So, I've bought a lot for my summer 2019 Columbus Game Convention/Pigeon Forge, TN trip (with overnight stops for college visits and family in Pittsburgh and SW VA). I've pretty much stayed in my planned budget, while making sure my mom got to do everything she wanted in TN (since it's her 1st trip here, ever...and she wanted shows and attractions...and a little outdoor mountain time...emphasis on little)...here's where I'm at budget-wise for our 13 night trip...
Gas/Parking/Tolls - $470 (including valet hotel parking in Columbus and all TN parking fees)
Hotels - Residence Inn 2 bedroom Columbus (6 nights $1500), Sunrise Ridge Resort PF, TN (my mom used her timeshare here - I'm using mine to take her to Williamsburg in August - 5 nights), Home2 Suites Pittsburgh studio (1 night hotel points), Homewood Suites 1 bedroom SW VA (1 night $130) = $1630
Total Travel Costs $2100
Entertainment Costs
Columbus
Game Convention Badges (4 5 day badges bought + 1 free for child, 1 free for volunteer) = $200
Game Event Tickets (still need to buy) = budget = $300
Trampoline Xtreme Park 1 hour jump for 4 = $18 (Groupon with Groupon Select Discount) (for our arrival day before Con starts to get kids a fun activity before groceries, check in, swim)
Total Columbus $518
Tennessee
Hatfield McCoy dinner and show tickets for 6 (our splurge) = $325 (my mom said this was the one show she wanted, and I've seen it, and my family did love it, so we're doing it again)
Smoky Mountain Opry show tickets for 6 (I told my mom she will love this, and I think she will - since it changes every year, I don't mind the repeat) = $91
Comedy Barn show tickets for 6 = $91 (new for all of us)
Impossibilities Magic Mind Reading and Mayhem show tickets for 6 (new for all of us) = $72
Ripley's Aquarium tickets (repeat for us, but for my mom), Ripley's Believe It or Not tickets (new for all of us), and Ripley's Haunted Adventure tickets (new for all of us) for 6 = $135
Anakeesta for 6 (new for all of us) = $68
Titanic attraction for 6 (new for all of us) = $64
Morning in the Smoky Mountains = free
One-two outdoor activities (carriage/horse back ride/caverns) = TBD (budget here $236)
Mini golf and swimming at the resort = free
Total TN $1082
Total Entertainment budget for both areas $1600
Food
Trip to Columbus $50 food (probably less b/c I have a free Cracker Barrel $25 from MyPoints)
Trip to TN $50 fast food (probably less b/c I have a free Starbucks $25 from MyPoints)
Trip to SW VA $50 fast food
Trip home $50 fast food
Pittsburgh food (free - paid by grandparents)
Total travel food $200
Columbus
Breakfasts - Paid (hotel)
Groceries (Cover 1 meal/day) $125
2nd meals
North Market Belgian Waffle Restaurant $30 (we got a free restaurant.com deal)
Fresh Fish Poke Bowls $40 (deal with Con badge)
4 other take out meals $160 (One Subway, one Pizza, One Vietnamese Bahn Mis, and one Indian)
Total Columbus Food $355 (low here b/c we don't spend a lot of time eating during the con b/c we are there to game)
Tennessee
Groceries (Cover about 1.75 meals/day - mostly dinners - and all breakfasts) $200
Lunches
Old Mill $100
Anakeesta BBQ $80
Severveille Donut $30 (got a local flavor)
Apple Barn $100
Dinner at Hatfield McCoy (Paid in entertainment budget)
Miscellaneous Fast Food Dinner Meal Out $50
Ice Cream $20
Total TN Food $580
Buffer Budget $65
Total Food Budget $1200
Miscellaneous Budget (Souvernirs, Oopsies) $100
Total Budget $5K for 6
(With my $1K Williamsburg 5 night vacation in August, I'm right on track for my $6K 2019 yearly vacation budget for 6 - anything I don't spend here will plus up that trip
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