Have you got some vacation time coming up? Are you trying to decide where you want to go for vacation? While gas prices are out of this world high, that doesn't mean your vacation plans have to go on hold. If you take the time and do some research, you can save yourself plenty of money. Below are five tips to help you have a good time at your choice of cheap beach vacations.

Do you have a clue where to spend your beach vacation? Once you do, do some checking on the Internet about the beach. You should make sure the beach is family friendly before showing up.

Find out from city officials if you can camp out on the beach. If you can, buy a tent off the Internet for much cheaper than you can purchase it in the store. Bring it with you and use it especially when it rains. Make sure you can sleep out on the beach, just in case.

Third, bring your food with you instead of eating out. There is also a possibility that you can't have a bonfire so be sure to find out whether this is possible before you do the food packing. If a bonfire isn't allowed, be sure you pack plenty of dry food to eat and snack on.

You'll want to have some sort of entertainment while you are at the beach. Playing in the water is fun but don't forget the games during the evening hours. You should also take a walk along the beach and just explore the area.

Fifth, make sure to bring the necessary sunscreen lotion for you and your family. If you are going to camp out at the beach for more than a day, you need to protect your skin. Even if it is a cloudy day, you can still get burned.

If you need a place to go for a cheap beach vacation, the state of Florida is a great destination. Florida has many wonderful cities that have beaches including the cities of Miami, Destin, Daytona Beach and Clearwater. Clearwater is located in western Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. The best times to visit the beaches of Clearwater are the fall and summer seasons. There are plenty of things to do but depending on your budget you may want to forgo some of the experiences.

Remember, just because you are going on vacation doesn't mean you have to spend your life's savings. It just means you need to be frugal and you can do this by having a cheap beach vacation. You utilize the five tips above and you'll have more money in your pocket after the vacation is over.