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8 Affordable Family-Friendly Memorial Day Weekend Getaways

By U.S. News & World Report

With the unofficial start of summer fast approaching, chances are you’re thinking about packing up the kids and hitting the road for a getaway to remember. And if you haven’t locked in your vacation plans yet, you’re in luck: There are plenty of easily accessible destinations across the country to celebrate the long weekend without breaking the bank. Whether you want to check out festive parades and kid-friendly attractions in Detroit or get a fun history lesson in Boston, these vibrant spots are great places to enjoy summer activities and quality bonding time with the gang on the cheap this Memorial Day.

[See: 7 Summer Vacation Ideas for Every Type of Traveler.]

Boston

Boston offers plenty of inexpensive attractions well suited for families. Visit the Harborwalk for scenic views of Boston Harbor and the skyline before visiting the Boston Fire Museum, which offers free admission, or the Boston’s Children’s Museum, which charges a $1 entry fee on Friday nights. The Boston Theater District, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston Public Garden, the New England Aquarium and the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum are also worth exploring over the long weekend. What’s more, affordable accommodations abound, including the Element Boston Seaport, which has full in-room kitchens and a complimentary breakfast, along with complimentary bikes.

Farmington, New Mexico

Farmington’s annual Riverfest will take place over Memorial Day weekend. During the free event, you can enjoy live music along the trails, river raft rides and the Riverfest Fine Art Show, among other activities. Farmington is also ideal for hiking and biking. The area boasts five lakes for fishing and the Animas River for rafting or kayaking. What’s more, Farmington is an ideal gateway to prized national parks, including Aztec Ruins National Monument, Chaco Cultural Historical Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Hovenweep National Monument and Natural Bridges National Monument. As for lodging, you can take your pick from a range of affordable hotels, camping options and bed-and-breakfasts.

Bryson City, North Carolina

There’s plenty going on in Bryson over the holiday weekend. Festivities start on Saturday with the free Heritage Festival on the river. Expect live music, food, arts and crafts, sack races and even a log-sawing contest. On Saturday, Darnell Farms will also host its annual Strawberry Jam Festival with live music, a petting zoo and hayrides. At night, hop on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad for a BBQ & Brews train ride and dinner event with family-friendly seating. After checking out the best of Bryson City, venture to the nearby Deep Creek recreation area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is known for its waterfalls, trails, swimming holes and opportunities for creek tubing and fly-fishing. Or partake in other outdoor adventures, such as kayaking, fishing, paddleboarding, horseback riding or zip lining. There are private campgrounds and other places to stay in the national park, including cabins starting at $135 a night for a family of five.

Panama City, Florida

Gulf World Marine Park is the destination to visit for dolphin, sea lion, reptile and tropical bird shows. If you dare, you and the kids can swim with dolphins during a private swimming lesson. For more outdoor activity, visit one of the area’s three state parks. St. Andrews State Park has nearly 2 miles of beaches on the Gulf of Mexico and Grand Lagoon. Swim, snorkel, dive, kayak, canoe and fish from the pier. When you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Schooners, a casual beach club. Kids are abound to get a kick out of the daily cannon blasting ritual to mark the nightly sunset celebration. The Sheraton Bay Point Resort, located on a 1,100-acre wildlife sanctuary, is offering a package with every fourth night free, just in time for Memorial Day.

[See: 50 Charming Small Towns to Visit Across Every State.]

Atlanta

Atlanta will host a variety of festive events over the holiday weekend, including one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country. On May 27, visit Brew at the Zoo, with more than 70 beers and wines, and live music on five stages. For more activity, bike or walk the Atlanta BeltLine, a new space of 22 miles of unused railroad tracks that circle the core of the city’s neighborhoods. Along the BeltLine, you’ll find many crowd-pleasing restaurants. As for accommodations, you can find reasonable rates at Homewood Suites by Hilton Atlanta Midtown, with its elevated outdoor pool deck with a whirlpool and fire pit area; Memorial Day weekend rates start at $165 per night, making it an ideal place to stay if you have a tight vacation budget.

Cleveland

This lakefront city offers easy accessibility and plenty of family-friendly attractions. Enjoy the free trolley system throughout downtown and don’t miss checking out the free Cleveland Museum of Art, which features more than 45,000 pieces of art. Looking for more active outdoor adventures? In Cleveland’s backyard, you’ll find the 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Take the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for a three-hour, round-trip National Park Scenic ride or stop by a Day Out with Thomas with the kids from May 26- 28. Families can ride with the popular Thomas the Tank Engine character, learn about trains, watch magicians perform and enjoy other live entertainment. Just a short trip west of the city is Cedar Point. The new Cedar Point Shores opens Memorial Day weekend, and will feature attractions like the six-story-tall aqua-drop body slide and the family splash area with water slides. For the holiday weekend, hotels such as DoubleTree Hotel Cleveland, Aloft Cleveland Downtown and the new Kimpton Schofield Hotel have nightly rates for two adults and two kids for under $200.

Detroit

Belle Isle Park, located in the Detroit River, and houses the Belle Isle Aquarium, Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the James Scott Memorial Fountain and plenty of open recreation area. Every Saturday, Lake St. Clair hosts their Morning in the Marsh event. For $5 you can paddle through a marsh aboard a 34-foot Voyageur canoe to commune with nature. Meanwhile, the Michigan Science Center has more than 250 hands-on exhibits, lab activities, special exhibits and a planetarium. Just 15 minutes outside of Detroit you can catch the Memorial Day parade and visit the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Plus, family-friendly restaurants abound, including Buddy’s Pizza, which has been part of Detroit lore since 1946. Even better, there are plenty of accommodations for two adults and two children for less than $200 a night.

[See: 9 Last-Minute Memorial Day Getaway Deals.]

Escondido, California

It’s not a Memorial Day getaway without fireside s’mores, cool dips in the pool and hiking with the family. For quality time in the great outdoors, visit the Ranch at Bandy Canyon. Spread across more than 144 acres of land in the heart of San Pasqual Valley, the area begs visitors to enjoy horseback riding and hiking before retreating to its 1930s-style adobe lodge appointed with multiple fireplaces, a pool, an outdoor bar, a barbecue area and an equestrian center. Plus, the lodge is a short drive to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and nearby wineries. Rates over Memorial Day start at around $190 per night.

More from U.S. News

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50 Charming Small Towns to Visit Across Every State

8 Affordable Family-Friendly Memorial Day Weekend Getaways originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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