of trips you can take without increasing the overall price tag.

Especially if your family is just starting to look into traveling together, weekend trips are a great way to get started!