A resort getaway does not have to come with luxury-level prices. Plenty of affordable resorts offer pools, beaches, outdoor recreation, and other activities that can keep travelers entertained without paying for a separate attraction every day. As NerdWallet explains in its guide to saving money on travel, traveling during the offseason or shoulder season can also mean better deals and fewer crowds. From mountain retreats and water parks to beachfront stays, these 12 resorts offer plenty of fun while making it easier to keep an eye on the budget.
Massanutten Resort – Massanutten, Virginia
Spread across 6,000 acres in the Shenandoah Valley, Massanutten has enough going on to make leaving optional: pools, pickleball, basketball, hiking and other recreation are available, while skiing, golf, mountain biking and a substantial indoor/outdoor water park add more choices. The important catch is that water-park admission isn’t normally included with a basic room. Instead, look for the resort’s lodging-and-water-park packages or advance tickets. Massanutten also regularly runs stay-longer promotions, making flexible dates particularly useful for bargain hunters.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort – Orlando, Florida
For families who want Orlando without buying theme-park admission every single day, Orange Lake can make an appealing home base. The sprawling resort has four pool areas, waterslides, sports courts and a 1,200-foot lazy river, while villas can provide the kitchen and living space that make longer stays easier. There are extra charges to watch: lazy-river tubes currently rent for $9, and watersports, cabanas and other activities cost more. Cooking breakfast or dinner in the villa is where families may find some of the biggest savings.
OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
OKANA makes a stronger value case than many water-park resorts because water-park admission is included for registered overnight guests. Its 100,000-square-foot indoor park has 15 slides, a wave pool, lazy river, surf simulator and children’s areas, while the seasonal outdoor complex adds a beach-style lagoon. The fine print matters: the base room rate includes two water-park passes, with additional registered guests currently adding $30 per person per night. Parking also costs extra. Still, families can potentially get lodging and a full day’s main attraction from the same purchase.
Beach Place Guesthouses – Cocoa Beach, Florida
This isn’t the place for travelers seeking marble lobbies and sprawling water parks. That’s partly why it works. Beach Place sits directly on Cocoa Beach and offers apartment-style guesthouses with full kitchens, letting families buy groceries instead of eating every meal at a restaurant. Beach equipment is complimentary, including chairs, umbrellas and towels, while hammocks, fire pits, barbecue decks, board games and other low-key amenities provide inexpensive downtime. The combination makes it particularly appealing to groups who would rather spend their vacation money on the trip than on resort extras.
AutoCamp Zion – Virgin, Utah
AutoCamp Zion replaces the conventional hotel room with climate-controlled Airstreams, cabins and suites about 15 minutes from Zion National Park. Guests get a seasonal pool, lawn games, clubhouse, complimentary bikes, yoga and seasonal activities, plus coffee and granola in the morning. Cabins have kitchenettes, while other suites include mini-fridges, sinks and basic cooking equipment. There is an important extra cost: AutoCamp currently charges a $35-per-night amenity fee. Zion admission isn’t included either, so compare the complete cost rather than being swayed by the novelty of sleeping in an Airstream.
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Isinglass Estate – LaCygne, Kansas
For something considerably different from the standard hotel weekend, Isinglass spreads its accommodations across a nearly 600-acre winery estate. Covered wagons are the attention grabber, but the property also has vineyards, animals, hiking and fishing areas, live music and plenty of room for stargazing. Some activities cost extra, horseback rides, for example, currently start at $39.99 for a 30-minute vineyard ride. The appeal is less about getting an all-inclusive vacation and more about having unusual entertainment and scenery immediately outside your lodging instead of paying to fill every hour elsewhere.
Club Wyndham Long Wharf – Newport, Rhode Island
Newport can be an expensive place to sleep during summer, which makes a suite with cooking facilities especially useful. Club Wyndham Long Wharf sits by the harbor and offers one, two and three-bedroom accommodations, many with full kitchens. There’s also an indoor pool, seasonal outdoor pool, hot tubs, sauna, movie theater, game room and organized activities. Recent verified guests give the property particularly strong marks for location. The value case is strongest for families or groups splitting a larger unit and travelers who will actually use the kitchen instead of eating every Newport meal out.
Double Arrow Resort – Seeley Lake, Montana
Double Arrow trades elaborate amusement-style amenities for the things many travelers actually come to Montana to enjoy: mountains, forests, lakes and space. Its log accommodations provide a classic Western-resort atmosphere, with hiking and lake recreation nearby and activities such as horseback riding available in the area. That’s also the limitation: don’t assume every outdoor adventure is bundled into the room price. The property makes more sense for travelers happy to spend much of the day hiking, sightseeing or relaxing outdoors than for families expecting an all-inclusive schedule of organized activities.
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Rochambeau Roadside Inn – Williamsburg, Virginia
Rochambeau isn’t a traditional sprawling resort, but its renovated 1954 roadside-motel character makes it a good fit for travelers who value personality over elaborate facilities. It’s roughly a mile from Colonial Williamsburg and offers free parking, complimentary bikes, fire pits, lawn games and weekend breakfast with locally sourced coffee and baked goods. Recent guests repeatedly praise the cleanliness, retro design, peaceful grounds and outdoor gathering spaces. For road-tripping couples and families, the combination of free extras and proximity to Williamsburg can matter more financially than having a pool complex on the property.
Red Jacket Beach Resort – South Yarmouth, Massachusetts
A private Cape Cod beach can eliminate the need to spend much on daytime entertainment. Red Jacket Beach Resort has 1,000 feet of private beach, heated indoor and outdoor pools, pickleball and seasonal family programming. Chairs, umbrellas and towels are provided, and summer activities can include beach yoga and entertainment. There is a catch worth budgeting for: the resort currently charges a nightly resort fee equal to 10% of the room rate plus tax. This one makes the most financial sense when shoulder-season room prices drop but the weather is still pleasant enough to enjoy the Cape.
The Abbey Resort – Fontana, Wisconsin
Set on 90 acres beside Lake Geneva, The Abbey has indoor and outdoor pools, seasonal recreation, family activities, movies, bonfires and live entertainment, giving guests plenty of reasons to stay on the property. Its current stay-longer promotion is especially interesting for flexible travelers: two nights can save up to 15%, three up to 25%, and four or more up to 30% on the room rate. Taxes and the daily resort fee are additional, and blackout dates apply. It’s particularly practical as a drive-to getaway for Midwest travelers who can avoid airfare entirely.
Running Y Resort – Klamath Falls, Oregon
Running Y spreads across 3,600 acres near Klamath Falls, surrounded by forests, lakes and trails. Resort guests get access to an indoor pool, hot tub, wet sauna and fitness center, while on-property options include hiking, biking, pickleball, bird-watching and stargazing. Parking is complimentary, another small expense travelers don’t have to add to the room price. Golf and certain excursions cost extra. The location also puts guests within reach of Crater Lake National Park, making Running Y particularly appealing to travelers who consider hiking and scenery the entertainment rather than something that needs its own admission ticket.
