Even if you don't have a lot of money or time (or even any vacation time off from work), you can still work in a last-minute summer vacation over a long weekend or even just a weekend.
Hit Your Nearest Theme Park
A day at a theme park can be so full of activities and things for the kids to do, it can actually feel like a longer vacation. In fact, with the costs of theme park tickets, families can often only afford a day or two of entry passes anyway. There are so many theme parks around you probably have one maybe a gas-tank away. Book a room or a spot at a campground, and go!
Visit Your Nearest City
Very few people live far from a major city or even two cities. Pick one, book a room, get an attraction or metro pass, and go. If the city is within an hour, you can even head straight there (and against the rush hour) after work on Friday and come back Sunday night. For Labor Day, you can take advantage of the three-day weekend for a longer trip.
Go to the Country
On the reverse side, it can be fun and relaxing to get away from it all by going more rural. Hit the mountains or the countryside for a retreat before school starts. Bring some fun board games for the family, and rent a cabin or go camping.
Take a Day-Trip
Hey, if you really are short on money or time, that's no reason to waste your last precious summer weekends sitting on the couch at home watching TV. All you need is enough money to gas up the car to go on a daytrip somewhere within 30 minutes to an hour or so away. You'll save on lodging, and you still get the fun and adventure of travel with the expense.
Have a Summer Vacation at Home
Put up a tent in the back yard, grill out for dinner, put out a blow-up pool for some splashing, and roast some marshmallows to make s'mores. You don't have to go anywhere to get that summer vacation atmosphere at home. Be sure you stay up late and tell ghost stories, too. Your kids will never mind that they aren't in another town.
Take Your Vacation After School Starts
Hey, summer isn't technically over until late September. You can find great deals for many popular summer attractions, such as the beach, if you visit after Labor Day. You'll also avoid all the lines at popular family attractions. It's also a nice way to inject a last summer fling for kids who are down about getting back into the school schedule.
