Inexpensive Weekend Get-Aways​ for Teachers

Well, what do weekend get-a ways have to do with teaching?

They keep you invigorated, they add to your emotional well-being, they relieve stress (well, it should). So below I’m going to describe a few weekend get-aways that are easy and inexpensive. Of course, you can make them expensive if you have the cash. But if I know teachers (and I think I do, I was one for years) YOU are looking for an inexpensive route.

I will be speaking mostly about what you can do for FREE in each of these locations. Also, in order for this to be a stress-free trip, you need to make sure that you delegate jobs if you have a family traveling with you. Pack some meals to save money.

Before I get into the four cities I’m going to highlight today, I have a couple of articles of encouragement and about taking care of yourself. Here they are:

How to Avoid Teacher Burnout; A Little R & R

Some Teacher Encouragement

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Inexpensive Weekend Get-aways

Today I will highlight four places spaced out in the US that should be within driving distance to many of you. In future articles I will highlight a few more places. The places I’m going to highlight here are:

1. San Diego, California
2. Waco, Texas
3. Baltimore, Maryland/ Washington D.C.
4. St. Louis, Missouri

Here are the Weekend Get-away highlights!

Weekend Get-away #1 – San Diego, California

If you can drive to San Diego in six hours or less, you can enjoy a weekend of some fun, out-of-the-way places that are FREE or very inexpensive. So, for the cost of a hotel room, gasoline and some meals you can have a blast.

Some places in the San Diego region to go to are OLD TOWN, Point Loma, Coronado Island, Balboa Park, the beaches, Oceanside Harbor and Seaport Village.

The reason these were the ones that I listed is because most are FREE. As far as I know, Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma has an entrance fee only.

Old Town San Diego

Old Town San Diego is one of my favorite places in San Diego. The city has designated a small section of the town (which was indeed the original Old Town of San Diego) to recreate an old southwestern town.

There are numerous shops to wander into. Some great restaurants to get yummy Mexican food, and some free museum-type buildings to visit. My favorite is the original school house (can you guess why? lol)

Cabrillo National Monument is located at the tip of Point Loma.

It’s a fabulous overlook peninsula that overlooks the ocean on one side and the San Diego Harbor on the other. It has a museum and gift shop about the founding of San Diego by Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542 (in the service of Spain).

Another perk about visiting Point Loma is that there are free tide pools that you can walk down to on the western (Pacific Ocean) side of the peninsula.

Here is a link to the National Parks website with the page for Cabrillo National Monument. It will have the entrance fee listed.

Cabrillo National Monument

Coronado Island

Coronado Island offers cute small shops along it’s town streets, it’s the home of the world famous Hotel Del Coronado (shown below) AND it has a beautiful beach to walk along. ALL which are free to do.

Balboa Park

Balboa Park is one of the largest parks in San Diego County and is home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo and other local museums. It is a beautiful park designed with a Spanish motif. There is a lovely central fountain that begins the promenade that houses all the museums.

There is a fee for each museum and for the zoo. However, you can enjoy wandering around Balboa Park without going to any of the attractions there.

The numerous Beaches in San Diego County

San Diego has beaches up and down the coast beginning with Imperial Beach on the Mexican border all the way up to North County area with Oceanside, Carlsbad and Encinitas.

A really fun beach to visit is Mission Beach which has a small amusement park area called Belmont Park. From Mission Beach you can spot Sea World another (COSTLY) theme park in San Diego.

Oceanside Harbor

Oceanside Harbor has a boardwalk that you can meander and stroll along on one of the beautiful days that San Diego County is famous for.

Seaport Village

Everyone I talk to that has visited Seaport Village loves it. It is a cluster of small shops built on the seashore near the harbor area of San Diego. It is within walking distance of many of the large downtown hotels that often hosts conferences, so it gets a steady stream of visitors.

The quaint “village” is fun to wander through. They offer some inexpensive eateries including an ice cream shop, as well as some sit-down restaurants.

Here is an article by another blogger about 42 things to do in San Diego.

42 Things to do in San Diego.

Keep in mind, there is no way you can do all these things in one weekend. Each place listed above will take about half a day including driving there and parking before your exploration. So, the good part is that you can do a few trips to San Diego in the next few years.

Weekend Get-away #2 – Waco, Texas

If you are a fan of Fixer Upper, then you have heard of Waco, Texas, the home of Magnolia Marketplace, a fun weekend get-away created by Chip and Joanna Gaines. Waco is about an hour and a half drive from either Austin or Dallas which both have major airports. But if you’re driving in, that doesn’t make a difference.

Magnolia Marketplace

The main attraction is the Magnolia Marketplace at the Silos. This is such a fun cheery relaxed place to shop and spend part of the day. They have a Bakery on site and a new coffee shop next door. One of the highlights is the kid-friendly grassy area that is set up with games for kids to play or just roll around in. This area is surrounded by food trucks with many local Waco favorites.

Here is another blogger’s description of her visit to Waco with her girlfriends. Tana Nelson from Your Marketing BFF made a recent excursion to WACO.

The Perfect 3 Day Girls Travel Guide to Waco, TX

The Waco Suspension Bridge across the Brazos River

Another fun FREE thing to do in Waco is visit the Waco Suspension Bridge (built in 1870), which is part of the historic Chisholm Trail, which crosses the Brazos River. Along the river bank the town has erected a series of larger-than-life sculptures of a cattle drive. Being a laid back town, they even allow children to climb onto the cattle for a picture op.

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My sister and I also took a local two-hour tour of Waco when we visited, but there is a cost for this. It is a great tour that drives you around town, which includes Baylor University. They also take you past about eight of the Fixer Upper houses from the show. The tour wasn’t hugely expensive, but if you are paying for a family it can add up.

Another FREE option in Waco is to take your family to explore Cameron Park in Waco. It has numerous hiking trails, an overlook of the Brazos River and fun playgrounds for kids. There’s a nice spot to take a stroll along the river and also a small Zoo you can go to (this may have an entrance fee).

Here is a link to the Parks website where you can read all the fun things to do in Cameron Park, Waco, Texas.

Weekend Get-away #3 – Baltimore, Maryland and Washington D.C.

Baltimore and Washington D.C. are only about an hour away from each other (less if you don’t have traffic, but that’s rare). This region of the country is highly congested and traffic can be a “bear.” Your largest expense here will be a hotel room since this is a more expensive region of the country.

Washington D.C.

The fabulous thing about Washington D.C. is that all the National Monuments are FREE admission. The downside is that it is often very crowded and driving and parking from each Monument will take up quite a lot of time, so you may not see as much as you want or expect to in the weekend.

One option (but it costs some money) is to take a guided tour of the city. I took one that was six hours but I believe they have shorter ones also. Although there is a cost, the benefit is that you are driven to each Monument, so you don’t have to figure out how to get to each one or where to park. By doing the tour, you are able to see most if not all of the monuments.

The Lincoln Memorial (above) is one of the most iconic monuments in the United States. It faces the Washington mall that is a huge grassy park with a pond that leads to the Washington Monument.

The Jefferson Memorial (below) has a fabulous view of the Potomac River, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

Baltimore, Maryland

In my opinion, the best FREE weekend get-away in Baltimore is Baltimore Harbor (however, I have not been all over Baltimore, so some of you may have a different opinion). Baltimore Harbor has a beautiful harbor walk with many shops and restaurants to visit. The harbor has many ships docked and views of the harbor traffic of ships coming and going.

Located near the harbor is Fort McHenry National Monument. I did not get a chance to visit this monument when I visited Baltimore, but saw it from the Harbor. It was where Francis Scott Key wrote our National anthem, The Star Spangled Banner in 1814.

Here is a link to the National Parks website about visiting Fort McHenry National Monument.

Weekend Get-away #4 – St. Louis, Missouri

Visiting St. Louis was the most recent trip that I’ve taken. While I actually traveled there for work, I found the city fun and offering a number of free and inexpensive activities. We stayed at the most fabulous hotel (especially if you like history), the St. Louis Union Station Hotel (above) and just outside the “station” was a giant ferris wheel (below).

There is a charge to ride the Ferris wheel, but you may want to indulge since it’s really fun.

Our next day we took a quick city tour and then made a trip to the St. Louis Gateway Arch Monument. This is a fabulous place. But you have to be sure that you are not claustrophobic if you plan to take the trip to the top. The Lobby of the ARCH has many historic and architectural information to read and view, along with a nice gift shop and cafe.

The trip to the top of the arch does require a ticket, but if I recall correctly the cost was very reasonable.

Just like a few of the other cities I have mentioned above, the tour in St. Louis in nice (about 2 hours) and gives you an overview and some historical facts.

Forest Park Adventures

I have great insider information (thank you Carrie) that Forest Park has numerous FREE museums to visit as well as a wonderful zoo.

The places recommended are The Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, and the Science Center. The Zoo is considered one of the best in the nation. Who doesn’t love going to a fun zoo?

A few more places

The final two places that are fun to visit are the Budweiser Brewery and the St. Louis Baseball Stadium, Busch Stadium. Both of these cost a little money. Either the price of a tour of the brewery or the ball game ticket. But if you like beer or baseball, it might be worth the cost for you and your family.

Well, that concludes my list of four regional cities that have a number of FREE things to do on a weekend visit. Soon I will write another article on some other cities I have enjoyed over the years.

Do you think I should highlight your city? What FREE things are offered there? I’d be happy to include them in the next article.

I hope you have a fun weekend get-away with your family or friends soon. It’s good for your spirit and mental health.

Until Next Time,

Your Teacher Buddy