Yes, you can afford a summer trip! How to take a family vacation on $250 a day

Summer's right around the corner and many families are starting to look at their budgets to determine whether they can afford that family vacation. If you're on the fence, my recommendation is to go because it's possible to keep your costs down and travel on the cheap. With some smart budgeting and cost-saving tips, you can make that family trip happen!

My family just returned from a week-long spring break road-trip and we spent only $250 on food, gas, lodging and entertainment.

Here's how we did it:

1) We left the SUV at home. We drove a Ford C-Max Hybrid that gets 52 miles to the gallon. If we had taken a regular SUV, we would have spent about $200 more on gas.

2) We lightened our load. We packed light—bringing only a few changes of clothes and doing wash along the way. Carrying 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel efficiency by 1 to 2 percent. If you do have cargo to haul, use the trunk instead of a roof rack or carrier, as using these can decrease mileage by as much as 5 percent.

3) We drank only water at restaurants. No iced tea, no apple juice, no beers, no way! Those $3 to $7 drinks add up on restaurant bills.

4) We ate on the cheap. We're a family that likes to eat and we appreciate good food—we try to avoid fast-food restaurants at all costs. But when you're on a tight budget, eating well is tricky. We often got food to-go and picnicked at a park. At nicer restaurants, my husband and I often split an entree and salad.

5) We carried refillable water bottles. A family of four can easily spend $20 a day buying water in plastic bottles. We purchased eco-friendly Klean Kanteens, which don't leach chemicals, toxins, or funky flavors. We refilled them at hotels, restaurants, and public restrooms.

6) We found free and cheap fun. We spent a lot of time hiking around state parks, visited museums at times when admission is free, went to fairs and festivals, looked for farmer's markets.

7) We took advantage of hotel freebies. Bed down at places that offer great value: free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking. For example, you’ll receive free Internet access at all Best Western hotels (bestwestern.com).

8) We dove into the hotel pool. Take a break from the amusement parks and shopping malls, and hang out at the pool, where you don't have to pay admission. Ninety percent of Best Western properties have swimming pools.

9) We loaded our iPhone with apps. We used CheapGas to pinpoint the lowest priced gas stations and AAA Discounts to alert us of money-saving opportunities. You can download both applications for free on iTunes.

Are you convinced? Now's the time to start planning! Pick a week-long road trip route that leaves from your house so you avoid the high cost of summer air flights. Sign up for Best Western Rewards and start booking your hotels!