Travel Tip #19 - Buying/Renewing Season Passes

     Continuing on with the theme of a Staycation, if you are going to be home for the summer, you might want to look into getting season passes to a place that you and your kids will enjoy visiting multiple times. Lots of people like to get season passes to a local amusement park. This can save a lot of money if you use it. On the other hand, you need to ask yourself if you really are going to use it enough to really justify the cost.

     For example, the first year we got The Pass of All Passes, we went to a couple of the different venues, and felt we truly got our money's worth. Since it was so cheap to renew the passes the next year, we did. However, since we had already been to several of the places on the pass, we didn't go to as many places. Once the novelty wore off, it wasn't something we thought about much. Also, we went on a big trip that year, so we were gone a good part of the summer. In fact, besides my oldest daughter, we only used our passes twice the whole year - and we struggled to find a time to go the second time just to make sure we got our money's worth.

     Also, before renewing your passes, take a look at what else is out there. You might find a better deal somewhere else. Besides, like I mentioned before, once the novelty wears off, you tend to use them less and less each year. It might be a better idea to get season passes to a different venue so that you don't get sick of going to the same place all the time. Even better, look for a pass that lets you experience several different venues. In that sense, the Pass of All Passes is great. It can be used at 19 different venues. Ironically, since we mainly used the Pass for Seven Peaks Water Park, we forgot about some of the other places that accepted the Pass, and paid to go to one of those places without realizing that we could have gotten in for free. So if you buy a pass to multiple venues, make sure you familiarize yourself with the terms of the Pass, and take advantage of the opportunity to try something new.
     So the next time you get a notice asking if you want to renew your season passes, consider your options. Ask yourself whether or not your family is really up for another year of visiting the same venue. It might be worth it, it might not. If we do get the Pass of All Passes again, I will try to set a time each month to do one of the activities on the pass - especially some of the places we haven't visited yet. Of course, I might try something totally new - like the Salt Lake Connect Pass. In any case, I'll only buy it if I know that I'll use it.