PHOTO: Bastille Day fireworks in Paris. (photo via Flickr/Yann Caradec)The sights and sounds of Paris are addictive for adults, but the “City of Lights” can be just as alluring for kids. The Eiffel Tower and Mona Lisa are attractions little ones learn about in school and everyone loves croissants, right?If you’re angling for an affordable family trip to Paris, you’ll do okay if you think outside of the box.Here are some tips that can help you save without sacrificing fun:MORE Features & AdviceTravel Off-PeakOff-peak season in Europe is October through May, and this is usually when you can find the best deals on hotels and airfare. Avoiding the busy summer travel season can also help you avoid the crowds, which should make your trip more enjoyable and less stressful.Hooray for shorter lines!Use Public TransportationPublic transportation around Paris is plentiful and cheap, and you’ll save a pretty penny if you avoid taxis. A single metro ticket including all connections is just 1.90 euros, and you can get a bigger discount for purchasing a book of ten.You can also book a hop-on-hop-off river cruise for around $20 per person that includes a full day’s worth of stops at top Paris attractions like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre.READ MORE: A Guide to Buying Louis Vuitton in ParisTake Advantage of Free AttractionsLots of Paris attractions are free, so you won’t be limited staring at the beautiful architecture, gorgeous city streets or jaw-dropping landscapes. You can visit Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower (outside, at least) and Place de la Concorde for free for example.Eat Street FoodStreet food in Paris can be fun and cheap. Pick up croissants or other bread for breakfast, along with sandwiches, quiches and other French baked goods for lunch. Crepes, falafel and ethnic specialties are also readily available and delicious.Book an Apartment (Skip the Glitzy Hotels)Hotels in Paris can be extravagant and expensive, but there are plenty of lower-end properties to book if you’re flexible. Unfortunately, many traditional hotels in Paris only sleep two to a room, thereby creating a problem for families with kids who don’t want to book two rooms for a single night’s stay.Instead of booking a hotel, look for a budget apartment in your favorite Paris neighborhood. Good places to search for a bargain include Airbnb, ParisPerfect.com, and VRBO.com.READ MORE: 5 Things You Must Experience When Visiting Paris/READMORE]Cash In Your Travel RewardsTravel rewards can make any part of your trip to Paris less expensive or close to free, from your airfare to your hotel or apartments to your excursions and guided tours.One of my favorite airlines with good deals to Europe is the American AAdvantage program, which lets you fly off-peak to Europe from the U.S. for just 45,000 miles plus taxes October 15 to May 15 (excluding holidays). Air France’s loyalty program, Flying Blue, is also a winner for flights to Europe since most itineraries are 50,000 miles plus taxes round-trip.Myriad hotel credit cards can help you score free nights in Paris, although your best bet is likely a flexible travel card like the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard since it would let you book rental condos, too.Lastly, you can book excursions for free with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. For my family’s upcoming trip to Paris, we used Chase points for a Seine River cruise, a skip-the-line tour and entry into the Louvre and a guided tour of nearby Versailles. Thanks to our favorite rewards cards, those fun side trips are free.