By Jonathan Tran
Everybody loves vacations. Vacations offer people a chance at relaxation and a great adventure. It is an opportunity to get away from one’s monotonous job and daily life responsibilities. Be that as it may, there is a catch! Vacations are expensive. Many opt out of vacations because of the financial burdens that it can place on their household.
However, once in a while, it is good to take the family out on a vacation. Since summer is coming up, here are five great vacation ideas on a budget to help you out if you live in Orange County!
1. The Grand Canyon
Although the Grand Canyon’s entrance fee is $30 for a week, it is still a beautiful and cheap destination. From Orange County, the drive is around 500 miles and you could make a fun road trip out of it. It lacks the lush greenery and is largely barren of wildlife, but the views atop are almost unforgettable. You can see everything in sight for miles from the running rivers that flow through the middle of the canyon and the eons of layered sentiments that have built up the entire canyon. The sightseeing in the canyon is so big that a trip there usually requires choosing between covering the east or west part of the canyon. Some places you can explore include the Grand Canyon Village and the North Rim. In the village, you can go hiking, horseback riding or ride on a mule. The sight is unique and a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing.
2. Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is a very commonly known, affordable and popular vacation spot. However, the drive is a little lengthier to about a thousand miles. Nonetheless, this could be another fun road trip for the family. The park offers the same natural beauty as the Grand Canyon, but more of the lush greenery of vegetation seen in forests and the plains. Don’t forget that it sits above a dormant volcano as well. There are gorgeous mountains, waterfalls, hot springs and geysers everywhere. Lots of wildlife, ranging from buffalos and wolves to the iconic bald eagle, also roam the park. Staying there, you could rent a cabin or go camping for a prolonged experience at exploring the beauty of the park anytime you want. Make sure to keep in mind there are designated campgrounds and certain days to camp there. You might get the chance to see a mountain goat from time to time too!
3. Zion National Park
Zion National Park is yet another alternative to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. The drive from Orange County is similar to the Grand Canyon being about 400 miles. Zion is somewhere in between a combination of the two mentioned above. The landscape is the same as the Grand Canyon, but with a little more vegetation, trees and bushes. You could hit up the countless trials, drive through the Carmel Highway or check out the Lower Emerald Pools. There are many options and renting out a cabin for a prolonged stay to explore as much as possible is also a choice.
4. San Diego
San Diego is another perfect city to visit on a budget. The drive is generally only around an hour and a half to San Diego being close to 90 miles. However, similar to San Francisco, the city hosts a wide variety of activities and places to go sightseeing. Most notably is the San Diego Zoo, which is home to one of the greatest arrays of endangered species in the nation like the giant panda. Who wouldn’t want to see a giant panda in real life? Besides the zoo, you could go hiking along the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, visit Cabrillo National Monument or learn about the history of USS Midway on the carrier itself. After visiting all your destinations, you could eat at the countless restaurants full of rich diversity that the city has to offer like Homestyle Hawaiian and Las Cuatro Milpas.
4. San Francisco
Moving on from the parks and canyons, you could also head into the urban city of San Francisco. The drive to San Francisco from Orange County takes around eight hours with approximately 400 miles to cover. Although it is a little bit more expensive than the other options, it is well worth it for what the city offers. If you are resourceful and keep in mind your budget, the road trip should not be too expensive. What first comes to mind is the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, a must-visit landmark due to its unmatched beauty. Other inexpensive and fun options include visiting Alcatraz Island, Chinatown or simply exploring the redwood trees at the Muir Woods National Monument. Diving into all types of foods from different cultures should not be a problem due to the city’s extensive diversity. There are endless options to choose from.
These are just some vacation ideas to choose from and there are many other affordable ones out there as well. You just need to do a little bit of digging yourself to figure out what works best for you on your budget.
