Creative Vacations
It seems in the last two years something is always around to take a bite out of vacations. Whether it is four dollar a gallon gas, or a general economic recession, one can always make the case to not take a vacation.
However, vacations can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Its important to get away from your job and spend time with your family. If you think you cannot take a vacation for any reason - consider these tips:
1. Its easy to plan a vacation over a long weekend. Take a Friday and Monday off work, and you are getting four days off for the price of two.
2. Do not over burden yourself with a lot of driving, even though gas is a little cheaper now. Usually there is something fun to do within a few hours. For example, I live about 2 hours from Memphis, and I love to take weekend trips there. Every big city usually has enough new stuff to keep you busy for several days. Things such as the zoo or museums are good places to start.
3. Look for airline specials. There is a lot of competition in the airline industry and good fares are easily found. If you have a destination in mind and can be flexible with dates, a good fare is usually achievable. Try and depart mid-week, like Wednesday, and return on Saturday - there is less business travel on those days.
4. Check out state parks. Many people do not bother to do this because they do not like camping. However, you may be surprised how many parks also have cabins, and they are reasonably priced and offer nice accommodations. Plus you can enjoy all the amenities the park has to offer with your family such as hiking and swimming.
5. Consider vacations outside of the peak summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Obviously with kids, this could be difficult. But many places offer nice deals to try and entice vacationers. Be realistic, how different is Gulf Shores in August verses mid-September?
It seems in the last two years something is always around to take a bite out of vacations. Whether it is four dollar a gallon gas, or a general economic recession, one can always make the case to not take a vacation.
However, vacations can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Its important to get away from your job and spend time with your family. If you think you cannot take a vacation for any reason - consider these tips:
1. Its easy to plan a vacation over a long weekend. Take a Friday and Monday off work, and you are getting four days off for the price of two.
2. Do not over burden yourself with a lot of driving, even though gas is a little cheaper now. Usually there is something fun to do within a few hours. For example, I live about 2 hours from Memphis, and I love to take weekend trips there. Every big city usually has enough new stuff to keep you busy for several days. Things such as the zoo or museums are good places to start.
3. Look for airline specials. There is a lot of competition in the airline industry and good fares are easily found. If you have a destination in mind and can be flexible with dates, a good fare is usually achievable. Try and depart mid-week, like Wednesday, and return on Saturday - there is less business travel on those days.
4. Check out state parks. Many people do not bother to do this because they do not like camping. However, you may be surprised how many parks also have cabins, and they are reasonably priced and offer nice accommodations. Plus you can enjoy all the amenities the park has to offer with your family such as hiking and swimming.
5. Consider vacations outside of the peak summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day). Obviously with kids, this could be difficult. But many places offer nice deals to try and entice vacationers. Be realistic, how different is Gulf Shores in August verses mid-September?