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If you are thinking about taking a family vacation, you should consider going to Myrtle Beach.  If this is the case, there are a few things that you should take into consideration about your family vacation.  To start, you should remember that gas prices are near three dollars a gallon, and plane tickets are expensive, not to mention the very strict rules as to what you can and cannot take on board.

So to help with both here is what is recommended. Instead of eating your meals at McDonald's on your way to Vacation, pack a cooler of food. You can buy a cooler and a weeks worth of sandwich stuff for around 25-35 dollars. Get a tune up, they can be expensive but a Tune up will help keep your car fuel efficient and could possibly save your life.

The best advice on where to stay once you've reached your destination is to check hotel rooms and rates early, a few months in advance.

The earlier you book a room the cheaper the rate.

Also try to book in their off season, many Hotels will have cheaper rates when they don't expect a lot of reservations to be coming in. Travelocity, or other Internet sites like Travelocity can help with finding a cheap rate.  Flying at odd hours will ensure a cheaper ticket! When traveling around Europe book your plane for around midnight because those flights offer the lower rates.

Keep in mind that whatever airline you book with, look up their site as well and see what their rules are as far as carry on material and flight exchanges or cancellations.

You might be able to get a cheaper rate through the airline than through Travelocity, and you can save even more money by bringing food with your carry on, so long as they allow it. In flight snacks are expensive so if you can, pack your own.

Here's what you do to make sure you don't forget anything. Do a walk through of your home and write down all the things you use for personal hygiene, and things you will want to have on your vacation. Tape the list to the top of the suit case, and the day of your flight... start packing.

Once you know, that everything on the list is in the suit case. It's easy and its a fairly good way to make sure you got everything. An expensive, but fun past-time during vacation is eating out.

Try to set money aside for at least one meal out at a restaurant, and if you do, make sure it's a place that isn't common to your home town. Budget your money and if you can, eat out everyday, if you can afford it.  If you can't, look at your monthly food bill, and estimate how much it will cost for you and your family to eat for the amount of time on the vacation. Then either pack a cooler to take with you, or plan on going shopping at a store near the hotel and fixing picnic-like meals in the room.