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Numerous travel agencies will tout Spring Break as a "week long party", to be lavishly enjoyed by college students, in exotic locations. While that may be a long held tradition for the college set, there are many other age groups looking to enjoy their Spring Breaks, as well.

When my boys were young, they looked forward to being out of school for that week in spring. Like most parents, I'd rack my brain trying to come up with creative and inexpensive ideas or "road trips." Visiting family wasn't an option, due to the staggering distance from Texas to Alaska. So in the course of a week, we had mini-adventures. Aside from a little gas money, the majority of our adventures cost little or nothing.

Day one: A visit to the local State Park. While there, we toured the mini museum and learned important facts and history about the area. After sharing in a picnic lunch on the lake, the boys and I were led on a guided tour, and were delighted to see the eagles flying nearby.

Day two: A trip to the neighboring town's City Park. Here, we played baseball.a favorite pastime, and then Frisbee golf. Afterwards, we grilled hot dogs on the outdoor grills at the Park Pavilion, and then fed the ducks our bread crumbs afterwards. After a fun time on the playground, where even "mom" enjoyed the swings, we went home happy and exhausted.

Day three: A trip, only 15 miles in the other direction, leads us to a historical town, full of antique shops, a candle factory (with free tours!), and tours of the some of the beautiful historical homes. For only $3 more, we ride a riverboat, and learn about the trading industry up and down the river over 100 years ago. Rather than picnic, this time we "splurge" on the best BBQ in the area. Total cost for the day? $26.

Day four: We drive a bit further to a different State Park, which borders the state. Here we rent canoes for the day, and stop along the river for a picnic- beneath the beautiful Cypress trees dripping with Spanish moss. Here, I worry about alligators stealing our lunch..which absolutely thrills the boys!

Day five: Finds the boys still talking about alligators! Today, however, we go to ride paddle boats..where no alligators roam, and stop on the way home for the boys' favorite meal: Cheeseburgers.

Days six and seven: Big Surprise! I reserved a double room (at a discounted rate!), at a local Holiday Inn, which had an indoor swimming pool. We even ordered room service for breakfast the following morning. They were in Heavenand the grand total for that day was $65!

All in all, a very enjoyable Spring Break, for very little money. There may be resources in your area that are even less expensive than ours! The most important aspect of our week was in spending quality time with one another, and in building memories that we still cherish to this day. Turns out, we developed a tradition that the boys hope to pass on to their own children.

Learn more about this author, Lorrie Noah.
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