I've visited Florida 50 times – here's how I get a US family holiday for LESS than an all-inclusive in Europe
SUN SWAP I've visited Florida 50 times – here's how I get a US family holiday for LESS than an all-inclusive in Europe
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.
Advertisement
7
Helen (pictured in Melbourne, Florida) goes to the USA multiple times a year and knows how to get there for a bargain price
Credit: Helen Wright
7
Helen's children (pictured with their rental car in Cocoa Beach, Florida) loved going on a mini road trip and said they preferred it to a resort holiday in Spain
Credit: Helen Wright
7
Cocoa Beach is less than an hour from Orlando and doesn't get overcrowded
Credit: Getty
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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
I was one of the first people in the world to visit Universal's new mega theme park – one attraction took my breath away
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.
Advertisement
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.
7
Helen's daughter, Isobel, playing on Cocoa beach, five minutes from their budget hotel
Credit: Helen Wright
Advertisement
7
Finn and Isobel loved going to Kennedy Space Centre. It was much cheaper than Disney and they got to meet a real life astronaut
Credit: Helen Wright
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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
7
Cocoa Beach has lively beach bars and cafes along the sea front
Credit: Alamy
7
Melbourne Florida, where TUI flies to, is not overcrowded and has a beautiful beach
Credit: Getty
Kids' meals were massive and only £7 each. My children, who are eight and five, were easily able to share.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
First step to take if your passport is lost or stolen while on holiday
You might also need to apply for an emergency travel document to get home Going on holiday is typically an exciting time of year, but it can prove stressful if things go wrong. And among the most stressful things that can happen while preparing for or on a trip is having passport issues. This crucial government-issued travel document serves as proof of your travel eligibility. Without a valid passport, your access to foreign countries – and even your own homeland – is denied. Misplacing or having your passport stolen poses a significant challenge, with the stakes substantially higher if it occurs during an international trip. In response to this, the Government urges anyone who loses their passport or falls prey to passport theft to undertake a vital step immediately. Cancel your missing UK passport Solving this predicament isn't as straightforward as merely acquiring a replacement. To begin, you will need to have your missing passport cancelled. This measure is taken to prevent the document from being exploited by unauthorised individuals. According to the Government's official website: "You must cancel a lost or stolen passport as soon as possible. "This will reduce the risk of anyone else using your passport or your identity. You can report a lost or stolen passport for someone else if they can't do it themselves." Cancelling the original passport is a prerequisite for submitting a new application. To invalidate a lost or stolen passport, go to the Government website here. lf you're in the UK when your passport goes missing, you can simply apply for a new one using the standard procedure, which typically takes about three weeks for the new document to be delivered. For those needing their passport more urgently while in the UK, there's a fast-track option available, which can cost up to £222. Emergency travel document if overseas without UK passport For Brits stranded overseas without a passport, an emergency travel document is the solution. The Government explains: "An emergency travel document lets you travel from abroad if you need to travel urgently and cannot use your UK passport," adding that "It is usually only valid for one single or return journey. You can travel through a maximum of five countries." To qualify for an emergency travel document, you must: Be a British national Be outside the UK Need to travel within six weeks Have a UK passport that is lost, stolen, damaged, full, recently expired, or currently with HM Passport Office or a foreign embassy Be unable to renew or replace your UK passport from abroad before your travels Have previously held a valid UK passport issued on or after 1 January 2006 Additionally, it's necessary to replace your passport if it's considered damaged. HM Passport Office deems a passport damaged if: Your details are unreadable Any pages are torn, cut, or missing There are holes, cuts, or tears in the cover The cover is detached The pages have stains (such as ink or water damage) The standard online service fee to replace a passport is £94.50.
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Europe's 'sunniest beach' has golden sand, crystal waters and £17.99 flights
Brits looking for hot and sunny holiday destinations won't need to go far with Europe's sunniest beach less than 5 hours away - and with plenty of cheap flights available Brits looking for sun, sea and sand on their holidays may want to consider a trip to Europe's 'sunniest beach' where they'll find balmy temperatures of 32C and a daily average of 10h 26m of sunshine. Ölüdeniz Beach in Fethiye, Turkey, has been crowned as the must-visit for sun-seekers, impressing not only with its weather but also its golden sands and swim-friendly waters. In fact, those azure shores are also home to the iconic 'Blue Lagoon' that you'll no doubt have seen in your social media feeds. The breathtaking coastal spot topped new rankings from the experts at Saga Holidays, who looked at factors such as sunshine hours and average temperatures across both high seasons and low seasons. (So whether or not you're tied to the school holidays, you can enjoy a sun-soaked getaway!). The nearest airport to the beach is Dalaman, which is about a 45-minute drive from Ölüdeniz Beach. The good news for Brits is that there are heaps of budget-friendly flights to Dalaman direct from the UK. For example, easyJet has flights from £17.99 each way, while Ryanair has one-way flights from £29.99 in August. In fact, you can find returns from £54 according to Skyscanner, although it's worth noting that the cheapest rates often don't include extra hand luggage allowance. Holiday warning for Brits as selfie mistake could land you with £100,000 fine It's not just the sunshine that makes Ölüdeniz Beach a must-visit for the summer holidays. The Blue Flag beach boasts postcard-worthy turquoise waters, fine sandy shores, and a lush green backdrop that wouldn't be out of place in a storybook. Of course a beautiful beach like this is always popular, so it's worth noting that it can get quite busy during the peak summer months. There are three sandy parts to the beach - one of which is free - but for the other two there's a small entry fee if you want to visit, with some amenities available such as sunbeds you can hire, and a series of watersports to enjoy (again you'll need to pay an extra fee if you want to hire equipment for the likes of paddleboarding or kayaking). On Tripadvisor the beach gets a mixed bag of reviews. Although visitors all generally agree that it's beautiful and the surrounding mountains make for a beautiful backdrop, because the beach has become so famous, some holidaymakers have slammed the beach for getting too crowded. If you want to check it out for yourself, then it's well worth getting up early so you can enjoy the quieter moments of the day before the larger crowds arrive. Alternatively you could visit in low season between November and April when temperatures range around 19C - so while it may be a little chilly for getting into the water, you can still enjoy those breathtaking views while out on a scenic stroll. It wasn't the only beach to impress in Saga's rankings. Anthony Quinn Bay on the Greek island of Rhodes came a close second with a three-minute difference in terms of hours of sunshine, and 32C temperatures during the peak summer months. You can check out the full list of Europe's top 10 sunniest beaches below: Ölüdeniz Beach (Blue Lagoon), Fethiye Anthony Quinn Bay, Rhodes Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa Playa de las Teresitas, Tenerife Agia Fotia Beach, Crete Playa de Maspalomas, Gran Canaria Lay's Mile Beach, Limassol Elafonissi Beach, Crete Tsamadou Beach, Samos Praia do Barril, Tavira
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Brits' most nostalgic places revealed – and why the seaside stirs up our fondest memories
The study questioned 200 Brits and 800 Americans about the places that made them feel most nostalgic BEACH BEATS BLUES Brits' most nostalgic places revealed – and why the seaside stirs up our fondest memories Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE seaside stirs up our fondest memories, a study suggests. Sun, sea and sand makes Brits most nostalgic, with rivers and lakes also among our top feel-good locations. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Being by the water topped spending time in fields, forests or mountains, Cambridge University research found. Study author Dr Elisabeta Militaru said: 'Our findings add to the growing evidence that blue places are associated with increased psychological well-being. 'People don't like extremely chaotic outlines of the kind you might see in the middle of the forest, where you don't get a sense of openness. 'Seaside, rivers and lakes may give us the optimal visual complexity. "We are particularly nostalgic about memorable one-time experiences and about unique places which we have visited. 'Holidays, including trips to cities, can leave a deep emotional imprint.' The study questioned 200 Brits and 800 Americans about the places that made them feel most nostalgic. Devon, Cornwall and North Yorkshire were hot spots for Brits. Americans were most likely to choose seaside states Florida and California. A quarter of Britain's most nostalgic places were by the sea, while they accounted for 20 per cent in the US. The 15 signs a loved one is struggling with their mental health - and how to help Cities were 20 per cent in the UK and 22 per cent in the US. Fields, mountains, forests and rivers and lakes were about ten per cent each. Dr Militaru added: 'Nostalgia emerges when we are faced with psychological discomfort, like feeling lonely or socially excluded. "Research shows nostalgia can have a positive role in caring for people with dementia.' 1 The seaside is the place where Brits feel most nostalgic, a study has found Credit: Getty Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
