Family vacations can be pricey to begin with and each addition child raises that price considerably. The key to a good family vacation is finding quality, affordable housing, transportation, activities, etc. There are numerous ways to cut costs and still have a fabulous family vacation. Here are a few suggestions.

Think San Diego Family Vacation Rentals

If you want value, consider a house or condo vacation rental. You get a lot of bang for your buck, as well as more room and comfort without having to sacrifice location. This is especially true in urban and downtown San Diego locations where hotel space is a high priced commodity. The key to finding a good condo vacation rental or home is research - call up five companies or individuals offering such services and begin whittling them down. It may take a couple hours but will save you lots of time and heartache in the long run.

By far, the biggest cost savings benefits from a house or condo rental come in the form of food costs. Eating out three times a day in a tourist hub can run a family of four $100 per meal (hotel buffet in the morning, beachside café in the afternoon and a quaint bistro at night). With kitchen facilities, you can shop once for the week and instead of every meal, you can eat out once a day and make it a meal to remember.

Transportation Costs Once You Get There

If San Diego happens to be within a few hours driving distance, you may want to consider this option. Rental cars are an added expense and when you total up the cost of insurance and gas it can start to add up. If you are getting a rental car, consider some of the cheaper alternatives. The well known car rental agencies can cost nearly double what other companies charge and don't always provide above and beyond what the lower costs alternative do. However, if you do go with a cheaper alternative, make sure that they still offer roadside service should something go wrong with your car rental.

Shop The Internet For Package Deals

Travel sites like Travel Zoo, Priceline and Travelocity often advertise inclusive deals that include airfare (if applicable), rental car, and accommodations. These deals will save you hundreds of dollars and let you get everything booked and ready in one fell swoop.

The Best Family Activities in San Diego

The World Famous San Diego Zoo This is a no-brainer. The Zoo is great day's activities and the Zoo has lots of attractions and animals from around the world. The Zoo is lots of walking (although there is a bus if that's not your thing) so this can be great for antsy youngsters. Tip: visit the Polar Bears in the morning hours as they are more active. Gorillas and monkeys in the afternoon for a better shot at seeing some fun antics.

A Day at the Beach Leave a day open for the beach and check the local forecast for the beast temperature and wind conditions (visit weather.com and type in 92037 for example for La Jolla). The nicest beach in San Diego (although not the most accessible) is arguably Windansea Beach, located near the village of La Jolla. In the North County, head to Del Mar (miles of open beach) or Carlsbad.

Check out a Padres Baseball Game Petco Park is located in Downtown and a ballgame is a great way to experience downtown and get a look at this dynamic section of the city. Tip: Monday and Tuesday games are much less crowded and for $5 a ticket you can wander the field section and often can sit down in the third base line and get a great seat - just don't tell the ushers where you heard it!

Go Wine Tasting in Temecula The city of Temecula is about an hour North from Downtown and has great winetasting. Many of the wineries are very inviting and most tastings run about $7.