Winter travel to Las Vegas includes checking out Sin City during Christmas

My picks for the Top 5 winter vacation deals include great cost-effective trips that the whole family can enjoy:

Flights to Las Vegas: Sin City offers entertainment for the whole clan. Many hotels have animal exhibits and roller coasters. Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage allows kids to view white lions, white tigers, panthers, leopards, and Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins. Shows, dining, incredible pools and hotel babysitters all make Vegas a great option for winter break.

Flights to Colorado: Flying into Denver and driving to some of Colorado’s best spots for white powder skiing is a great family getaway. We’ve hit the slopes of Aspen, Snowmass and Beaver Creek. All of these destinations have ski schools for the kids and are great places for beginners – or advanced – skiers.

Flights to Los Angeles: Cheap flights to Los Angeles let visitors live like movie stars. Stroll on the Santa Monica Pier, drive to Disneyland, enjoy beaches, museums and Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. We love packing picnics and hiking in Malibu or Topanga Canyon. Another free activity for kids is the boardwalk on Venice Beach, where street performers entertain for hours.

 Enjoying a Hollywood holiday

Vacation Packages: Many airlines offer vacation packages that combine airfare and hotels at better rates. Be sure to check out these deals when booking your trip to save both time and money.

Cruises: If you hurry, you can find great deals on cruises. What I love about family cruising is that don’t have to constantly pull out your wallet to feed your hungry family. Snacks and water bottles on vacations can add up to big expenditures. All-inclusive cruises that seem like a splurge actually end up saving you big bucks in the long run – especially if you travel with large families or groups.