Summer vacation time is here and generally, that makes the wallet cringe. With the economy still on the slow rise people are traveling more, but are being a little more cautious.

If you are in this situation, but want to give your family a great summer vacation, here are some ideas for more cost- and family-friendly summer vacations to take this year.

Great Wolf Lodges are a good choice. All Great Wolf Lodge locations are convienently placed around the country so that no matter where you are, if you don’t want to spend the money for a plane ticket, or four or six, there is usually one within driving distance. And families LOVE Great Wolf Lodge!

It’s a hotel/indoor waterpark where they make everything fantastically fun and even convenient for families.

They have locations in Charlotte/Concord, NC, Cincinnati/Mason, OH, Grand Mound, WA,Grapevine, TX, Kansas City, KS, New England/Boston, MA, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Pocono Mountains, PA, Sandusky, OH, Traverse City, MI, Williamsburg, VA and Wisconsin Dells, WI.

If you have a little more money to spend, but are looking for a bargain on something a little more exotic, this place looks awesome! You could take advantage of off-season rates and ticket prices and head over to St. John. Between May and December, the hotter months in the Caribbean, Concordia Eco-Resort on St. John is a great deal for families.

Concordia Eco-Resort is an eco-resort camp with platform tents connected by a series of wooden bridge walkways. The spectacular beach offers swimming, sailing and snorkeling in US Virgin Islands National Park.

For the crafty kid (or parent for that matter) they have a really cool Trash to Treasures Art Center where you can create “green” masterpieces from recycled goods and natural elements.

Or, you could just take a week or two and visit a National Park that is close to you or even across the country if you have the time. Our country is full of natural beauty to be enjoyed on any size budget.

You could rent an RV or if you can’t afford that and don’t own a camper, get a tent and enjoy nature as you reconnect with the family over star-gazing and s’mores.

Enjoy your budget-friendly summer vacation!

Image via Wikimedia Commons