The trips I've taken with my son have usually been sparked by the brief mention of a place in a book, paper, or blog. Others have came about due to a Southwest Airlines Ding sale. If there are places you know you'd like to go, I've found it helpful to sign up for airlines' email alerts. You choose what city or country you're flying to and from. They will automatically alert you about sales.
Once I have a general idea about where we're going, I request books from the library about the city/state/region. If there is a particular place I'd like to visit (i.e., national park), I'll also look for books about that park. I've come across a few good books that cover several parks in one state or region. The library if one of my favorite sources of info because there is no cost! I usually do most of my research on the internet to make sure the info in books is up to date and to find even more info. All national parks have websites (at least all the ones I've looked up) and they are very good about responding to questions.
One of my absolute favorite travel websites is tripadvisor.com. Travelers post their advice and opinions on places to visit, hotels, restaurants, etc. I have used it every time I've traveled for the past 3 years and they've pretty much been dead on. I use it mainly for hotel ratings and I enjoy the guest pictures versus the hotels' commercial photography.
Overall my advice is to research a lot before you go. Figure out what you feel you must see and plan your trip around that. Include other activities that you may or may not see to allow for flexibility. Print out maps before you go and keep them with you in a folder. I like to make a list of my planned stops with addresses, phone numbers, and hours of operation. When you're the only adult on the trip, this helps you to enjoy the trip with less stress. I also like to find out where a convenient grocery store is to stop for some water and healthy snacks and fruit, maybe a foam ice chest too. This simple stop has made trips go so much smoother.
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2 comments:
Wow, thanks for your advice. I was going to wing it which could make for an unpleasant trip. Honey-bear and I will be going to the Smokies for our honeymoon. Now it's time to do some research!
You know, some people enjoy trips more if they are winging it. If you do (and Jen's cool with it too), do it that way. I love to research our trips and I'm less stressed that way. I have a good map of trails in the Smokies. Let me know if you'd like it.
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