CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — Living in a world-class destination means you won’t have to travel far for world-class fun.

Those in Tampa Bay can take advantage of nice getaways and trips and nice resorts on the beach.

Tampa Mama Marisa Langford, a blogger and contributor to Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine tells 8 On Your Side all it takes is a bit of pre-planning to make spring break fun and safe.

She recommends calling the hotel you’re planning to stay at and asking what their policies are during the pandemic, and figure out what you can and what you can’t do.

“That’s another tip I like to tell people is to pick up the phone. Call. Yes, email is great. You can search online all the different things and what you can do, but can you speak to somebody there that can help put your mind at ease? Make a reservations. Organize it so you know where you’re going, what you’re doing, and what you need to plan for. It’s just going to put your mind at ease and that’s the point of a vacation to out your mind at ease, relax, and enjoy that time with your family,” said Langford, also known as Tampa Mama.

You can also talk to a friend or someone you know that may have stayed at that location recently. Ask them if that location meets your standards for a COVID safe and clean space.

Finally, when picking a local hotel or resort to stay look at convention and visitor bureaus’ websites. Often times they have lesser known hidden gems for you to try out. That might keep you away from crowds, give you new ideas, and make your family feel safer.

For families that want to enjoy time together, plan outdoor trips at local parks or rent a home instead of a hotel. That gives you command of your space and who is allowed in it.

She suggests avoiding the crowds at the beach by going earlier in the day. If you’re going to the theme parks, go during the middle of the week, and not the busier weekends. You can also save some money and keep it simple.

“I don’t necessarily need to go to the resort and then go to an additional theme park on top of it. Sometimes just the resort stay is enough. Specifically with little kids they want to play in a new pool. They want to play outside. They love the hotel room itself. It’s an adventure on its own. So we’ll just do a resort stay,” said Langford.

While you may get lucky and find a last minute deal on a nice resort, Langford says planning ahead is the best way to save money. You can also look for places that have kitchens in the rooms making your spring break staycation more cost effective. You can also spread out your availability for a trip that way you’re not planning to go during a peak time.

Being that we are in Florida you don’t have to go for the week, because you can do a longer weekend and spreading it out in later March, April, May. Again, planning ahead will help you get a better rate,” said Langford.

You can follow the Tampa Mama here for more fun ideas around Tampa Bay.