I've visited Florida 50 times – here's how I get a US family holiday for LESS than an all-inclusive in Europe

The Sun

18 hours ago

FLORIDA is a big destination for Brits - but family adventures stateside don't always come cheap.
As return visitors to Florida, we save thousands on our family trip every year with these clever holiday hacks. It's so easy, you could do the same.
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It often easier to keep it simple and book a package holiday to Spain, but this doesn't mean it's the better - or even the cheapest option.
As a travel blogger and USA expert, I have been to the SUNSHINE STATE over 50 times and you may be surprised how frugal Florida can be if you know a few tips and tricks.
People don't believe our last trip to Florida cost me £268 per person for return flights and car rental for seven days.
And no, we didn't have to stuff everything in small backpacks for the journey - the price also included a suitcase each.
Over the same dates, the average cost for an all-inclusive holiday in Costa Brava, Spain with a splash park and water slides was over double this price, at £850 per person.
There were cheaper options in Spain, but they didn't offer much for kids to do during the day, so I knew we would end up spending extra money leaving the resort and paying for extra attractions.
We saved £400 before we left the UK
I got this great price by booking the basic Florida Fly Drive package with TUI.
Included in the fare, you get unlimited mileage, an intermediate-size hire car and fully inclusive insurance all in a package with your flight.
The deals are always really good, with packages around £400 per person.
But when I booked last minute, around two weeks before the trip, I got this even better, bargain price.
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It was over £100 cheaper per person than if we flew the week after, saving £400 before we'd even left home!
Flying from London Gatwick to Melbourne Airport on Florida's east coast, it's an easy nine-hour flight.
Economy prices include a 20kg suitcase in hold luggage and 10kg hand luggage to carry on board.
You also get two meals on board. One is served a few hours into the flight and then you get a light lunch before landing in Melbourne.
Melbourne airport is on the Atlantic coast of Florida, just below Daytona Beach and Cocoa Beach, where you can find the NASA Space Facility and Kennedy Space Center.
If you plan to go to Orlando, where Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are located, the airport is an hour away. However, the terminal is so small, we cleared customs in less than 20 minutes, which is much speedier than immigration at Orlando International Airport.
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Accommodation is not included with the TUI package but since we had a car with the deal, our plan was to do a mini road trip and explore the coast.
Knowing we wouldn't be spending a lot of time at the hotel, we opted for the basic Best Western chain, which is similar to our Travelodge hotels, and has different locations across the USA.
This budget chain was only £85 per night. The Melbourne Florida outpost was a five minute walk to the beach and even had its own pool, gym and 24-hour reception.
Plus, breakfast was included.
Even better, our room had a fridge and a microwave, so after a quick trip to the supermarket, I was able to make an easy mac and cheese or tomato pasta for lunch before a dip in the pool.
My kids loved it and it saves loads of money!
One evening, we had pizza at a restaurant for dinner and it was so big, there was loads left. I heated it up in the microwave the next day and it fed us all for lunch too.
Swap theme parks to save money
Since this was a budget holiday, we didn't plan to visit Walt Disney World on this trip. With tickets for the week over £500 per person, a trip to Orlando would have totally blown the budget.
However, the brilliant Kennedy Space Center was a 20-minute drive from our hotel. This museum-theme park was only £49 per person for the day.
As well as real-life rockets, informative galleries and the opportunity to meet a real-life astronaut, there are also a few immersive attractions too.
The best bit was the massive planet-themed soft play, which kept the kids entertained for hours while we enjoyed some much needed aircon.
The rest of the week was spent exploring the coast, playing on the beach and watching surfers ride the waves at Cocoa Beach.
It was easy to keep the kids entertained along the busy beach path and we hardly spent any money.
The £7 body board from Walmart was a hit. I even got time to sunbathe and read my book.
Better still, both kids said it was their favourite holiday yet.
For dinner most days, we grabbed a quick bite at one of the many beach bars.
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Kids' meals were massive and only £7 each. My children, who are eight and five, were easily able to share.
Adult meals, such as freshly-caught snapper and rice, or a burger and chips at Grills Seafood that has views of the rocket launches, were around £15 each.
There is no shortage of Happy Hour cocktails at bars like Coconuts on the Beach, where a Margarita is only £8.
Since our hotel had a fridge, we were fully stocked with cold drinks and fresh fruit and we bought a cheap cooler for the car to take along to the beach.
We even went bowling one night and that was only £26 for the whole family to play.
Overall, our week's holiday to Florida was a brilliant budget trip. We spent around £3000, around £750 per person.
The all-inclusive to Spain was more expensive, at £858 per person - and that was before extra activities, such as amusement arcades and water parks.
Plus, our Florida trip felt like a little adventure. The kids loved having a car and getting to experience a mini road trip along the coast.
We also got to spend quality together as a family, instead of the kids disappearing into the kids club every day.
It was so good, I'm already searching for another irresistible deal so I can go back.
The small towns and cheap cities that you can visit on the cheap
Cocoa Beach: This laid-back strip is lined with beach bars that lead out onto the sand, surf shops and food trucks serving delicious grub that you can take away and eat on the boardwalk.
Crystal River: Home to the largest manatee population in the world, this beauty spot is spoiled with winding waterways, green forests and an abundance of warm swimming spots with clear water from the Gulf of Mexico. Essentially a small, local town, Crystal River has lots of locally-owned restaurants and bars, serving reasonably-priced meals without the glossy price tag.
Key Largo: When people think of the Florida Keys, they imagine the party town of Key West at the end of the archipelago. However, Key Largo in the Upper Keys, closest to the mainland, is a far more laid back affair. Lunch can be fresh fish caught that morning off the Gulf and sold at market price and the vibe here is snorkelling or beach and not much else in between.
Orlando: You may be surprised to see Orlando as a budget destination, but the sheer amount of hotel rooms and restaurants in the city mean competitive prices and lots of deals. There are also lots of local attractions in Orlando, such as Gatorland and Old Town Kissimmee which make for a great day out and for a fraction of the cost of Disney World.
New Smyrna Beach: This charming beach town is only an hour from Orlando, but has managed to retain its small town charm and community spirit. As well as a truly stunning beach, there is a colourful seaside village and a sprawling nature reserve that stretches right down to the beach. Think body boards on the waves and spotting dolphins and turtles swimming along the shore.