1. The first thing I want to suggest is that you begin looking a little closer to home this year. It’s a lot of fun to take the family out to the coast or up to the mountains for a few days to a place that is entirely new to everyone but if you stop to think about it there could be such a place right in your own neighborhood. Many organizations sponsor camp outs for kids and families. I will never forget the camping trips I went on with the YMCA when I was a teenager. After I got a couple of years experience camping I was able to go to camps as an aid and I then camped for free as long as I was willing to be a counselor for younger campers.
2. If you are looking for a low cost family vacation then camping has to be one of the first things you consider. Whether you go camping in a pop up trailer or use a tent you’ll save a bunch of money on your sleeping arrangements every night. Each year you can add a few pieces of new equipment to your gear or you can shop the local yard sales and save a little extra on you purchases that way. The Goodwill store can be a great source of used equipment that can be in excellent  condition.
3. There are always lots of things to see and do in your own area. For great discoount family vacation ideas, start at the local office of tourism. They will have suggestions for many great places to visit and lots of places to go camping with your family. You will find that your local Chamber of Commerce will also be a very good source of information about places of interest and places to stay. 
4. Talk to family members and see if anyone has a time share that isn’t being used this year. It may be possible to vacation with another part of your family or you might be able to make use of an unused timeshare that might otherwise go to waste. However it won’t be a low cost family vacation if you decide to attend a presentation and end up buying your own timeshare plan. (Just say NO!)
5. Here is an idea that has become very popular recently and can save you a bundle.You can make arrangements to trade houses with someone who would  like to spend their vacation in your area. There are several large home exchange clubs that can easily be found on the web. There are rarely any problems with these arrangements and they can certainly lead to some interesting new acquaintances.

In a very unusual coyote incident, a nineteen yard old woman was hiking alone in Eastern Canada this week and was attacked by two coyotes. By the time rescuers reached her she had lost a large amount of blood from bite wounds and was in critical condition. Taylor Mitchell was airlifted to a hospital in Halifax Nova Scotia where she died the next day. 

On the other side of the continent in another coyote incident officials in Los Angeles ordered a coyote hunt in the popular Griffith Park after a man was bitten on the foot.  Trappers killed eight coyotes in an effort to stem such attacks in the Metropolitan area.  Coyotes are found all over North America and although attacks against humans are highly unusual the animals seem to be adaptable to areas that are usually occupied by humans.  This will lead to many problems as the animals hunt for food in residential areas.

In an unrelated incident in Sun City Arizona a resident was attacked in her own yard as she held a small dog in her arms.  The coyotes were able to wrestle the dog from her and tried to make off with their anticipated meal but she prevailed with rocks and sticks and after a trip to the local vet and surgical repair of the wounds the dog was saved.  In Sun City there are several golf courses and the coyotes are drawn by the open spaces and large numbers of birds and animals that they can hunt for food.  They never turn their backs on a pet that may be available in someone’s yard and it appears that they don’t care if the owner is present or not.

 Although such incidents are rare and certainly not anticipated they do underscore the importance of not taking Mother Nature for granted.  Always have an emergency pack with you while in the open spaces and it would be a good idea to have a repellent such as Mace to ward off attackers whether human or otherwise.

1. Just two hours North of Phoenix on I-17 you’ll find Lyman Lake State Park.  The biggest draw at Lyman Lake is the cooler weather and the large reservoir where boaters, campers and fisherman can spend their day in pursuit of their favorite pastimes.  Your family will enjoy hiking, biking, fishing in Lyman Lake.  The lake is stocked with warm water fish such as Bass, Walleye, Catfish, and Northern Pike. The campground has sites for tents and RV’s and they have a few cabins and yurts available.  Admission to the park is $5.00 and to use a campsite is the cost is $12 to $16.   If you want electricity it will run from $19 to $25.   The yurts rent at $35.00 and cabins are $50.00.  Call 928-337-4441 for more information.

2. To the Northwest of Phoenix about an hour and a half is Prescott Arizona. There are two lakes nearby, Watson and Goldwater.  There are facilities for picnicking, hiking, biking and boating on the lakes.  You can even rent kayaks and paddle across the lakes if you can handle the exercise.  Camping in the area is just $10.00 per night and most campers enjoy a trip down the Thumb Butte road about 2 miles and a hike on the Thumb Butte Trail.

3. Along Highway 60 at Springerville  Arizona is the 15 acre Casa Malpais archeological ruin.  This is a very famous site that lies about two miles from  Springerville and was occupied for close to two hundred years by the Mogollon peoples around 1200 AD.  The site is renowned for a large kiva, numerous petroglyphs, and many residences found at the location.  Guided tours start at the Casa Malpais Visitor Center and cost $8.00 per adult and $6.00 for those over 60.
Although there is no camping in the immediate area there are motels and restaurants nearby.  Try Reeds Lodge in town for rooms at $50.00.

For information of Lyman Lake State Park check with the state at: www.AZStateParks.com

For more information on the lakes in the Prescott area go to: www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott/recreation/index.shtml