DETROIT -- This summer, the family vacation does not need to break the family budget. There are a lot of deals for families if they want to get away, whether for a day trip or a week-long adventure.

Nancy Cain, the spokesperson for AAA Michigan, said families should sit down and talk about what they want to do and how much money they have for the vacation.

“What we're seeing this year is more and more people are going for a shorter period of time because of the economy. They'll go for two -three nights as opposed to the traditional two-week vacation,” said Cain.

Cain also said families should think about planning a trip for mid-week instead of on a weekend because rates are often cheaper.

“This is a great summer for travel deals whether you want to stay in Michigan or out. Travel deals abound, partly because of the economy. The people who run the resorts, theme parks, they know they have to entice you to come out and they are,” said Cain.

Disney is offering a deal to families wanting to stay at one of its resorts. A family of four can book a five-night hotel theme park package at Walt Disney World in Orlando and they will feed you for free.

Prices for the offer include:

$1,390 in a standard room at a Disney Value Resort

$1,764 in a standard room at a Disney Moderate Resort

$2,276 in a standard room at Disney's Wilderness Lodge or Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

$2,586 in a studio at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort or Disney’s Old Key West Resort.* The catch? The trip has to be booked by July 26, 2009. The deal works out to $58 per person per day for the trip. Families can always find deals on package trips by going to Disneyworld.com and clicking on special offers.

David Fishman, president of Cadillac Travel in Southfield, said if people are flexible with their vacation plans, they should be able to find a deal.

“Because of what's going on in the economy, a lot of things might be a available a little bit more last minute too,” said Fishman. Fishman looked up a few deals he saw just this week: A family of four can spend four nights in Orlando, Fla., for just $267 a person. That price includes hotel and airfare.

That same family of four can spend four nights at a Cancun, Mexico, resort for just over $2,000. The deal works out to $713.99 for each parent, $305.99 for each child. The deal includes the flight, hotel, all your meals, drinks, entertainment and some water sports. The family also gets $150 credit to be used at the resort.

The Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio has rates starting at $259.95 a night for a family of four if the stay is during the week this July or August. Weekend rates are slightly higher. The deal includes an overnight stay and admission to the indoor water park.

For a Fourth of July getaway, the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids is offering rooms as low as $149 a night. The deal includes access to a deck party with games for the kids and entertainment until the fireworks show.

AAA in Michigan has some great deals for families too. If families are looking for something exotic, they should consider Costa Rica. AAA has three Costa Rica family vacations where the kids stay for free. Rates start at $1,299 for a six-day stay. The deal is good for anyone, not just AAA members.

Best Western has teamed up with AAA in Michigan and the surrounding area to offer a stay two times and get a free night deal. Families also receive a free Jonas Brothers cinch pack.

Families that don't want to travel very far should think about nearby theme parks. A lot of parks like Cedar Point are offering big discounts to get you in the gate. The best deals on tickets can be found before arriving at the park. Families should check theme park Web sites for deals and discounts, clip coupons and remember stores like Meijer offer theme park tickets at a discount.

Another option is to plan a trip for later in the day because the parks are less busy and admission is often cheaper.

One of the best family deals at Cedar Point is the Admission Four Pack for just $140 on Cedar Point's Web site. Tickets at the gate are $43.99 each, so the same four tickets would cost $176 at the gate versus $140 online.

For more information, click here

Another good deal closer to home is the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, Mich., or Sandusky, Ohio. It is offering a "Two Days of Play for One Night of Stay" incentive. The resort’s check in time is 4 p.m., but families can start using the water park as early as 1 p.m. The next day’s check out is 11 a.m., but families can continue to use the water park until it closes at 9 p.m.

Here are other deals at both locations:

Great Wolf Lodge – Traverse City Early Bird Savings: Guests who stay two nights between now and Sept. 3, 2009, can enjoy a 20 percent savings on any suite style when they book by July 1, 2009. After July 1, 2009, consumers can get 10 percent. This is a savings of up to $100 for two nights depending on the suite style and day of week.

Meal Inclusive Package (will be on our Web site this Tuesday:) Guests who stay between now and Sept. 3, 2009 in a Family Suite can receive breakfast and lunch for four and $10 in arcade tokens. This provides an over $60 per day savings for a family of four.

Great Wolf Lodge – Sandusky Make it Three with a Night for Free: Guests looking to stay now through Aug. 16, 2009 who book two nights at $249 a night can receive a third night free.

Meal Inclusive Package: Now through Sept. 6, 2009, guests will receive breakfast, lunch and dinner with their one-night stay in a family suite. Based on a family of four, each person will receive the following: breakfast includes a family-style breakfast with beverage at Lumber Jack’s Cook Shanty, lunch includes a personal size pizza with beverage from Gitchigoomie Grill and dinner includes any menu item with beverage at Gitchigoome Grille. This provides an over $80 per day savings for a family of four.

For complete details on the Great Wolf Lodge Deals, click here

Families looking for a day trip should consider the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, Ohio. The park is about a two-hour drive from Detroit. Families can tour the 100 acre park in their own cars and see 50 different types of animals from camels to zebras. Tickets cost between $11 and $18 a person, but families can save money by printing a coupon off the park's Web site. The best family deal: pay by the car load!

The car load cost is $44.95 on weekends, 42.95 during the week. Families can have up to eight people inside their car.

Check out the African Safari Wildlife Park, by clicking here

The Detroit Zoo is still a good one-day getaway for families. Tickets are $11 for ages 15 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 14; children under 2 are admitted free. Families should consider purchasing a membership. It’s $64 for two adults and four children for the season and includes parking. The membership is good all year and also gives families access to 50 percent discounts at other zoos around country including three in Michigan and six in Ohio.

For more details on visiting the Detroit Zoo, click here

At the Detroit Science Center, there are a few different deals to consider. There are Trek Tuesdays where anyone who comes in a Star Trek costume on a Tuesday this summer gets a $4 discount off the Star Trek exhibit and IMAX film. Those in costume can spin a prize wheel to win some fun Star Trek prizes. There are also $3 discounts on all tickets after 4 p.m. every day. Bank of America cardholders get in the center for free the first weekend of every month.

To visit the Detroit Science Center, click here

The Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau wants families to know about its Sizzling Summer Special. Anyone who books a package receives lodging deals, casino deals, shopping discounts, golf specials, dining discounts, winery discounts, spa discounts, activity discounts and rental discounts.

For more information on Traverse City vacations, click here

AAA in Michigan also suggests the following Web sites for more travel deals:

West Michigan Tourist Association, click here

Pure Michigan Deal Finder, click here