great takes on family travel in the U.S.

Stuart Schuffman, aka Broke-Ass Stuart, is the author of the critically acclaimed book Broke-Ass Stuart’s Guide To Living Cheaply In San Francisco. Stuart has been busy the past year writing another ‘living cheaply’ guide - for New York.

He lived in NYC and tramped the streets, put up with friends, hunted down cheap eats and bars with happy hour drinks and free food, and in general, experienced how it feels to be ‘young, broke and beautiful’ in the Big Apple. The book is due out in November. I asked him a few questions which might help you out if you’re stuck in a bad spot in NYC. Even if you have no such problems, follow his tips and your New York vacations will be memorable, to say the least. see more »

With a family of 4, it feels as though standard hotel accommodations can break the bank when we travel. Friends of ours, who have 4 kids, told us a little secret – they stay in hostels!

Hostels use to be the accommodation of choice for teenagers and young adults, 18-25 years, primarily while traveling through Europe. These days, more and more hostels cater to families, offering private rooms, ensuite bathrooms, and events geared towards all ages. Whether you are single and carefree, or traveling with your family, Northern California has many hostels to suit your needs.

San Francisco has dozens of hostel options, from guest houses in the Castro to several hostels within walking distance of Union Square and downtown. Check out Pacific Tradewinds Hostel on Sacramento or the Adelaide Hostel, a 5 minute walk from Moscone Center. Most of the hostels in San Francisco are geared towards student travelers, so if you take your family, be prepared for late night noise and possibly some unusual questions from your kids!

If you are adventuring outside of the City, I recommend checking out one of the beautiful coast-side hostels, including two lighthouses, Pigeon Point and Point Montara. Pigeon Point is near enough to Año Nuevo State Reserve, where you can visit the resident elephant seals. Both these hostels have close up views of the Pacific Ocean, offering a truly memorable travel experience.

Farther down the Peninsula, close to the UpTake offices, is a favorite local gem – Hidden Villa. As the name suggests, this hostel is tucked up at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains and is the oldest operating hostel in the United States. Known for its organic gardens and kids programs, the Hidden Villa property showcases several environmentally sustainable designs. Whether you stay overnight or visit for the day, guests of all ages enjoy the working farm and miles of hiking trails.

Have you stayed at a hostel recently? Any recommendations for your favorite in Northern California?

Photo courtesy of Hidden Villa.

An Austin vacation won’t set you back as much as travel to some other U.S. cities (San Francisco and New York come to mind). But, I would go even one step further. I would say that Austin is a terrific city to be in if you are feelin’ broke! All you need is a bike (or your walking legs), a bathing suit, and an appetite for delicious food.

Bring the whole family, your ‘main squeeze’, or just yourself…it’s easy to have a wonderful day ‘on the cheap’!

Here is what I recommend you do…

Ideally, you should borrow a bike from your hotel (or rent one) as Austin is a city that is very bike-friendly–with bike paths that can connect you to much of the center of the city through greenbelts and parks. Another advantage to biking is that the warm Texas heat will be tempered by the breeze you create as you pedal through town. If biking isn’t your style–catch a free Dillo bus or taxi ride.

Get yourself to Zilker Park at Barton Springs Road. From here you are only a minute or two walk from swimming, sunning, playgrounds, and great restaurants.

Zilker is a large and beautiful green space along Lake Austin in the center of downtown. It has a lovely Botanical Garden, playing fields, private groves, and Barton Springs Pool. If you have a family in tow, the entrance to Barton Springs has a large playground and a passenger train that chugs around the park–slow enough that your kids can wave to every man, woman, and dog that you pass.

The entrance to Barton Springs is only $3.50 and you get a hand stamp that lets you come and go as you please. Spread out a blanket under a pecan tree and cool yourself in the shockingly cold water…because it is a natural spring, it is 68 degrees year-round. When you feel the urge, walk right outside and buy a snow cone or corn dog from a vendor and feed the leftovers to the hungry ducks and pigeons nearby.

As the afternoon progresses and your stomach starts to grumble– bike or walk the short distance across the lake to 5th street where you can eat cheap and tasty tacos out of a red caboose at Juanitas.

Once you have had your fill, wander down to Congress Avenue Bridge. As the sun drops below the horizon-watch the millions of bats stream out across the sky as you sink your road-wearied feet into soft green grass and sigh.

Life is good—and you barely had to pay for it!

Thanks to Jslander for the Barton Springs pic!

What can a family of four can do in New York City with a budget of $20? Before we get to all the cheap, free and fun family things to do in New York, there’s the question of getting around New York City.

Best bet for local transport is get a MetroCard. The MTA has a 1-Day Fun Pass, good for unlimited Subway and Bus rides until 3 am, which costs $7.50. These cards are for individual use only, but this is the cheapest way to get around NYC as a family, if you’re planning to visit a lot of places. Obviously, the cost of the MetroCards is in addition to our $20 cheapskate budget.

Ok, let’s get down to the attractions. The latest addition to NYC’s pantheon of free attractions are the New York City Waterfalls, created by Olafur Eliasson, and presented by the Public Art Fund. The waterfalls are made up of four scaffoldings, set up along the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Governors Island waterfronts, with water cascading down from a height of 90 to 120 feet. A temporary park has been set up on Pier 1 for free viewing, and ‘paid’ boat and bike tours are also available. Special free tickets for a free 30 minute cruise from Circle Line Downtown can be availed of by calling (866) 925-4631. More details here.

You can also watch the waterfalls from the free Staten Island ferry, which will additionally show you the other sights (including the Statue of Liberty), plus you can visit the free Staten Island Botanical Garden. The Grand Central Partnership offers free 90 minute tours with an expert guide who will show you the wonders of famous landmarks like Grand Central Terminal and the Chrysler Building.

Central Park is another place which has an amazing array of free attractions for people of all ages and stripes. Enjoy the shows and music at SummerStage, take a free guided and themed walking tour, visit the Loeb boathouse, and stroll the park enjoying impromptu street shows. Bon Jovi is scheduled to play at a free concert in Central Park on July 12.

NYCVisit.com, the City’s official tourism website, has a comprehensive list of free attractions including museums, parks, attractions and events.

In addition to all the above mentioned, some more famous NYC landmarks and places worth visiting (for free), include Times Square, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, the New York Public Library, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and Rockefeller Center. Two of the best of NYC attractions which you’re going to miss, because the tickets are priced out of our $20 budget, are the Observatory on the Empire State Building, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

But we have a problem. We haven’t spent a single penny. So what say we order meals for less than $5, so all four of you can eat without spending more than $20? Visit Gray’s Papaya for their recession special (two hot dogs and a drink for $3.50), or Dumpling house at Eldridge Street in Chinatown for some cheap dumplings and sesame pancakes. I could whip out a lot more restaurants in Brooklyn and Harlem which could fill up your tank for less than $5, but that’s another post altogether…

Photo by Nexeus Fatale via Flickr (Creative Commons)

As the summer wears on, and the economy continues to lag, I strive to find some family friendly activities in San Francisco that leave my wallet unscathed. In order to maximize our entertainment dollars, I make sure we leave home well fed and rested, and bring along a couple snacks in my bag for the kids. Here are some ways that we would spend $20 on a family activity in San Francisco:

Two well-known San Francisco attractions offer free admission on certain days of the month. On the first Tuesday of the month, you can visit the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and on the first Wednesday of the month, the San Francisco Zoo is free to all attendees. That means I can spend my $20 on treats at Beard Papa (right down the street from SFMOMA) or on the Dentzel Carousel ($2 a ride) or Little Puffer Steam Train ($3 a ride) at the Zoo.

For a little San Francisco culture, I like to take my family to Chinatown, and explore the area on foot. Several websites offer self-guided walking tour directions – the area around Chinatown and North Beach is rich in California history. We all bring our cameras and take pictures of the many old and interesting buildings along the way. Our final stop? A stop at Golden Gate Bakery for egg custard tarts. At $1.10 a piece, we can afford enough for a great snack.

If anyone in your family is interested in the history of shipping and boats in San Francisco, head over to the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, located just west of Pier 39. The museum has several kid friendly options, including a great little activity book available at the Visitor’s Center. Tickets are $5 per person, with no charge for kids under 16. That would leave you $10 for treats at Ghiradelli Square across the street, or perhaps you might like a souvenir from one of the many vendors along the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood.

And Golden Gate Park is always free, and if you bring a picnic lunch, some outdoor games and toys, you and your family can have a great afternoon in one of the nicest open spaces in Northern California.

What is your favorite (free and cheap) destination in San Francisco?