15 Budget Friendly Spring Vacation Destinations
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
6. Blue Ridge, Georgia
Northern Georgia is a beautiful place, a great daytrip from busy cities like Atlanta. Blue Ridge is home to Springer Mountain, the official start of the Appalachian Trail. There are so many beautiful hikes to enjoy in the area. Gorgeous and affordable fully equipped cabins with fantastic amenities can be found scattered throughout the region. We took a beautiful (and very long) roadtrip up here from Florida. It was a wonderful escape from the heat and congestion.
Blue Ridge is an affordable mountain getaway. Unlike many bigger mountain cities, the rentals here are quiet budget friendly. There are dozens of cabin rental companies which means rates are never over the top. Mt. Laurel Cabin Rental Company offers a variety of rentals, many available for under $100 per night. In addition, they frequently offer free nights when you stay at least 3 nights.
Budget friendly fun in the area
*Hiking the Appalachian Trail – Located right outside of town is a 1/2 mile section of the iconic Appalachian Trail. Long Creek Falls, a quiet, shady trail leads you to a spectacular waterfall, beautiful anytime of the year. The hike itself is peaceful and not too strenuous, making it a great family vacation activity. This was our first time hiking any portion of the AT and we were very impressed with the experience.
*Walking around historic downtown Blue Ridge – This quaint downtown is perfect for a leisurely stroll. As you pass beautiful historic buildings you will be treated to a wide array of local dining and shopping establishments. We loved the many cute shops selling mountain and bear knick knacks.
*Climbing Brasstown Bald – The trek to Brasstown Bald is a bit of a drive, however, well worth it if you are staying anywhere near the area as you can’t afford to pass up views this outstanding. It would be silly to skip this magnificent natural wonder, especially when you are so close by.
At 4784 feet, Brasstown is the highest point in Georgia. After a steep, 1/2 mile or so hike to the summit (you can also take a shuttle) you are rewarded with panoramic views of the mountains of 4 states (Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina).
Views are truly incredible no matter what season you visit, although fall and spring are your best bets for awesome photography opportunities. This wonderful opportunity will only set you back $5 (after 5 the fee is reduced to $3 although the shuttle is not available).
7. Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City is a popular summer vacation destination with residents of Maryland and neighboring states. This beautiful Mid Atlantic coastal area features 10 miles of quiet sandy beaches, with the off-season being the perfect time to enjoy the beach all to yourself. A spring visit also brings forth reduced hotel rates and non existent crowds. The average hotel rates are much lower in the off-season with plenty of hotels and inns offering rates in the low 100’s.
Budget friendly fun in the area
*Walking or biking along the Ocean City boardwalk – Ocean City’s 3 mile long famous wooden boardwalk features restaurant stands, an amusement park, arcades, and of course fantastic views of the coast. Whether you choose to walk or bike the journey, you will have a great time on this trip back in time. Although the amusement park offers limited hours during the spring season, you can still test out the famous Thrasher’s French Fries, an Ocean City favorite.
*Exploring the beaches of Fenwick Island – Fenwick’s Island desolate beaches are perfect for lazy days relaxing with a good book or enjoying a quiet afternoon stroll. Fenwick Island’s beautiful beaches neighbor Ocean City although they tend to get skipped over in favorite of the more touristy options.
8. Boone, North Carolina
Boone, located in Western North Carolina’s gorgeous mountain region, is a quaint little town most notable for being home to Appalachian Mountain University and a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It also happens to be the highest elevated town (over 10,000 population) east of the Mississippi. It’s the perfect vacation destination for those seeking a relaxing escape from city life.
In Boone and surrounding towns like Blowing Rock, you will find an abundance of budget friendly cabin rental companies and affordable inns. Being located in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains gives you endless opportunities for free natural recreation. The quiet atmosphere, lack of crowds and congestion make it the ideal vacation choice for much needed R&R.
Cabin and B&B prices vary based on time of the year, with summers and holidays typically costing more. Most of the time you will have no problem finding a cabin in your preferred price range as there is a tremendous assortment of different sizes available, all of which may contain attractive amenities such as fireplaces, hot tubs, and fantastic views.
For those of you who prefer a break from cooking too, check into the moderately priced Lazy Bear Lodge, a cozy B&B which serves a great breakfast each morning. This inn features rooms for as low as $159 an night. I loved the rustic setting and mountain views, not to mention the easy access to great attractions like Grandfather Mountain, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and many hiking trails.
Budget friendly activities in the area
*Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway – The gorgeous 469 mile scenic highway travels through North Carolina and Virginia. The incredible views of the Appalachian Mountains have earned the Blue Ridge Parkway a place amongst the most scenic drives in the country.
The spring and summer are beautiful times to take in all the lush green scenery, while fall offers the chance to observe stunning foliage. The road is often closed to road traffic during the winter months, however, snowshoeing/cross-country skiing is a great alternate way to burn off those winter calories!
*Taking a walk around the picturesque downtown – In this charming, historic downtown area you will find many quaint shops to browse through, a few local coffee shops and restaurants, and small galleries and museums.
*Enjoying a beautiful hike – The mountains and forests surrounding Boone are gorgeous, meaning there is no shortage of wonderful hikes to explore in the area. Hikes of varying levels, from easy waterfall hikes to strenuous all day excursions are available. Update: After living in nearby Asheville for a few years, a few of my favorite Parkway waterfalls include: Linville Falls, Crabtree Falls, and Graveyard Fields. Spring after winter snowmelt is the time to see the falls at their most powerful.
If you don’t mind spending a few bucks for extraordinary views, be sure to check out Grandfather Mountain, home to the mile high swinging bridge. For under 30 bucks, you have at least half a day of wonderful activities on your lineup including quiet hiking trails, a scenic walk across the bridge, a nature museum, and an opportunity to view a variety of wildlife habitats.
9. Reno, Nevada
The Biggest Little City in the World is an apt title for Nevada’s 2nd most popular city as you can find almost everything you can find in Las Vegas, although in a much smaller, less flashy setting. Although you won’t find as many casinos and activities as Vegas, you will enjoy the quieter, less crowded atmosphere, cooler temperatures, and easy access to beautiful Lake Tahoe. Like Las Vegas, hotel rates are extremely cheap at all the casino hotels, even more so during less busy times of the year. And most Reno resorts do not charge outrageous resort fees!
The Grand Sierra, one of the low-key casinos located off the main strip, offers a quieter, more business like setting and incredibly low rates year round. We took regular weekend roadtrips here and always stayed at the Grand Sierra. It is a gorgeous property and we always received the best deals as part of their player’s club (we often got rates as low a s 39 bucks).
This fantastic casino hotel offers plenty of extra amenities including multiple on-site restaurants, a full casino, a bowling alley, a discount movie theater, nightclubs, an arcade, a full spa, live entertainment, a selection of shops, and more!
Budget friendly fun in the area
*Exploring the downtown casinos – Downtown you will find that Reno has its own little strip of casinos including The Nugget, Fitgeralds, Circus Circus, Silver Legacy, and several others. There is always lots of events and live entertainment going on around this section of town. Many of the casinos offer freebies when you sign up for their Player’s card.
*Taking a scenic drive to Lake Tahoe – The drive to Lake Tahoe is only an hour or so from Reno. The drastic change in scenery going from the high desert in Reno to the beautiful pines in Lake Tahoe makes this journey a must while staying in Reno.
Tahoe is home to several casinos, beautiful beaches, top notch ski resorts, and endless outdoor recreational opportunities. In terms of freebies, I recommend hiking the gorgeous Emerald Bay State Park, one of the most gorgeous places I’ve ever hikes. Other recreational opportunities include: the South Tahoe bike path, the town beaches, and several scenic drives including Hwy 89.
Other budget friendly activities include the Truckee River Walk, the Fleischmann Planetarium (free other than a small fee for the shows), and exploring the National Automobile Museum.
