How Much a Weeklong Family Vacation Costs in 20 Great US Destinations
Going on a trip is one thing. Bringing three other people, even if they are your spouse and kids, can get quite expensive. However, getting away is important for your mental health, provided you can find a way to take a break from both your workday and your financial worries.
Fly Faster: 3 Ways Credit Card Rewards Will Let You Travel Free or Cheap
Try It: Start Growing Your Net Worth With Smarter Tracking
In 2026, the average cost of a weeklong family vacation in the U.S. has climbed thanks to higher airfare and food prices pretty much everywhere you go. But just how much should you actually budget? To help you plan, MoneyLion researched just what a one-week trip could cost a family of four in several popular vacation destinations across the U.S., then enumerated them by how much they'll save your budget.
Key Findings
Of the 20 most affordable getaways MoneyLion found, Texas and Florida each had three options. It should be no surprise that some of the most popular spots include the magical Orlando, where you can go for an estimated $4,167 or you can remember the Alamo in San Antonio for about $4,141.
Affordability doesn’t just happen in small towns, as you’ll find big cities such as Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Las Vegas all on this list.
Las Vegas also has the cheapest average hotel rates, coming in at $34 a night, whereas San Antonio and Albuquerque tie for second place at $51 a night on average. (MoneyLion used the three cheapest hotels within five miles of downtown; you might prefer to pay more for a better stay.)
The cheapest destinations, based on the average cost of flights for one person, are both in Florida, as $109 will get you to either Clearwater or St. Petersburg.
Whether you're heading to Disney World, a historical national park or want to kick off your shoes in a beach town, here’s a realistic breakdown of family vacation costs. MoneyLion found the following 20 cities to be the best value for your vacation fund, ranked by overall affordability.
1. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,862
Average cost of drinks for a week: $201
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $670
Estimated price of your airfare: $473
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $3,206
2. Clearwater, Florida
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,093
Average cost of drinks for a week: $240
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $518
Estimated price of your airfare: $436
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $3,288
3. St. Petersburg, Florida
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,226
Average cost of drinks for a week: $242
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $502
Estimated price of your airfare: $436
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $3,406
4. Glendale, Arizona
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,631
Average cost of drinks for a week: $251
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $457
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,515
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $3,855
5. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,128
Average cost of drinks for a week: $249
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $502
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,113
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $3,992
6. Charleston, West Virginia
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,512
Average cost of drinks for a week: $197
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $418
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,884
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,011
7. Cincinnati
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,680
Average cost of drinks for a week: $243
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $667
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,460
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,050
8. San Antonio
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,918
Average cost of drinks for a week: $236
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $357
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,630
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,141
9. Orlando, Florida
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,310
Average cost of drinks for a week: $320
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $399
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,138
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,167
10. Nashville, Tennessee
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,002
Average cost of drinks for a week: $284
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $432
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,456
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,174
11. Grapevine, Texas
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,890
Average cost of drinks for a week: $241
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $404
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,673
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,208
Win Big: Enter for a Chance To Win $500 in MoneyLion's Summer Break Giveaway (No pur. nec. Ends 7/4/26. See official rules at mlion.info/summerbreakofficialrules)
12. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,986
Average cost of drinks for a week: $279
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $359
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,651
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,276
13. Niagara Falls, New York
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,520
Average cost of drinks for a week: $281
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $875
Estimated price of your airfare: $650
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,326
14. Branson, Missouri
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,680
Average cost of drinks for a week: $145
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $455
Estimated price of your airfare: $2,049
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,329
15. Raleigh, North Carolina
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,225
Average cost of drinks for a week: $265
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $471
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,422
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,383
16. Las Vegas
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,730
Average cost of drinks for a week: $364
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $236
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,139
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,469
17. Hot Springs, Arkansas
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,065
Average cost of drinks for a week: $216
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $408
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,801
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,490
18. Wilmington, North Carolina
Average cost of meals for a week: $1,960
Average cost of drinks for a week: $231
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $644
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,657
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,491
19. Boise, Idaho
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,100
Average cost of drinks for a week: $273
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $558
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,566
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,496
20. Austin, Texas
Average cost of meals for a week: $2,240
Average cost of drinks for a week: $319
Estimated cost of your hotel stay for a week: $390
Estimated price of your airfare: $1,575
Total cost of a vacation for a family of four: $4,523
Summer spending adds up fast. Enter MoneyLion's Summer Break Giveaway for a chance to win $500 — and give your budget a break. (No pur. nec. Ends 7/4/26. See official rules at mlion.info/summerbreakofficialrules)
Methodology: Locations were selected using the most popular vacation spots as sourced from GlobalGrasshopper, EmilyMKrause, HistoricTours, Travel + Leisure, StuffedSuitcase, BlissbytheSea, HalfHalfTravel, WalkinginMemphisinHighHeels, FamilyTravelMagazine, BevandShams, CNTraveler, and Hotels.com. For this study, MoneyLion used the dates of Aug. 2-9 for a total of seven nights. This study assumes that the family of four eats inexpensive meals for breakfast and lunch, midrange meals for dinner, one beer per adult per day, and two sodas per person per day for a total of seven inexpensive breakfasts, seven inexpensive lunches, seven midrange meals, 16 total beers and 64 total sodas. The family of four flies in midday. Airfare costs were sourced from the Bureau of Transportation's Average Airfare Costs. Using TravelMath, the closest airport to the location was selected for any city without an airport listed. The airfare cost was multiplied by four to find the average total cost of flying for a family of four. The average cost of an inexpensive meal, a midrange meal, domestic beer, and soda was sourced from Numbeo's cost of living. The three cheapest hotels within five miles of the downtown area of each city were sourced from Hotels.com. All data is up to date as of May 6, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion: