Put off by the high cost of vacationing with your family? Us, too. So we had our travel experts give up all their secret bargain vacation spots.

Our picks, like the Cove Farm Inn in Maine below, are not only easy on the wallet, they pass the FAMILYFUN test, too, by offering memorable settings, lots of activities and a welcoming spirit to parents and children. If nothing else, these picks will put to rest the idea that you have to spend a fortune on a family vacation--or that you can trust a travel writer with a secret.

COVE FARM INN

MAINE
In a recent FAMILYFUN travel survey, Northeast readers voted Bar Harbor, Maine, the number-one tourist town in the country. And while it's sometimes challenging to find a bed and breakfast that welcomes children, the Cove Farm Inn & Family Cottages in nearby Hull's Cove fits the bill nicely.

From about $120 to $195 a night, a family of four (with two children) can stay in a 1780 farmhouse on five maple-shaded acres and enjoy homemade breakfasts (fresh-baked muffins with honey butter) and the hospitality of innkeeper Jerry Keene. This father of four is a true native son who loves to share local secrets in and around nearby Acadia National Park (he'll gladly point you to the best frog-watching spot).

Of course for some families, sticking around the property for a barbecue, playing on the tree swing and hanging out with the resident horse, three dogs, four cats and a pond full of ducks is fun enough. Call 800-291-0952 or visit their Web site for more information.

For other bargain vacation spots, check out the following links:

UNDER $30 A NIGHT

• Arkansas' "Diamond" in the Rough
• Explore Colorado's Sand Dunes
• Strike Gold in California
• New York's Adirondack Adventure

UNDER $75 A NIGHT

• Sleep Over at Montana's Roosevelt Cabins
• Camping on the Carolina Cape
• Camp in Style the Ohio Way
• A California Lighthouse Getaway

UNDER $100 A NIGHT

• All Rivers Lead to Nebraska
• A Bargain Visit to Williamsburg, Virginia
• Illinois' Log Cabin Lodge
• Camp Pueblo-Style in Texas

UNDER $125 A NIGHT

• A "Hot" Time in Montana
• Lake Powell Luxury in Arizona
• An Old-Fashioned Florida Family Vacation
• A Grand Inn at the Grand Coulee Dam

UNDER $170 A NIGHT

• Oregon's Mountain Retreat
• Dive for Pearls at this Tennessee Resort
• Wisconsin's Budget B & B



Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.