That, coupled with high gasoline prices and a faltering economy, have parents such as Nicky Soulier of South Jordan looking to vacation close to home, something the travel industry refers to as a "staycation."

Having just finished spending time at the Boondocks Fun Center in Draper with her three young children, Soulier said she had plans to spend her vacation in Salt Lake and Utah counties going to children's museums, the Classic Family Fun Center, the Living Planet Aquarium and Thanksgiving Point.

"It's too expensive to go anywhere," she said. "And all the places we want to go [here] are way fun . . . Last year, we went to St. George on vacation. Everything we did was just like this and we drove over five hours to do the same stuff we can drive 20 minutes to do."

Wasatch Front families looking for a "staycation" might start with the many attractions on both sides of the Point of the Mountain in northern Utah County and southern Salt Lake County.

Jennifer Whitehead of Bluffdale, a mother of two young children, called herself a "membership collector" because she buys annual family passes to places including Hogle Zoo and Thanksgiving Point's dinosaur museum.

"They get bored at home with nothing to do so we come here year-round in the winter and summer," she said after finishing a visit to the Museum of Ancient Life with her 6- and 3-year-old kids.

Todd Taggart, of Pleasant Grove, said that, with the cost of gasoline affecting everything and his wife just giving birth to a new baby, he appreciates there are so many opportunities for recreation close to home.

Jordan Johnson, assistant director at the Museum of Ancient Life, said this summer seems busier than in past years.

"It's more expensive to go on vacation this year so people are going to local attractions," she said.

That's something Laura Lee Bradshaw, one of the owners of the new Liberty Land amusement park in Lehi, said she hopes will promote her kid-oriented park that features a roller coaster that winds its way through Mount Rushmore, an American-icon themed miniature golf course and 11 kids' rides, including a carousel, go-karts and bumper boats.

"I suspect we'll see a trend to stay closer to home," she said. "People still want to have a vacation, but they can't go to Hawaii."

She said she hopes that by putting U.S. historical sites with plaques explaining where they are and their significance around her park that kids who might not get to visit Washington, D.C., can still get a feel for the country's famous monuments.

Amy Cameron of Lehi seemed thrilled with the new park. She said tight finances will keep her family close to home enjoying a place like Liberty Land, the Kangaroo Zoo in Pleasant Grove or Jump On It in Lindon.

TOM WHARTON can be contacted at wharton@sltrib.com. His phone number is 801-257-8909. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.