Fun Road Trips your family can take together:
Butcher Holler Kentucky
Loretta Lynn home in Butcher Hollow Kentucky
Breaks Interstate Park
Beautiful State Park in Virginia and Kentucky
Mary Tyler Moore Statue
The TV Land statue in Minneapolis Minnesota
Point Pleasant Ohio
Birthplace of U.S. Grant, home and museum
South Bend Indiana
Home of Notre Dame University, charming northern Indiana town
Navy Pier, Chicago
Beautiful downtown Chicago lakefront historic Navy Pier.
Savannah Georgia
Quaint, historical visit to Savannah Georgia
Hollywood Florida
The ocean, hotel tips, and beautiful views
Key West, Florida
Chickens, landmarks, shopping, and the ocean
Ernest Hemingway's Home
Tour the house, read it's history, see the 6-toed cats
Sanibel Island, Florida
The Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge
St. Augustine
History, Waterfront, and Ghosts
|
|
Road Trips
Who doesn't love a Road Trip?
Whether it's a well planned vacation, or a couple of friends jumping in the car to go somewhere, anywhere, for a fun weekend, road trips are my favorite thing to do.
Make sure your car is in shape for the trip. Sounds a bit elementary, I know, but you do not want to spend your time sitting at the side of the road, or a couple of days in the middle of nowhere waiting for that little garage to order parts and fix your car, probably at an outrageous price. Get your car tuned up before you go!
Maps are crucial to your road trip. Even if you don't want to plan where to go, a trip that is based on "let's just take this road and see where we go", can turn quickly into a nightmare if you end up horribly lost. Get a big U.S. Atlas, Walmart has them for just a couple of dollars. If you are going to take your computer, bookmark mapquest... and use it! You can pull into the parking lot of most any chain type hotel, park near the office, and you'll be able to log on through their wireless internet in your car to check mail or find maps during the day.
Personally, I love studying maps. Some of the best out of the way places I've found came from reading the maps and deciding on where to go and what side trips to take, just from looking at a map.
Be sure to stop at the welcome center when you cross states, if you are on an interstate highway. They have free maps and tons of handouts of great scenic places to visit.
Always take a notebook along. Write down where you go, where you eat, and comments on what it was like. Next trip, you won't eat at that chain restaurant that was so nasty if you wrote it down. You think you'll remember everything, but you won't. Make notes about everything, it will really help in planning your next trip.
If you are staying at motels, book in advance. Check out their cancellation policy and use the ones that will let you cancel same day without penalty. If you have aarp, use the card, it will save you money. If you have military ID, always use the card. Some hotel chains give as much as half off the regular price with military ID. Don't count on being able to find a room when you get tired, you could end up paying a lot more or sleeping in your car.
Don't be afraid to complain if things are bad at the motel. Most places will give you a break on the bill if the room was bad. And do complain when you first get there, not when you leave. They may upgrade your room.
Pack a cooler. Don't overdo it, but bring along things to drink, sandwich makings, fruit, and whatever goodies you like. You can get ice free each morning at the hotel. You will be surprised at how much money you can save by packing a cooler for your trip.
Most hotels have free breakfast, lunch made from items you have in your cooler, and the only main cost for a day's food will be dinner. Don't forget to bring paper towels some plastic silverware, cups and plates, and small garbage bags.
Get organized, plan ahead, and you'll have a great road trip without breaking your budget.
Site maintained by Jo Hubbard
contact info: johubbard @ gmail.com
Site design and all photographs
Copyright 1998 - 2007
Site Map
|
