Last year I decided that me and my siblings would do a family trip every summer. While trying to decide where to go, I knew it needed to be a place that we could all enjoy, but was kind of new. I decided on Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho. I had been there before, but it had been so long and my mom and siblings had never been. Plus, who doesn’t love rollercoasters? This year we decided to go once again because we missed Boulder Beach last year.

Theme parks are great and a lot of fun, but they can come with a high price tag, especially if you are taking your whole family. Below are some money saving tips as well as other tips to make the most of your next trip.

1. Tickets: Tickets at the door can be quite spendy, especially if you are paying for your whole family. However, there are a few things you can do to avoid paying full price at the door. Silverwood had early bird specials, so the best option is to purchase your tickets before the season starts. Go on a holiday or special event. On Mother’s and Father’s day weekends, moms and dads get in free and there are other people they celebrate, so keep an eye out. If you can’t make it on a holiday weekend or forget to purchase your tickets before the season starts, purchase your tickets online. You get a $10 off online and the savings can add up if you are purchasing several tickets. Last, but not least if you are celebrating a birthday with a large group, ask about their group specials.
2. Food: If you really want to save money, I recommend eating a late breakfast and bringing food for a late lunch as well. The park does not open until 11 AM, so you can bring breakfast burritos or something like that and a cooler with sandwiches. You can bring in a 12 by 12 by 12 coolers, so you can bring in your lunch bag with you, but you can also avoid carrying it around and leave it in your car. If you get there early, you can get a spot close to the entrance and eat a the picnic area they have set. If you don’t want to pack food, there are places like the pizzeria that offer a large pizza meal for $25, so it is not too bad, but if you add in snacks and drinks along the way, then you food budget increases.
3. Backpacks & Utility wagon: Hiking backpack with waterpack, snacks and extra water bottles. I love it because it has extra support for having it on your back all day and I didn’t have to take it off for when the kids needed a drink. I also thought about bringing my freshly bought wagon, but I was worried that someone would take it while we were on the ride, since wait times can be long and you can’t leave it on the side. I saw several people with them, but many were moms, which makes me believe they kept the wagon with them while the kiddos were on the rides. The great thing about the wagon is that you can bring more with you, so you spend less.
4. Boulder Beach: Boulder Beach is only open for part of the season, and is a nice water park. My only but is that it does feel quite crowded. If you want to get on attractions, I recommend renting a floatie. They do have a limited amount that they will let you borrow and people are supposed to take a turn and pass it on, but people are selfish, so they will keep on going and then your just standing there waiting.
5. Purchase locker: We got there later than schedule, so we didn’t want to go all the way to Boulder Beach to rent a lockers, so we decided to carry our bags in the meantime. Nevertheless, there are lockers through out the park, so you don’t have to carry things or go out to your car. I mentioned the Boulder Beach lockers because then you can change into your swimwear and have the locker nearby.
6. Day of the week: I know it is hard to get time off, especially since this trip can be spendy; however, I recommend going during the week. Many people start their weekends early and some might extend their weekend to Monday; with that in mind I decided to go on Wednesday and the lines were not as long as they usually are.