5 Free (or Almost Free) Vacations

Longing for a getaway but just can't rationalize the cost this year? You're not alone - when money is tight, vacations are often one of the first things we push off until next year. But just about anyone can look forward to an escape this year if you take our advice and try a volunteer vacation.

Volunteer vacations provide you with once-in-a-lifetime experiences and the relaxation and rejuvenation you crave, at little or no cost. Ok, so you do have to work a little - but teaching your family about the value of giving back and spending quality time together is something you just can't put a price on.

Check out these five great vacation options below and also find 11 amazing volunteer destinations - including deep sea diving and European trips - here.

Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation
Cost: FREE!
Meals and lodging: Meals included; volunteers bring their own gear.
Explore the wilderness of Montana while helping to preserve and maintain the trails of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. All ages are welcome - in fact the youngest volunteer to date was 8 years old and the oldest was 89.

Colorado Trail Foundation
Cost: Weekend Trips - $25; Full Week Trips - $50
Meals and lodging: Included.
The Colorado Trail was built by volunteers, back in the mid 1980s, and every summer volunteers come back to the Rockies to continue to remove downed trees, fix signs and markers, educate trail users, and generally keep the trails open for everyone to use. Volunteers must be 16 or older.

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American Hiking Society
Cost: $275 for an annual membership, which includes one volunteer vacation, subscriptions to Backpacker and Hiker magazines, and discounts on gear.
Meals and lodging: Included.
Forests trails need your help all over the country. Some particularly beautiful vacation spots include: The Virgin Islands and San Francisco, and due to recent natural disasters there are many trails in desperate need of repair in the southern states. Volunteers can expect to clear invasive species and to build and maintain trails and bridges. Children 13 and up welcomed.

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World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms
Cost: Membership - $20 for one person, $30 for two
Meals and lodging: Lodging is included, and meals are often included -- fresh from the organic farm.
The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) program gives you the opportunity to work at an organic farm in exchange for room and board. Don't worry if your farming experience is limited to visiting your local farmers' market; this program encourages the exchange of agricultural knowledge, so no previous farm experience is necessary. Trips are open to adults 18 and older, but many farms allow children accompanied by parents.

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Pacific Crest Trail Association
Cost: FREE!
Meals and lodging: Included.
The Pacific Crest Trail traverses various terrains - deserts, snow covered landscapes and old-growth forests - and states - California, Oregon and Washington, giving volunteer vacationers lots of options for trip destinations. You'll be rebuilding trails, and building new structures. All ages are welcome.


Find Vacations Close to You: Volunteer vacations are available all over the country. Start planning by thinking about what's important for you or your family. If there is a local hiking trail or campground you love, then find out what sort of programs they have available and save money on a flight. If you can afford to fly yourself to a new location, keep in mind many trips will pay for food and lodging so you'll save money there. You may even save enough to purchase credits to offset your flight's carbon emissions -- making it an even greener vacation.

Would you consider a volunteer vacation for your family?

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