Brrrrr…it’s cold.  And spring break sure does seem far away.  But a little planning now will make for a wonderful, memory-making, budget-friendly spring break with the kids.  In this post and each of the next four posts, I’ll throw out five (slightly unconventional) ideas that do not involve airfare or more than a six-hour drive from the DC metro area.

Destination #1. Brooklyn, NY.  Yes, that’s right–Brooklyn!  Let me quickly list some of the great attractions that Brooklyn has to offer:

• Brooklyn Heights Promenade –a gorgeous, park-bench-lined, elevated walkway along the Brooklyn waterfront.  You’ll have unmatched views of Staten Island, Governor’s Island, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, South Street Seaport, Fulton Fish Market, the Brooklyn Bridge, and other landmarks.  The Promenade, by the way, is a triumph of grass-roots citizen activism.  Read about its history here:
• Free ferry to the newly restored and re-opened Governor’s Island, a historically rich little island just a couple of minutes by ferry from the Brooklyn waterfront.  Until the mid-90’s the island had been a Coast Guard installation–complete with barracks and officer’s houses that look like something right out of Mayberry.  It’s like being plunked down in the midst of a sleepy college campus–except that there are actors dressed in historical garb giving demonstrations and explaining the island’s history.
• Bustling main streets (like Court St.) with ethnic restaurants and family-welcoming bistros, tree-lined residential streets with beautiful historic brownstones.
• The Brooklyn Botanical Garden
• The Brooklyn Museum of Art
• A 10-minute subway ride into Manhattan (or, if the weather’s nice, a walk across the beautiful, historic Brooklyn Bridge
• Delicious Brooklyn pizza!  Grimaldi’s, located just a short walk from the Brooklyn Bridge, offers mouth-watering coal-oven pizza.  There’s always a line outside, but it moves surprisingly fast.  Combine your pizzeria outing with an evening stroll down by the bridge to take in the Manhattan skyline.  Unparalleled!

And now for the budget part of this trip.  Brooklyn is about a 5-hour drive from most parts of the DC area.  Hotels, as a rule, are much cheaper in Brooklyn than in Manhattan.  (The Brooklyn Bridge Marriott, for example, is about $200/night–as opposed to Midtown Manhattan hotels that tend to run about $350 or more per night.

But here’s an idea to you that is cheaper and much more home-like for the kids.  Look on the New York Craigslist under “Vacation Rentals.”  Search on some of the well-known Brooklyn neighborhoods like “Cobble Hill” or “Brooklyn Heights” or “Park Slope;” and you’ll find owners looking to rent out their apartments–usually for about a week at a time.  Most of them want a 3-day minimum and a security deposit–and of course there’s always a bit of uncertainty when dealing with private individuals.  But if you can find an owner you feel comfortable dealing with (and many of them will provide you with references for past renters), then you could wind up happily ensconced in a cozy place that will sleep four in a great neighborhood–all for around $150 a night.

And, since you’ll have saved money–and since your home will be empty while you enjoy yourself in the city–here’s another idea to consider.  Schedule ahead with Presto Pink to come in and do some of the cleaning, filing, or organizational tasks that are so hard to get done when the whole family’s at home.  You’ll come home to a feeling of order and tidiness.