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More Affordable Spring Break Bargains (continued)

5. All-Inclusive Packages

All-inclusive package make up-front budgeting for family vacations easy and the deals available this year are amazing. Check out package sites including CheapCaribbean.com, BookIt.com, Funjet Vacations, Go-Today, Vacation Outlet, Apple Vacations, Vacation Express, Fare Deals, Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz and others. Make sure to compare the final package price with the total cost of individual components to ensure that you're truly getting a bargain.

In addition, visit the websites of major all-inclusive chains and resorts to see what specials are being offered. For example, Club Med is offering families of four 7-night all-inclusive Family Plan vacations for as low as $499 per person, per night, at selected properties. This offer must be booked by April 30, 2009 for travel dates between April 18 and December 19, 2009. Bargain-priced last minute vacation specials are also offered on the Club Med website as well. Call 1-888-WEB-CLUB or visit www.clubmed.us for more details.

As part of the "Super Spring & Summer Savings" deal, nine SuperClubs Resorts in Jamaica, Curacao and the Bahamas are offering significant savings on vacations taken between April 13 and August 31, 2009. Bookings must be made by March 25, 2009, and at least a 3-night stay is required to reap the savings under this promotion. In addition, SuperClubs' "Kids Stay, Play & Eat Free" program begins on May 1, allowing children ages 2-13 to stay at the resort free of charge - a savings of $100 per day for a family of four. Special single parent bargains are also available at Jamaica's Starfish Trelawny and Breezes Curacao. For more information, call 1-800-GO-SUPER or visit www.superclubs.com.

Active families will appreciate Palace Resorts' 25th Silver Anniversary Palace Passport Promotion. Guests checking into a Palace Resort for three or more consecutive nights between now and December 23, 2009 will receive a Palace Passport valued at more than $500 and includes unlimited tours (such as the "Seven Wonders of the World" at Chichen Itza and Tulum), 25% discount on selected spa treatments (per adult, per day), 25% discount on one round of golf (per adult, per day), buy-one-get-one-free on swim with the dolphins and ATV tours, and more. For more information, visit www.palaceresorts.com or call 1-800-635-1836.

Elite Island Resorts are offering some incredible deals for spring and summer travel. For example, its "Vacation Stimulus Package" to Antigua provides savings of up to 60% on stays at the family-friendly St. James Club & Villas and The Verandah Resort & Spa. Guests will save 50% at Windjammer Landing in St. Lucia, with Sun Dollars resort credit for half of all lodging costs applied to all direct bookings. The family-friendly suites and villas at Windjammer Landing are spectacular. For more information on these and other Elite Island Resorts deals, call 1-800-345-0356 or visit www.eliteislands.com.

The Holiday Inn Resort Montego Bay has launched a "Spring Fling" sale, providing 50% savings on resort stays between April 3-15, 2009. Spring Fling all-inclusive rates for standard room accommodations start at $125 per person, per night, based on double occupancy. Mention promo code 150 to receive savings. For more information and details on restrictions, call 1-888-288-6006 or visit www.caribbeanhi.com/jamaica.

Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa's Spring Getaway package features 40% off its all-inclusive room rates for stays through April 19, 2009. Children ages 3-12 stay, play and eat free from the kids' menu while sharing a room with their parents. Since the resort is in the U.S. Virgin Islands, no passports are required. For more information, call 1-800-WYNDAM or visit www.wyndhamsugarbay.com.

Tesoro Ixtapa has some great all-inclusive specials valid for stays in March and April , 2009. Rates at this beachfront property start at $64 per adult, per night (double occupancy, all-inclusive) and children ages 6-12 enjoy all-inclusive rates of $24 per night when staying with their parents (double occupancy). For more information, visit www.tesororesorts.com or call 1-866-99-TESORO.

At St. Lucia's Coconut Bay Resort & Spa, all-inclusive rates are nearly 65% off, starting at $99 per person through August 15, 2009. Rates include a free round of paintball, an introduction to kitesurfing class for everyone over 12 years of age, and a CocoPark (backpack, water bottle, hat and t-shirt) for each child under 12. For more information, visit www.cbayresort.com.

Sunset Resorts' "Spring Madness Sale" is available at their all-inclusive Jamaica properties for travel through April 10, 2009. All-inclusive adult rates start at $143 per person, per night based on double occupancy and all-inclusive children's rates are $40 per child per night. This offer must be booked by March 31, 2009 and restrictions and blackout dates apply. For more information, visit www.sunsetresortsjamaica.com.

6. Vacation Home Rentals

Vacation home rentals are perfect for families, providing plenty of room to spread out and full kitchen facilities to save money on meals. ResortQuest is currently offering 25% off spring beach vacation rentals in Northwest Florida and Alabama. Reserve your spring break getaway by April 1, 2009 and complete your stay by May 15th to take advantage of this special 25% off lodging offer. Additional accommodations in Florida's Panama City Beach area are offering rental specials as well. Wyndham's Endless Vacation Rentals has cut its Williamsburg Patriots' Place rentals by 70% in March and April. Stay in a studio suite for a week for as low as $243 including all taxes and fees - just $35 per night - while availability lasts.

The Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) has over 600 member firms in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, representing about 125,000 vacation homes. This is another good source of vacation home rentals in a variety of locations. Some rental management companies are offering last minute deals on vacation homes with spring break availability. For more information, visit www.vrma.com.

In addition, many highly desirable resort communities contain condominiums, villas, and vacation homes that are rented directly by their owners. The Vacation Rentals By Owner website contains 110,000 listings of properties around the world. Other good websites to check include HomeAway.com, Zonder, FlipKey, Rentalo, and 10Kvacationrentals.com. RedWeek.com is a good source of timeshare vacation rentals. If your dream rental is still out of your price range, consider bringing along some friends and splitting the cost. Vacationing with another family whose children are around the same age as your own provides built-in playmates for your kids, as well as additional hands to help with the cooking and chores.

7. Family-Friendly Resorts & Hotels

Driving to a resort or hotel in a fun, family oriented destination is a low cost family vacation option. Right now, we're swimming in family-friendly resort deals. If you're interested in a particular destination, visit the Tourist Board's website to see what specials are listed there. In addition, check such sites as TravelZoo, Travel-Ticker, Hotels.com, and www.shermanstravel.com for deals. You'll find scores.

If you're considering a beach getaway, the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau has a site full of hotel specials for families as well as a Sun Saver downloadable savings booklet filled with nearly $500 worth of coupons redeemable at area restaurants and attractions. For more information, visit www.familybeachbreak.com or call 1-866-845-1993.

Greater Fort Lauderdale is filled with family deals as well. The Comfort Inn Oceanside in Deerfield Beach has a "Spring Fever" special providing as much as a 50% discount for bookings of at least three consecutive nights or more. At Grenier's on the Beach, spring specials start at $65 per night for a minimum five day reservation.

Families can save 30% on accommodations in March under the "Greet Spring by the Sea" special at South Carolina's Wild Dunes Resort. Starting on April 1, 2009, the Resort's "Stay More, Save More" promotion provides an increasing scale of discounts - 20% off on 2 night stays up to 40% off on stays of 7 nights or more. For more information, visit www.wilddunes.com or call 1-888-778-1876.

San Diego, California, is a popular choice for family spring break getaways. San DieGO Downtown (SDGO) has launched the "Time to Spring-Diego" campaign to simplify family vacation planning and provide a one-stop source for customized family vacation information and deals. The site's hotels area includes bargains such as 30-40% off hotel stays, special food & beverage credits, free nights and more. Visit www.sdGOdowntown.com for more details between now and April 30, 2009.

Resorts around the country are offering special family packages and deals. The "Family Fun Package" at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, offers luxurious room accommodations, free meals for up to 2 children when dining with their parents, 50% off KidsClub admissions, and 50% off all outdoor accommodations. Rates start at $245 per room, per night based on double occupancy, and restrictions apply. For complete information on this deal, call 1-800-838-1766 or visit www.thehomestead.com.

Located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort's "Spring Fever" getaway deal offers savings of up to 40% for stays between March 29 and June 1, 2009. Prices start at $129 per night Sunday through Thursday and $199 per night Friday and Saturday. For more information on rates, availability and restrictions, call 1-800-633-7313 and request offer code SFEVER.

A few national hotel chains are also offering spring break specials for families this year. Doubletree Hotels' "Memory Maker Weekend Getaway Package" includes up to 20% off on a family weekend getaway at up to 200 participating Doubletree hotels in the U.S., Canada and Latin America; complementary Doubletree breakfast buffet for four each morning of your stay; and Hilton HHonors Points & Miles for qualifying stays. For more information, visit www.doubletree.com/weekendgetaway.

The new "Spring Forward" promotion from family-friendly Omni Hotels offers guests who book two nights their third night free at hotels, while guests who book three nights will receive their fourth night free at resorts. Selected hotels also feature the Omni Kids Program. For more information, visit www.omnihotels.com or call 1-800-THE OMNI.

Country Inns & Suites "Spring Break 1, 2, Wheee!" offer runs now through April 30, 2009 at many of the more than 450 Country Inns locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. The deal provides 33% off each night of a 3 night stay - basically 3 nights for the price of 2. In addition, the package also provides a free daily breakfast and a coupon from T.G.I. Friday's restaurants to help with meal costs. Visit www.countryinns.com/springbreak2009 or call 1-888-201-1746 for complete details.

8. State & National Parks

Many parks offer family-friendly activities and some of the best lodging values around. For example, ten of West Virginia's state parks operate family-friendly lodging facilities, including the Cacapon Resort and the Canaan Valley Resort where April rates start at $64 per room per night. Henry Horton State Park in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, is well known for its 18-hole golf course, inn and cabins, as well as its trap and skeet range.

State parks also offer a number of family-oriented activities during the spring break period. Alabama operates six "resort" state parks and Kentucky offers seventeen state resort parks, more than any other state. All of Kentucky's park lodges have a swimming pool, a lakeside beach, or both. Island Adventure Arkansas operates four state parks in that state. Located in the foothills of Arkansas' Ouachita Mountains, DeGray Lake Resort State Park features a 13,800-acre lake with sandy beaches, a full-service marina and an 18-hole golf course.

National parks are offering special deals as well. For example, the Grand Canyon is featuring a "Stay 4 A's" package entitling families to receive $10 for every "A" on one child's report card, up to a maximum of 3 A's per family ($30 maximum discount). This deal is valid through March 26, 2009 at Maswik or Yavapai Lodge only. Visit www.grandcanyonlodges.com and use promo code STAY4A when making reservations or call 1-888-29-PARKS for more information.

9. Bidding For Travel Bargains

Having saved as much as $300 per night by bidding on hotels at Priceline.com, I've become a big fan of the site's ability to deliver great hotel bargains. I paid $105 per night for a fancy 4-star property in Midtown New York City last month and cut the price tag on a 4-star Cancun resort by 60% with one of my bids last year. Research is a very important part of getting a great deal on Priceline and Hotwire, however. If you're planning to bid on Priceline, don't make a move until you check out biddingfortravel.com. This site will help you to better understand Priceline's parameters, allow you to fully research your options in advance, and become an educated bidder. Priceline also has a handy new feature called "Inside Track" that can provide you with information on successful bids for flights. Currently, it's only available for Priceline's 30 Most Popular Routes and Priceline's Routes with the Best Savings. If you're planning to bid on a Hotwire deal (www.hotwire.com), make sure to check betterbidding.com for tips in advance.